Brazeal Dennard (January 1, 1929 – July 5, 2010) was an American singer, educator, choral director, and musical arranger.
His efforts helped moved the African-American spiritual beyond the confines of the church, exposing not only the beauty of this music, but also its historical importance to a wider audience.
Born in Detroit at just prior to the Great Depression, Dennard acquired an early love of music and began playing piano at age 11.
He attended Detroit Public Schools and moved on to Wayne State University where he received a Master of Arts degree in Music Education.
His numerous professional affiliations included the National Endowment of the Arts, Department of Cultural Affairs for the city of Detroit, trustee and member of the Advisory Committee of the Detroit Community Music School, Chairman of the Music Advisory Committee for the Michigan Council for the Arts, president of the National Association of Negro Musicians, member of the board of directors of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and Adjunct Faculty member at Wayne State University [2].