Terry Reid, known for his soulful, soulful voice that earned him the nickname “Super Lungs,” has died at the age of 75, his British representatives have confirmed. His career intertwined with that of The Rolling Stones and Jimmy Page.
British musician Terry Reid, known for his soulful voice that earned him the nickname “Super Lungs,” has died at the age of 75, his British representatives have confirmed. His career overlapped with that of The Rolling Stones and Jimmy Page. He had been undergoing treatment for cancer in recent months. He never had a number one hit in the British charts, but his albums, such as 1973’s “River,” have received rave reviews. He was so confident that he turned down offers from Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple to become their lead singer. In 1968, Aretha Franklin said: “There’s only three things going on in England: The Rolling Stones, The Beatles and Terry Reid.”
Born and raised in Cambridgeshire, he has been a singer, guitarist and songwriter since his teens, initially as part of the local band The Readbeats. After serving as support for the band Peter Jay and the Jaywalkers, he was asked to join them. By the age of 16, he was touring as support for The Rolling Stones, Ike and Tina Turner, and The Yardbirds. After breaking out as a solo artist and befriending Jimi Hendrix, Reid again supported The Rolling Stones in the United States.
The Yardbirds guitarist Jimmy Page admired Reid and offered him a place in a new band he wanted to form, but he declined, citing his commitment to the Rolling Stones’ tour of the US. He was approached by Robert Plant, the singer of the Band of Joy, and drummer John Bonham, who joined Page to form Led Zeppelin. “My goal was to do what I do best, I helped create half the band, that’s all,” Reid told The Guardian in 2024. He also turned down Ritchie Blackmore’s offer to become the lead singer of Deep Purple after Rod Evans left in 1969, but admitted at the time that he was “very honoured, Ritchie is one of the best guitarists”. Ian Gillan was chosen as the band’s vocalist.
Reid had signed a management and recording deal with Mickie Most, who had overseen his first two albums. His debut album, Bang Bang, You’re Terry Reid, featured the song “Without Expression,” which he had written when he was 14. The song was covered by John Mellencamp, REO Speedwagon, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. He had also performed as an opening act on high-profile tours, such as with Cream, Fleetwood Mac, Jethro Tull, and others, but his albums were never commercially successful. Not seeing any progress with Most, he eventually split with him.
After several years of uncertainty due to a contract renegotiation with Most, Reid returned to recording with 1973’s “River,” one of three albums of the decade, and relocated to California. In the 80s, he took a break from his solo career to focus more on working with other artists, including Bonnie Raitt, Don Henley and Jackson Browne.
In 1991, he made a comeback with the Trevor Horn-produced album The Driver, but it was neither creatively nor commercially successful. Although his version of The Spencer Davis Group’s “Gimme Some Lovin'” was featured in the Tom Cruise film Days of Thunder, Reid described the album as “unlistenable.” Reid’s early albums became favorites among old-school collectors, and artists such as DJ Shadow and Alabama 3 invited him to make guest appearances on several occasions, now in his later years. The Raconteurs, Marianne Faithfull and Chris Cornell were just a few of the artists who covered his songs. He told The Guardian that he had unreleased sessions with Dr. Dre, who “was fascinated by his ‘Seed of Memory’ album and invited him into the studio to rework the album alongside the rappers he managed, a fascinating experience.”
He continued to tour, but was forced to cancel several dates due to cancer treatment. A public fund was set up to cover his medical expenses, which stated that “Terry’s spirit remains strong, and he is eternally grateful for the extraordinary care he is receiving.” Reid was “resurrected” by his wife, Annette. Musicians including Joe Bonamassa have also paid tribute to him, saying that Reid was “one of the best in his craft, a beautiful person and soul.” (The Guardian)