Memphis music veteran Dennis Brooks, a behind-the-scenes industry force, served as a tireless champion of the blues.
"He's someone in the music business that did a lot of people good, without ever calling attention to himself," musician and Beale Street Caravan producer Sid Selvidge said of his friend.
Dennis passed following a heart attack last month. He was 59.
Dennis Brooks
The news of his death shocked friends and comrades in the local and national music communities, and elicited a tremendous outpouring across several blues Web sites and message boards.
The response was a testament to a man who never sought the spotlight for himself.
"He never stood up and took credit for the things he did," Selvidge said. "He was just a real genuine fan of the music and the musicians."
His passion for music, especially Southern blues, took shape in the various roles he played in the community.
Mr. Brooks was one of the key figures behind the Beale Street Blues Society, a longtime member of The Blues Foundation and a frequent judge for the International Blues Competition, as well as board member of the Arkansas Blues Trail Marker Association.
He also served as a concert promoter, manager and booking agent for several popular Memphis blues artist artists, including Billy Gibson, Blind Mississippi Morris, and the late Sean Costello, among others.
