Danny Brooks

Danny Brooks
Birth name Daniel G. P. Middlebrook
Born (1951-12-16) December 16, 1951
Mount Dennis, Ontario, Canada
Origin Mount Dennis, Ontario, Canada
Genres Blues, gospel
Occupation(s) singer, songwriter, author
Instruments guitar, slide guitar, harmonica, vocals
Years active 1970s - present
Labels HIS House Records, (Past labels Duke Street MCA, Rockin' Camel Music)
Associated acts Danny Brooks & The Austin Brotherhood
Danny Brooks & The Memphis Brothers
Danny Brooks and The Rockin' Revelators
NorthernBlues Gospel Allstar Chorus
Website www.dannybrooksmusic.com

Danny Brooks (born Daniel G. P. Middlebrook on December 16, 1951 in Canada) is a blues and Memphis-style R&B musician, singer-songwriter and author now living in Llano, Texas. He performs with a full band as Danny Brooks and The Rockin' Revelators, Danny Brooks & The Austin Brotherhood or Danny Brooks & The Memphis Brothers.

Musical career

Brooks is known as a blues and gospel blues artist. His music reflects influences drawn from bluegrass, country and R&B. He has released nine albums in his more than 30 years as a performer. Brooks and his band have performed at blues festivals across North America, including at the Austin City Limits Music Festival, the Distillery Blues Festival and the Beaches International Jazz Festival in Toronto, Ottawa Bluesfest, and the Back to the Blues festival in Chilliwack (near Vancouver, British Columbia). In addition he has appeared on CBC Radio One, CBC Radio 2, CFRB radio Toronto, Open Mike with Mike Bullard, and on 100 Huntley Street. He has also made guest appearances on albums by the Mighty Jeremiahs and Taildragger.

Brooks has been in the music business since the early 1970s, having played in blues, country, hard rock and rhythm and blues bands.[1] He had an early introduction to public ministry when his father had Danny, his brother and his sister stand at street corners in Toronto repeating scripture verses.[2] After a rough life and a season of rebellion he was sent to prison for a short stretch in 1972. Brooks attributes his skill in writing music to the time he spent in prison.[3] In 1987, three months after his release from the Donwood Institute in Toronto where he was treated for alcohol and drug addiction, he came to his faith. Donwood Institute [3] He's been active in prison ministry since 1991.[2] In 1991 Danny Brooks was nominated for the Juno Award for Most Promising Male Vocalist.

In 2000 he released his first all-Gospel CD titled: Righteous, a project which began when he first introduced gospel songs to his performance at a Toronto club in December, 1999.[1] In 2000 he also put together a successful gospel revue, the NorthernBlues Gospel Allstars, with well-known musicians Amoy Levy, Ceceal Levy, Hiram Joseph, and John Finley. That effort resulted in the 2002 album Saved!, which earned a 2003 Juno nomination.[4] Danny Brooks and The Rockin' Revelators' most recent project was to complete the Soulsville trilogy of albums, honouring the music of Memphis, Tennessee: Souled Out 'n Sanctified (2004), Rock This House (2005), and Live at the Palais Royale (2009). The third installment of the Soulsville Trilogy was dedicated to the memory of long-time friend, and producer/artist on Soulsville "Souled Out n' Sanctified" and Soulsville "Rock This House" Richard Bell.

Recently Brooks was included in a project by Garth Hudson (The Band) entitled "Canadian Celebration of The Band" which was released November 2010, distributed in Canada by Sony. Along with Garth Hudson, the CD included Neil Young, Bruce Cockburn, The Sadies, Mary Margaret O'Hara, Peter Katz and the Curious, Suzie McNeil, Cowboy Junkies, Kevin Hearn and Thin Buckle, Blue Rodeo, The Road Hammers, Raine Maida, Chantal Kreviazuk, Hawksley Workman, Great Big Sea, The Trews, Ian Thornley and Danny Brooks and The Rockin' Revelators.

October 2012 saw the release of Brooks first effort since moving south to Llano, Texas. The album Texassippi Soul Man is fine mix of soul, blues, gospel, rock and country ... further entrenching Brooks as a diverse and constantly growing artist in the roots music genre. The album was produced by ex-Mink DeVille guitarist Louis X. Erlanger and mixed by Canadian bass player/producer Alec Fraser ex-Jeff Healey Band.

Discography

Books

The book is equal parts biographical, inspirational. motivational with a look at the music industry and overcoming addictions. It is a heartwarming story that mixes humour to offset heavy subject matter and shows that the underdog can overcome and become a winner from the most difficult of circumstances. It is Brooks' belief that no matter who you are, what you've done, how far down you've sunk and how bad you may feel about the present, there is absolutely nothing that God and you can't work out together and get back on a winning, happy and peaceful track.

Collaborations

Notable Appearances

Songs in other projects

Awards and recognition

Blues Hall of Fame[18]
CGMA Covenant Awards
Independent Music Awards
International Songwriting Competition (ISC)
Juno Awards
Maple Blues Awards
National Association of Rhythm and Blues Dee Jays (NARB)
Shai Awards (formerly the Vibe Awards)

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Schweitzer, Ruth (March 2001). "(Review) Brooks Knows the Blues". Maple Blues. Retrieved 2009-12-31.
  2. 1 2 Quill, Greg. "(Review) Danny Brooks Souled Out". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
  3. 1 2 Brooks, Danny. "Testify". Retrieved 2010-04-04.
  4. ↑ Saved! review at NorthernBlues Music. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
  5. ↑ Koda, Cub. "(Review) It's a Southern Thing". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-12-24.
  6. ↑ Burman, Terry (July–August 2004). "(Review) Soulsville: Souled Out 'n' Sanctified". Canadian Christianity. Retrieved 2009-12-25.
  7. ↑ Barry, DJ (2004-11-12). "(Review) Soulsville-Souled Out n' Sanctified". The Phantom Tollbooth. Retrieved 2009-12-25.
  8. ↑ theprimer (October 2005). "(Review) Danny Brooks: Rock This House". Shades of Blue. Retrieved 2009-12-25.
  9. ↑ Martin, D.S. (15 January 2008). "(Review) Brooks knows the blues" (vol. 21, no. 21). Christian Week. Retrieved 2009-12-24.
  10. ↑ Lauro, Peter (November 2009). "(Review) Soulsville III - Live At The Palais Royale". mary4music.com. Retrieved 2009-12-24.
  11. ↑ Lauro, Peter "Blewzzman" (November 2012). "(Review) Texassippi Soul Man". mary4music.com. Retrieved 2012-12-02.
  12. ↑ Best, Steve (1 November 2003). "(Review) Northernblues Gospel Allstars - Saved!". Cross Rhythms (77). Retrieved 2009-12-25.
  13. ↑ Kidney, David. "(Review) NorthernBlues Gospel Allstars, Saved". Midwinters Night Publishing. Retrieved 2009-12-25.
  14. ↑ Ellis, Andy. "(Review) The Mighty Jeremiahs". Christian Blues. Archived from the original on January 21, 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
  15. ↑ Barry, DJ (2005). "(Review) Rock n Roll to Feed the Soul". The Phantom Tollbooth. Retrieved 2009-12-25.
  16. ↑ Vue Weekly. Retrieved 2012-12-25.
  17. ↑ The Band Official Website. Retrieved 2012-12-25.
  18. ↑ Blues Hall of Fame Ambassadors. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
  19. ↑ The Indies, CBC Radio 2. Retrieved 2010-04-04.

External links

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