Immediately after hurricane Katrina devastated the South late August 2005, Del Rendon of Starkville began collecting clothes and other essentials for his friends who had been affected by the storm. He gathered the items in trash bags and planned to face his absolute worst fear — adverse weather — to travel to the Gulf Coast and help. Shortly before his trip, however, on Sept. 4, 2005, Del passed away and never made it down to the coast. His brother, Martin Rendon, said his last days spent preparing help for others exemplified the kind of person he was: compassionate and a friend to many.
Starkville remembers Del as an incredible artist and a talented musician who inspired three decades of Starkville’s musical talents. The MSU grad taught art at Starkville High School and jammed out with musicians who later became members of Blind Melon. In the early ’90s, Del waited tables at a venue called The Bully Three, where he became close friends with coworker, Dave Hood.
Hood now owns the venue, since renamed Dave’s Dark Horse Tavern. Hood said his best friend Del was so popular because he made everyone around him feel good about themselves. Shortly after Del passed, Hood named the stage at the Tavern after him and decorated it with prints of Del’s paintings.
While coping with their loss, those closest to him created the Del Rendon Foundation. The Foundation began with a scholarship for students in the College of Art, Architecture and Design, from which Del received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
“We did it in the beginning like any other family would do it, because we were sad about him leaving. So we raised money for a scholarship because we wanted personally a way to remember him, but after six years it’s transformed into something else. Now it’s really to continue to remind people and inspire people through Del,” Andrew Rendon, one of Del’s brothers, said.
The Foundation pays homage to his art with a booth at the Cotton District Arts Festival each year, featuring prints of Del’s artwork. This Saturday, the Foundation will continue Del’s passion for local music with The 6th Annual Del Rendon Foundation Music Festival.
Del played in several bands in his lifetime, and after playing with the Puerto Rican Rum Drunks at the House of Blues in New Orleans, he had many opportunities to grow out of Starkville. Moving away was not as appealing as keeping the music in the town he loved alive, and oftentimes, filling gaps in the Tavern’s Singer/Songwriter night. Del was a constant encouragement to others to keep creating and would urge musicians to get on stage.
Lee Graham played with Del in the P.R.R.D. and said Del had a crucial impact on him, and influenced him the most, musically. Graham is now the bassist of the local favorite Soul Gravy, which will be performing several of Del’s songs at the music fest Saturday.
Many local musicians (including one of Del’s main influences, Bill Cooke) will be performing Saturday, several of which will feature covers of Del’s music. The music fest also boasts several bar specials, a fire twirler, the raffle of a custom-made Del-inspired guitar amp, as well CDs and prints. From 7 p.m. to 1 a.m., the Dark Horse will be in full celebration during one of the tavern’s most successful annual events.
Speaking with Martin and Andrew Rendon, Hood and a close friend Nate Pugh, it became very evident Del was someone to behold. Surrounded by Del’s art in Hood’s eclectic tavern office, also riddled with antique beer cans, stickers and band posters (many done by Martin), it’s hard to not gain a sense of Del and the mark he has left on his loved ones. A door in Hood’s office has a portrait of Del painted by one of his students, and Hood wiped a few tears as he joked about the depiction of his friend.
“He had a compassionate heart; he looked at everyone as his equal,” Martin Rendon said of his brother.
Del was a family-oriented person, whose family included friends that meant a lot to him. Along with the father that inspired him and his wife he put first. His unrelenting creativity, love for music and art, inquisitive nature and kind personality left an impact on many.
“We’re going to do our damndest to continue that legacy,” Andrew said. “That’s all we’re trying to do — express the emotion he had, that passion he had and share it with others. We’d love for you to learn about him so that he can maybe inspire you still, though he’s not here.”
All proceeds from the 6th Annual Del Rendon Foundation Music Festival on Saturday at Dave’s Dark Horse will go to his scholarship.