April 6, 1974, DeRenzo is one of 250,000 music fans attending The California Jam at the Ontario Motor Speedway. August 1974, begins working at The Music House, a small sole proprietorship and retail music store near his home owned by Dan Molinari. There he meets jazz guitarist and luthier Alan Simcoe. DeRenzo is influenced by both Molinari and Simcoe to study jazz. At the store he reads his first copy of Downbeat Magazine. Following his graduation from Mission Viejo High School and Silverado continuation school on February 9, 1976, DeRenzo attends Saddleback College to study jazz music in the Thursday night Big Band under the direction of Bill Kirk.