Claude and Cliff Trenier, The Trenier Twins, as they were more commonly known, were the heart of the group. They were born in Moblie, Alabama on July 14th, 1919. Music was in thier blood, being that their father had been a horn player in the old street bands of New Orleans, and their mother played the piano. So by the time Claude and Cliff headed to Alabama State College in 1939, their older brother, Buddy was already singing in clubs around Mobile. Claude and Cliff quickly got in good with other muscians, such as sax player, Don Hill, and piano player, Gene Gilbeaux. They were all part of the college band, The Alabama State Collegians. But since Claude, Cliff and the others quickly found they playing music was more fun than studying, the college kicked them out in 1941. But they also took the band with them. It wasn't long before the draft put a crimp in their plans, but by 1944, Claude had got hired by band leader Jimmy Lunceford, and a couple years later, during the Christmas Holidays, Claude made his first recording, "I'm Gonna See My Baby", and, "That Someone Must Be You" with the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra. Soon after, Lunceford also hired twin brother Cliff, and in 1945 the twins recorded together for the first time singing Lunceford's "Buzz Buzz Buzz".
After the war Cliff returned to Mobile, and Claude had made the move to Los Angeles, which has been the Trenier home ever since. He did some recordings with Barney Bigard and Charlie Mingus. In 1947, he had Cliff come to Los Angeles, along with Don Hill and Gene Gilbeaux, added a drummer and bass player, and that was the birth of THE TRENIER'S. But they were first billed as THE TRENIER TWINS & The Gene Gilbeaux Quartet. Later it got shortened to just THE TRENIER TWINS.
And as they say.......the rest is history......
