Irenio Pagarigan Paulo, known as Rene Paulo, and born on June 8, 1930, in Schofield, Wisconsin, was a pianist. He grew up in Wahiawa, Hawaii, and studied classical music at the Juilliard School of Music in New York. Paulo's career shifted when he began exploring improvisation, influenced by jazz pianists such as Art Tatum and Fats Waller. His breakthrough came with the release of "Yellow Bird" in 1962 and the album Rene Paulo Plays in Person (1962). Throughout his career, he collaborated with notable artists including Alfred Apaka, Hilo Hattie, Don Ho, and Sandii. He was a frequent performer in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Tokyo. His notable albums include Presenting Rene Paulo (1965) and Waikiki (2002). Paulo passed away on January 11, 2023.
