(Special Report)

Written by: Ginny Gaines   

Terry Reid wasn’t just a singer. He was a force. A voice so powerful and raw it earned him the nickname “Superlungs”, and once made Aretha Franklin say, “There are only three things happening in England: The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, and Terry Reid.” That’s no small praise coming from the icon Aretha Franklin!!

Born in a quiet English village in 1949, Terry was already writing songs by the time most kids were still figuring out long division. At 13, he had a band. At 15, he was touring with The Rolling Stones and Ike & Tina Turner. That’s like going from garage band to global stage in the blink of an eye. His early songs, like “Without Expression”, were so good that legends like Crosby, Stills & Nash ended up covering them. And when he released his first albums in the late ’60s, people started calling him “Superlungs” because his voice could soar, roar, and whisper all in one breath.

Here’s the wild part about Terry Reid, he could’ve been the lead singer of Led Zeppelin. Jimmy Page asked him. But Terry said no. He had other plans, so instead, he recommended a young guy named Robert Plant. That decision changed rock history. Reid also turned down Deep Purple. He wasn’t chasing fame. He was chasing music.

In the ’70s, Terry moved to California and started creating albums that blended rock, soul, and folk in ways few others dared. River and Seed of Memory are classics, they are beautiful, they are emotional, and way ahead of their time. He worked with everyone from Bonnie Raitt to Graham Nash, and his songs kept popping up in movies and covers by other artists.

Terry never stopped playing. Whether it was a packed festival or a cozy club, he gave it his everything. His final show in London in 2024 was a full-circle moment of raw, real, and unforgettable. He passed away on August 4, 2025, at the age 75, after a battle with cancer. But the tributes poured in. Robert Plant called him the man who “catapulted me into an intense new world.” Joe Bonamassa said he was “one of the greatest to ever do it.”

Terry Reid’s story isn’t just about the gigs he played or the records he made. It’s about staying true to your sound, even when the world tries to pull you in a thousand directions. He was a rebel, a romantic, and a soul singer in a rock star’s body. And though he never chased the spotlight, it always seemed to find him.

May you RIP Terry Reid 🤘

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