The audience at the 32nd annual Tucson Blues Heritage Festival was in no hurry to leave Reid Park that Sunday in mid-October.

Even after headliner Los Lobos had finished up, they stayed, waiting for South Tucson guitar-playing brothers Eric and Steve Garcia to take the stage.

When they did, the crowd pressed up to the stage as Eric Garcia, beaming from ear-to-ear, played a spirited set of rocking blues.

“If you saw the look on (Eric’s) face and the crowd, how they reacted to him, it was a lot of fun,” said Steve Garcia, 11 years Eric’s senior.

“I was concerned that the crowd would leave after Los Lobos, but the Garcia Brothers held the crowd in spite of going on last,” added organizer Marty Kool. “They did a great job and they owned that performance.”

The concert was the last big gig for Eric Garcia, who died on Christmas Eve from kidney disease. He was 49.

“I’m happy he got to do that before he passed,” said Kool, who had worked with Eric Garcia over the years in shows at Hacienda del Sol. “He was an old soul. Such a kind and gentle guy, always with a smile on his face, handshake for everybody. Kinda took everything in stride.”