Terry Reid, the legendary English singer, songwriter and one of the greatest voices in English rock music, sadly passed away on 4th August from medical complications following recent treatment that cleared him of cancer. He was 75. Enjoying a career renaissance, Reid was due to perform a month long UK and European tour this autumn before falling ill at his house in La Quinta, California in June.
Having performed a highly successful UK tour in 2024, Reid was then seen in the documentary ‘Becoming Led Zeppelin’, in which Robert Plant and Jimmy Page discussed him being considered as the first singer in the band before turning them down as he just signed a solo deal and was about to tour the US with The Rolling Stones. It was Reid who suggested to Page that he check out the singer (and drummer) of a group named Band Of Joy who had just supported him. Their names were Robert Plant and John Bonham. Soon after, he also rejected an offer from Ritchie Blackmore to front Deep Purple, who turned to Ian Gillan instead.
In 1968, when Reid was only 18, Aretha Franklin remarked that “there are only three things happening in England: The Rolling Stones, The Beatles and Terry Reid.” His teenage years had seen him touring with The Rolling Stones, Cream, Jethro Tull and Fleetwood Mac, as well as playing prestige slots at festivals such as Isle of Wight and Glastonbury. His soulful voice and powerful vocal range earned him the nickname ‘Superlungs’ following his 1969 recording of the Donovan song ‘Superlungs My Supergirl’ that opened his self-titled second album.
Reid released six studio albums in all, with songs from them featuring in movies as diverse as comedy romance ‘Up In The Air’ (starring George Clooney) and ‘The Devil’s Rejects’ (directed by Rob Zombie). He also collaborated with artists such as Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Don Henley, Alabama 3 and DJ Shadow, while Cheap Trick, Marianne Faithfull, Alabama 3, The Raconteurs, Rumer and Chris Cornell are among many to have covered his songs. Reid also recorded some unreleased sessions with Dr Dre, who was fascinated with his classic 1976 album ‘Seed Of Memory’ and invited him into his studio where they reworked the record.
‘Seed Of Memory’ was Reid’s fourth album and had been produced by Graham Nash (The Hollies, Crosby Stills & Nash), the two initially meeting in their early teens and remaining firm friends. The song ‘Without Expression’ from Reid’s 1968 debut album ‘Bang, Bang You’re Terry Reid’ was soon covered by both The Hollies and CSN (as ‘Horses Through A Rainstorm’, included on a 1991 box set). Years later, Reid and Nash still teamed up for impromptu live performances, leaving audiences floored with their jaw-droppingly gorgeous harmonies.
From country flavoured songs to Brazilian/Latin-tinged (Reid housed Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso when they were exiled by the military dictatorship in 1969), to rock and soul, Reid always managed to put his own spin on bringing a lyric to life or phrasing a melody. He was constantly evolving and moving forward as an artist, writer, singer and guitar player, touring the world, telling his stories and attracting fresh fanbases.
Reid leaves his wife Annette Grady and daughters Holly and Kelly from a previous marriage.
“It makes me ache right now
That the lover of life
Gets lost somehow
’cause his colours fade in the rain
He goes down to the river again”
from ‘River’ (1973)
TERRY REID
1949-2025
