Dennis Ruffo commenced his music promotion career in the 1970s in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada booking smaller venues.
In 1982, he was hired as its general manager by Bass Clef Entertainment, a major Canadian concert promoter co-owned by Harvey Glatt and Harold Levin.
Ruffo was selected over Arthur Fogel, who subsequently joined Michael Cohl and Live Nation Entertainment.
[2] In 1994, Ruffo became the Vice-President of Bretton Woods Entertainment, a company owned by Ottawa entrepreneur Bruce Firestone.
Later promotional activities by Ruffo have included concerts by Great Big Sea, Bonnie Raitt, ZZ Top and the Trailer Park Boys.