Why was Terry Reid rock and metal’s most sought-after vocalist?
“There are only three things happening in England: The Rolling Stones, The Beatles and Terry Reid.” – Aretha Franklin
Terry Reid always carried an undeniable air of effortlessness about him. He was aware of it, his peers were aware of it, and anyone who saw him perform live could feel it, too. Even in his earlier solo work, like ‘Without Expression’, Reid’s voice flowed with ease—his gentle crooning effortlessly transitioned to powerful belting, all within a modernised rock ‘n’ roll style.
In short, Reid’s voice was highly sought after in the rock world precisely because it wasn’t traditionally “rock” at all. Ever since the rock revolution of the 1950s, significance has always been placed on rock voices occupying a distinctively gravelly edge, with a wide vocal range being an added bonus. Reid’s emergence proved that moving between soft singing and powerful belting could take rock music to the next level, unintentionally laying the groundwork for what would become the heavy metal explosion.
However, his range also alluded to one another: rock and metal could be more versatile and venture out of the more traditional, well-expected realms. For instance, Reid’s voice was often delivered with a subtly soulful expression, his grounding in blues and soul giving rock a more delicate edge and poignant emotional depths. He was incredibly versatile, which, at the time, attracted the attention of some of the more genre-blending innovators like Jimmy Page and Deep Purple.
His reputation well and truly preceded him, not just because of his songwriting ability but because his voice embodied everything that others felt truly captured the future of rock and, by extension, heavy metal. Before enlisting Robert Plant, the members of Led Zeppelin desperately wanted the new chapter of the band to boast Reid’s vocals, mainly because he didn’t possess the typical rock growl or the raspy, hard-edged style common among many of his contemporaries.
Instead, he had a smoother, more fluid tone that made his voice distinct. It was this uniqueness—his ability to blend rock with soul and blues influences—that made him so sought after. Adorned with the nickname ‘Superlungs’, Reid was invited to support The Rolling Stones and Cream on their 1968 tours, the success achieved from his early solo work earning him a myriad of unmissable opportunities along the way.
These offers were the reason he turned down the chance to join Led Zeppelin as their frontman. With plans to jet off to America to continue his unstoppable appeal, he couldn’t take the time to focus on a brand new project with a band he wasn’t sure he could fit into. With that, Page presented him with an ultimatum: “You’ve got to do it now. This week, or forget it”.
Needless to say, Reid declined, but he had already turned down an offer to join Deep Purple in 1969 due to wanting to focus on his solo career. While it’s understandable why both outfits once regarded him as the perfect standing for a role that would forever be attached to their sound and legacy, he likely viewed himself as distinctive from mere lead singer roles and saw his musical path as something more personal and expansive.
As a solo musician and session artist, he was able to gain more freedom to explore his own artistic vision, pushing boundaries in ways that wouldn’t always be a part of the job as the frontman of a major rock group. He valued independence and versatility more than anyone could know, which allowed him to create music and work on various projects on his own terms, becoming a somewhat outsider cult favourite who impacted rock and metal from the sidelines.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out Led Zeppelin Newsletter
All the latest stories about Led Zeppelin from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.