Social - October 2003

Musician works at his hobby

Composing a career

By DIANE TURBYFILL, Staff Writer

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Jeff Lynn Reid admits with pride that he turned his hobby into a career.

Reid fell in love with the guitar at 10 years old. Thirty-eight years and six CDs later, he’s still playing.

“I just love music,” he says.

The basement of his Lincolnton home serves as a recording studio for the long-time musician. Reid uses mixing boards, electric and acoustic guitars and keyboards to bring his music to life. He also assists other musicians in bringing their  projects to fruition.

Reid says his career in music is far from routine. He tackles all aspects of the business — singing, playing, recording, producing, engineering and writing.

He has performed solo and in bands. Early in his career, Reid was a member of the Fantastic Shakers, a well-known local band. He even wrote the band’s popular hit “Myrtle Beach Days.”

After 15 years with the Shakers, Reid decided to go solo. He performs live and produces his own CDs. His solo recordings include “Home,” “Dinner Time,” “One of the Good Guys,” “Scarface,” “A Dozen Dozen Roses” and “The Center of Attention.”

Each CD is a trip down memory lane with the artist. The pages inside the cover reveal personal pictures and parodies in Reid’s life.

He considers “Home” one of his most personal projects. Songs pay tribute to his brother who died in a car accident and his wife who is a flight attendant and returned home a day before the 9/11 terror attacks.

“Basically, I write from the heart,” he says.

Reid says some of his shining moments in music have included recording at Paisley Park Studios in Minneapolis — a studio owned by Prince and being positively reviewed in Goldmine, a music collectors magazine.

He has enjoyed working as a solo artist because of the freedom it includes. The many styles and sounds heard on his CDs show his obvious range.

When Reid is not focusing on his own music, he works on others. He records solo artists and groups in any area of music, from Gospel to rock. Not everyone who records their music will become a star, but Reid enjoys helping them attain their goals.

The career and family man lives with his wife, Vicki, and 13-year-old son, Justin.

“He’s into science, thank goodness,” Reid laughs.

A job in the music industry has been a fun but bumpy road, he says.

“It’s hard having a music career,” he says. “It’s an up and down business.”

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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