With just a guitar to accompany him, popular Peterborough musician Jason Bennett was singing a very personal song for his children, with no thought at the time that his life would end so tragically short , at just 26.

The song that started out expressing a father's love, become an expression of the emotion and loss that everyone in the packed Peterborough Community Church at Parnwell was feeling yesterday.

When the recording of Jason – known as J-Denzel to all who danced and listened to his music in the city's clubs – faded to silence, there was no one in the congregation who did not have a lump in their throat.

And there was complete silence as poems written by his children to their father, were read by friends. The packed church was, in itself, a tribute to Jason who died in his Orton Brimbles flat in October. His death lead to an outpouring of grief and The Evening Telegraph website was inundated with tributes.

Yesterday, his mother, Angela and aunt Joanne took turns to read their own heartfelt messages. As part of her tribute his mother said: "I really don't want to be standing up here today in this set of
circumstances, but I know Jason would have wanted me to be here."

She listed the five things she felt were the most important to her son: music, children, family, friends and his faith, and added: "This outpouring of love is a tribute to Jason, and the saddest thing is he can't see how much he was loved."

His father David "Rocky" Bennett died in 1998, but Rocky's sister Joanne stood to pay the family's respects.

During her tribute, Joanne said: "Jason didn't wait for success to come to him, he went out and got it. He didn't wait for people to go and buy his records, instead he made sure he always had a copy to give to people so they could listen to his music.

"He didn't wait for a record company to sign him, he set one up on his own. Jason worked hard.

"Jason achieved so much and touched so many lives in his own short life.
"But the greatest legacy he left behind is his three children."
Pastor Mike Pawson concluded with words of comfort and read just a few of the many tributes.

The congregation filed past the coffin as the strains of Amazing Grace were played, and as they filed out of the church Mary J Blige's song No More Drama was played.

A family burial service was later held at Holy Trinity Church in Orton Longueville.

TEARS AS CHILDREN'S POEMS READ OUT
Each of Jason's children stood before the congregation to hear the poems they had written to their father read aloud.
Too tearful to read them alone, they bravely stood with tears in their eyes as three young men, all about the same age as their father, read the poems on their behalf.

Jason's six-year-old daughter wrote: "To daddy, I hope you are having a good time in Heaven I love you from Mya."

His eight-year-old son wrote: "Remember, remember the 17th of November, when daddy died and our family cried and now it's time to say goodbye. We loved him then and we always will, love from Jerome."

His six-year-old son:
"Dear God, Mya, Jerome and I are daddy's little angels, now he is yours. Please look after our daddy, he is an angel – he's really good at singing. Amen."

If you would like to leave a tribute, register and comment below.

J,
Just to say that it was a pleasure knowing you all these years mate! You'll will be greatly missed and never forgotten.
Many thoughts of the fun and laughter during our school years!!! My thoughts are with your family.
Respect to you for all that you achieved, it's just ashame that you didn't get the chance to finish what you started.
(RIP) J and God Bless.
Martin


So much respect to someone that was trying there hardest to be great....
luke steele