Brooks Taylor

Showco R&D • Vari-Lite Systems and Software Engineering

Brooks Taylor was part of the Showco research and development team whose work helped turn the original Vari-Lite concept into a touring system. His contribution centered on systems and software engineering and the integration of the lighting console—the control side that allowed the new fixtures to become a practical, responsive production tool.

Building the system behind the light

The first Vari-Lite project brought together several distinct specialties. Jim Bornhorst led the optical and mechanical concept; John Covington was responsible for analog engineering; Tom Walsh developed the digital electronics and control hardware; and Brooks Taylor contributed systems and software engineering and console integration. Those roles were complementary, and preserving the distinctions is essential to telling the team’s story accurately.

The result moved from Showco’s Dallas R&D environment into Genesis rehearsals and then onto the 1981 Abacab tour, where computer-controlled, color-changing fixtures were introduced to concert audiences on a major scale.

Add to the Story

Did you work with Brooks or the early Vari-Lite team? Share a memory, photograph, document, or correction to help preserve this chapter of Showco history.