Danny Brooks
Danny Brooks (born Daniel G. P. Middlebrook on December 16, 1951) is a blues and Memphis-style R&B musician, singer-songwriter and author now living in Llano, Texas, United States. 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. 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. 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. 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 He's been active in prison ministry since 1991 . 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. 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. 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.