Thursday, February 12, 2009
News / People Reggie Crowder, Owner of Dee's Q, Dies
Posted by Carrington Fox on Thu, Feb 12, 2009 at 12:01 PM
Reginald "Reggie" Crowder, the hardworking pitmaster at Dee's Q in East Nashville, died Sunday of a heart attack.
An alumnus of Mary's Old-Fashioned Pit Barbecue and Prince's Hot Chicken Shack, Crowder learned the business of barbecue, brisket and bird and struck out on his own five years ago. He and his wife Tracey rehabbed a former garage at the corner of Riverside and Rosebank into a tiny yellow-and-red 'cue shack, which they christened "Dee's" after their teenage daughter. Neighborhood residents were accustomed to seeing Reggie tend his pork shoulders throughout the night, visiting his hickory smokers 'round the clock to perfect his fare.
Fresh, flavorful and served with obvious pride, Dee's ribs and pulled pork quickly earned a place in Nashville's barbecue pantheon and Crowder's wings won him a role in the Music City Hot Chicken Festival, a nascent tradition celebrating Nashville's indigenous cuisine.
When we visited Reggie last year at the restaurant, he, Tracey and Dee sat with us in the covered screened patio. As we gnawed our way down the menu of ribs, pork sandwiches and brisket, sipping grape Fanta in the hickory-scented outdoor room, Reggie and Tracey talked about the challenges of starting a business. They shared an obvious commitment to their work and to their family, a passion that translated into a beloved culinary landmark.
The family will hold a visitation Saturday at 1 p.m. at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 2261 Murfreesboro Pike in Antioch. The funeral service will be at 2 p.m.
Comments (9)
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Very sad to hear this. He was a genius at the smoker. I will miss him, and I'm so sorry for his loss.
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This is just awful to hear. Reggie and his crew were fabulous to work with at the 2008 Hot Chicken Festival and the Southern Festival of Books. So laid back - always rolling with the flow. Such great folks.
I'll keep his family in my prayers.
What awful news. I'm a fan of Dee's Q, and had the chance to meet Reggie a couple of times, while Carrington was working on her review. Absolutely a terrific, warm, charming guy. He will be sorely missed. I don't know what will become of Dee's, but if it stays open, I'll be making more frequent visits to help the family, and I encourage others to do the same.
My sincerest condolences to the Crowder family. East Nashville has lost a great one.
The woman at the counter today said that Tracey Crowder plans to continue Dee's as long as she can. She has her husband's recipes and had been doing a lot of the cooking whenever he was in ill health.
They were both so sweet to us whenever we came by. I was hoping this would be one of those rumors that didn't pan out. My condolences to the whole family.
I am so, so sorry. Please keep us posted on any other ways we can assist the family. In the meantime, I will join everyone else in going by more often. and over-tipping a LOT.
I knew Dee back in his Prince's days. "Knew" as in we recognized each other when we were both there, nodded, said hello, those sorts of things. Always a smile, nothing but good juju from that sweet, sweet giant. Just a good, good-people quality to him, and his Q stand exuded it, like it was part of the fiber of everything he touched.
We are all made better by those kinds of good people. Thank you, Dee, for spending time here with us before moving on.
My favorite Reggie memory is when he made fun of the out-of-town country music people who came over to try whatever was hottest sauce he had, like he was serving cobra blood or something. He said they brought this "attitude" with them, and then they couldn't take his heat. I loved the way he said, "I don't know why you'd do that," shaking his head slowly as if to say, "Bless their hearts, drowning all that perfectly good smoke flavor."
I'm looking out my back window right now, where Dee's is about two football fields away. Still hard to believe.
Drove by this morning on my way to work and saw a wreath hanging on the outside of the restaurant. Damn lump in my throat won't go away.
I remember when our dog snuck out of the yard and I went looking for her. Saw Reggie standing outside Dee's (this was about 10:30 at night). He told me he'd keep his eye out. "I find a lot of lost dogs," he said. "Usually when they run away, this is the first place they come."
This is Tracey Crowder, wife of Reginald. I would first like to thank everyone for the support of Dee's over the years.
The Sweet 16th owner Ellen called me today to check on me and told me about the wonderful things out here about my husband. We had been together for 23yrs so of course he was extremely important to me. I had no idea how many he touch just with his kindness and presence.
I do plan to continue with the business. There may be changes in the hours of operation. Dee's was Reggie's lifelong dream soo I could not dare to even think of closing it. It is embedded in the community.
Thanks again so much for your patronage as well as the kind thoughts, memories of Reggie. He will always be around in spirit leading and guiding me along the way
Tracey
