Keith Reid

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For the South African cricketer, see Keith Reid (cricketer).
Keith Reid
Birth name Keith Stuart Brian Reid
Born (1946-10-19) 19 October 1946 (age 68)
Origin Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England
Genres Psychedelic rock, progressive rock
Occupation(s) Lyricist, songwriter
Years active 1967–present
Associated acts Procol Harum

Keith Stuart Brian Reid[1] (born 19 October 1946[1][2] in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England) is a songwriter who wrote the lyrics of every Procol Harum song that is not instrumental or a cover. For many years he resided in the United States.

Reid was born and educated in London. He left school at an early age to pursue a song writing career. He met Gary Brooker, with whom he co-wrote most of the band's songs (some music was written by organist Matthew Fisher and by guitarist Robin Trower), in 1966. They soon began collaborating, and their composition "A Whiter Shade of Pale", Procol Harum's first single, was released in 1967. It reached the top of the UK Singles Chart and sold over six million copies worldwide. Reid continued to write lyrics for the band until they broke up in 1977.[2]

He also wrote the lyrics to the debut album of the French singer Michel Polnareff in 1966, and was co-writer for the John Farnham hit "You're the Voice" (1986).

Reid moved to New York and founded a management company in 1986. He reunited with Brooker and Procol Harum for the album The Prodigal Stranger, which was released in 1991.[2]



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