Renee's Bio:

Renée has been singing since she can remember. When she was five she was singing with a gospel group touring the East Coast singing at church camp meetings with her parents.

As she got older, she sang in choirs in school, until she found the Folk Rock Group -- her dream come true -- a rock band for a class in high school. With this group she performed all over the Anne Arundel County School District singing both lead and background vocals. This group also gave her a chance to record 2 records at East Coast Sound Labs in Baltimore, MD.

After high school she found an agent in Washington D.C. that introduced her to her first full time Top 40 band, Touch of Class. She worked with them for a week while their lead singer recovered from voice trouble. While working with them she fronted the band in Ocean City, MD at a prominent night spot.

After she left Touch of Class she joined the army and was stationed at Fort Campbell, KY where she joined the Gospel Group the Faithfull Few Ensemble. Renée sang both lead and background vocals in this family group that toured all over Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama visiting churches of all denominations, State prisons, and local jails singing and sharing.

After she left the Army, she moved to California where she won the Coors Classic (Nationwide talent search sponsored by Coors and JVC), which won her a cruise on the Carnival Ecstacy where she competed in the Nationals.

Shortly after her marriage to her now, former husband, Jack Leininger, she went back to her gospel roots and recorded a CD with him (The Leiningers Our Story). They toured all over California, Florida, and Maryland sharing their faith and their music. During this time Renée and Jack also had the honor of singing at John Lee Hooker's memorial service for their friends Ollan Bell and Zakiya Hooker.

Now you can find Renee either singing the National Anthem for special functions or singing in a SF Bay Area club almost every weekend with her band The Cocktail Monkeys. Either way...You'll find her singing!
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The Cocktail Monkeys are one of the best and busiest bands in the SF Bay Area. We have been together for 5 years and play over 80 gigs a year. We play several clubs in San Francisco, Pleasanton, Los Gatos, and San Jose. We also play lots of corporate events cassinos, weddings, and private parties. Some of the companies we have played for are: Lockhead Martin, Bridge Bank, March of Dimes, DiTech, and the USS Hornet just to name a few. Below is the bio from our website: http://www.thecocktailmonkeys.com

Swing into the scene with a Bay Area favorite:

The Cocktail Monkeys bring you more than exciting music and perfect vocal harmony; they bring fun, camaraderie and professionalism to each show. With an alluring and powerful stage presence, from the first song, Renee leads you through a fantasy evening covering your favorite songs by your favorite bands. From note one, you realize you are among the Bay Area’s top notch musicians. Mark St. John plays a screaming guitar while Bobby Asea sets the beat on bass with Will Diamond keeping it rock steady on the drums. All with the drive and passion you will come to see as the heart of the Cocktail Monkeys.

Professional showmanship and the goal of ”a good time had by all” mark the purpose of this band. When you hire the Cocktail Monkeys for your event you know you have set the stage for your guests to have a wonderful and exciting time, dancing and enjoying the sounds and stage presence of each band member. Covering the best of decades from the 60’s through current favorites, their songs range from rock, pop, funk and disco. Audience participation is not overlooked when you never know who will be selected to come up and join in on cowbell.

For a unique and lively musical adventure it’s…

The Cocktail Monkeys: Served shaken, not stirred.