Reading Festival founder Harold Pendleton has been remembered in a touching tribute by Festival Republic boss Melvin Benn.
The music industry legend launched the National Jazz Festival in 1961, and over the years the event continued to evolve into a three-day extravaganza across sites at both Reading and Leeds in the UK.
It was confirmed over the weekend that Pendleton passed away on September 22 aged 93 and Benn has paid his respects to late impresario.
Benn told NME: "I am sad to hear of the passing of Harold Pendleton.
"Having worked together on Reading Festival in the early days, I can truly say that Harold had a lasting impact on our much-loved event, and Reading Festival would not be what it is today without his original vision. His passing is a great loss to us all."
Meanwhile, his company Entec Sound & Light hailed Pendleton as "a promoter, manager, club owner, publisher, festival owner and innovator".
A moving statement about the former Marquee Club owner read: "He was at the centre of a unique period in music history, both prompting and witnessing the impacts of the jazz, rock and punk revolutions in the UK and beyond."
The venue hosted exciting performances from the likes of David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and The Who, as well as the first UK shows by bands such as Metallica and Guns N’ Roses.
Pendleton is survived by his wife Barbara and son Nick, who have called for donations to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in his memory.
Reading Festival founder Harold Pendleton praised
