Procol Harum lyricist Keith Reid has passed away, aged 76
Acclaimed lyricist Keith Reid has died at the age of 76. He was best known for writing the lyrics to Procol Harum’s 1967 hit ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’.
According to a post on the band’s website, Reid died on Thursday, March 23rd. In a statement, his former bandmates explained that he passed away in the London hospital where he “had been receiving cancer treatment for the past couple of years.”
Reid’s family “would like to thank numerous well-wishers for their very kind messages” and will be holding a private funeral in the near future. The Procol Harum website is now being updated “with details for those who would like to make a donation in his memory”.
Concluding the statement, Procol Harum wrote: Keith will be greatly missed.” The lyricist’s passing comes a little over a year after that of his bandmate Gary Brooker, who died in February 2022. Several members of the music industry have since shared tributes in Reid’s honour.
You can read those below.
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