About Terry Reid
Terrance James Reid , nicknamed "Superlungs", is an English rock vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist best known for his emotive style of singing in appearances with high-profile musicians as vocalist, supporting act and session musician. As a solo recording and touring artist, he has released six studio albums and four live albums. His songs have been recorded by numerous artists including The Hollies, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Arrival, Marianne Faithfull, Cheap Trick, Jack White with The Raconteurs, Joe Perry, Rumer and Chris Cornell.
Reid’s music career began in the early 1960s performing in a local British club where he was invited to join Peter Jay and the Jaywalkers as lead vocalist, opening for The Rolling Stones 1966 tour. In the latter '60s, Reid was the solo supporting act for the Rolling Stones, Cream, Jethro Tull and Fleetwood Mac tours. He is known to have turned down an offer by Jimmy Page to be the lead vocalist of the band that became Led Zeppelin.
Terrance James Reid was born in Paxton Park Maternity Home, Little Paxton, St Neots, Huntingdonshire, England. He lived in the village of Bluntisham and attended St Ivo School, St Ives.
After leaving school at the age of fifteen, Reid joined Peter Jay and the Jaywalkers after being spotted by the band's drummer, Peter Jay. At the time, Reid was playing for a local band, The Redbeats, who regularly performed at the River Club in St Ives. His public profile was enhanced in 1966 when The Jaywalkers were named as a supporting act for the Rolling Stones during their 23-show British Tour from September to October 1966. At the concert at the Royal Albert Hall, Graham Nash of The Hollies became friends with Reid and suggested The Jaywalkers sign up with UK Columbia Records—an EMI label—to record with producer John Burgess. Their first single, the soul-inspired "The Hand Don't Fit the Glove" was a minor hit in 1967, but by then The Jaywalkers had decided to disband.
Reid came to the attention of producer Mickie Most, who became his manager and who was in partnership with Peter Grant at the time. His first single with Most, "Better By Far", became a radio favorite. His debut album, Bang Bang, You're Terry Reid, was released in 1968. With accompanying musicians Peter Solley on organ and Keith Webb on drums, a 1968 tour of the United States with Cream did much to gain Reid a loyal following. His final performance of the tour at the Miami Pop Festival garnered positive reviews from the music press.
The song "Without Expression", from Bang Bang, You're Terry Reid, written by Reid at age 14, was recorded by The Hollies in 1968 as "A Man With No Expression", by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young in 1969 as "Horses Through a Rainstorm", by REO Speedwagon in 1973 as "Without Expression ", and by John Mellencamp on his greatest hits album The Best That I Could Do: 1978–1988, again with the parenthetical "Don't Be the Man", with Nash singing lead on the first two. "Horses Through a Rainstorm" was slated to appear on Déjà Vu before being replaced at the last minute by Stephen Stills's "Carry On". Both versions were not released until years later.
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