Avery Brooks

Avery Brooks (b. Evansville, October 2, 1948 - ) – Actor, vocalist, pianist, educator, and director. Raised in Evansville and Gary (since age eight), Avery Brooks came from a very musical family, as his mother was highly trained and educated in music and his father sang with the Wings Over Jordan choir on CBS radio from 1937 to 1947. In addition, his grandfather Samuel Travis Crawford was a member of the Delta Rhythm Boys, which is in the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. After attending Indiana University and Oberlin College, Brooks went to Rutgers University, where he became the first African American to receive an M.F.A. in Acting and Directing. From 1972 to 1985, he taught in the Theater program at Rutgers, earning the rank of Associate Professor. Throughout his professional life, he has amassed a long list of stage credits, including playing Paul Robeson (famous Civil Rights activist and singer) in Paul Robeson and Are You Now or Have You Ever Been? Both productions have run on and off-Broadway since 1982. Known for his strong baritone voice – in jazz and operatic stylings – Brooks has performed with Butch Morriss, Lester Bowie, and Jon Hendricks. He also performed the lead role in X: the Life and Times of Malcolm X, a 1985 opera by Anthony Davies. In addition, he recorded a Duke Ellington Tribute album with saxophonist James Spaulding, an Indianapolis native. Brooks is probably best known for his work on television, playing Hawk on Spenser for Hire (1985-1988) and Benjamin Sisko on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999).