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Kenny Marquez
One rowdy Renegade®
He's got more
energy than - well, anything or anybody. But as one of the members of
the multi-million selling rocker quartet, Renegade, Kenny Marquez'
unique gift for outrageous banter and behavior helps the band
distinguish itself with their signature sound and cutting-edge
presentation.
It makes perfect sense. Born in East LA at USC Medical Center, Marquez'
mother was a product of the radical 60's and 70's. Involved in the
protests and boycotts of the day, Kenny often saw his mother on TV,
participating in sit-ins and playing her guitar. So it wasn't surprising
that at the age of seven or eight, his mother taught him how to play
"House of the Rising Sun" on the guitar. It was all over. By the time he
was eleven, Kenny Marquez' guitar helped to define his identity and
create an outlet for his highly creative mind.
While attending JR. High, Marquez enrolled in Guitar class to see what
he could gain. With perfect pitch and the ability to pick up songs and
chord progressions almost immediately, it wasn't long before he was
taking the class over. His musical likes were diverse. Playing
everything from hard rock tunes to John Denver's "Lady," Kenny Marquez
got noticed for his talents as a musician. He notes, "People called me
the human jukebox at school. I could play anything. I've had that
ability as long as I can remember."
Popular in school theatrical productions (He loves "Annie Get Your
Gun"), Kenny was often featured as a soloist at concerts and plays.
Although the High School he attended was considered a "rough one," the
music was a way for Kenny to stay out of trouble and create a persona
for himself. "I'd bring my guitar to school with me everyday," he says.
"But I was popular with ALL the various cliques in school because I
could play anything." When sophmore year came around, Marquez tasted his
first band experience. "I played with a band whose guitar player hung
with an older kid by the name of Michael Anthony who went on to play in
some band with another pretty fair guitarist. Tony Cogiano gave Kenny
tips on playing lead guitar and by the time he was in his teens, the
band was playing The Whisky and Gazzarri's and at the same time, gaining
limited experience in the recording studio.
Content, but not really advancing his career or skills at any great
speed, a High School pal brought Kenny a cassette of a band he was
playing with and asked if he'd like to come to the rehearsal studio to
meet the guys. "We jammed all night and I thought it went pretty well,"
remembers Kenny. "After we finished and I was packing up my Marshall
amp, the band's producer suggested that I leave the amp and come back in
a few days to jam a little more. I didn't really know these guys, but
something between myself, the drummer and the producer meshed. So I
agreed and before long, it was official and I was a Renegade."
Soon Renegade drummer/vocalist Luis Cardenas and Kenny were coming up
with songs on the spot. "It was very cool and strange at the same time,
"says Marquez. "It was like our minds were in the same place and I felt
like I had known Luis my entire life." Along with band members Danny
David Flores and Tony De La Rosa, Renegade was coming together quite
nicely.
Within a month the guitarist who had introduced Marquez to Renegade had
left to pursue other interests, so for the time being, the signature
Renegade double lead guitar licks fell to Marquez. "It was a turning
point in my life," he says. "I began to practice my butt off, day and
night. I'd watch guitar players and sit for hours with my axe, rolling
my fingers and working on licks blind folded. I became almost
militaristic in my routine."
The Renegade train was ready to roll and by the time the band released
their debut album, "Rock �n� Roll Crazy," Marquez was like an Olympic
athlete who was fit and ready for the games.
The band's multi-million success is a testament to the fact that egos
have never gotten in the way of Renegade's vision. "We feed off each
other. It's a very healthy and creative working environment." And
regarding Marquez' signature energetic on-stage performances, he adds,
"I'm very hyper when we play. But I'm hyper when I'm sitting around
watching TV. I'm just one of those guys with a lot of bottled-up
energy."
The 2000 version of Renegade rocks with a new found exuberance and lust
for music. Marquez says, "We've all seen each other's skeletons, but it
doesn't matter. I feel a maturity in myself and in my mind that I've
never experienced before. Now, really for the first time, I'm
comfortable with who I am and feel a new freedom that allows me to write
and perform like never before. We're all ready to take another ride with
Renegade and bring this band to the next level."
Contact: Craig Melone,
Hands on PR at (323) 467-6967
To Email Craig Melone Click Here.
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