World news – USA – « Alto was the rock star »: Bob Seger remembers his longtime bandmate Alto Reed

DETROIT – Alto Reed died Wednesday aged 72 after battling colon cancer.

Reed was born Thomas Neal Cartmell in Detroit and has been part of Bob Seger’s Silver Bullet Band since its inception. He played on 14 albums.

Alto has been part of our musical family on and off stage for almost 50 years. I started playing with Alto in 1971. He was amazing. He could play pretty much anything . . . He was funky, could scat and play tenor saxophone and alto saxophone at the same time.

We worked with Alto a lot and when we booked our first headlining gig at Cobo Hall we asked him to be part of those shows. Undoubtedly, his iconic performance at Turn The Page helped lift us to another level. Since then he has been on this stage at practically every show. And whether it was Turn The Page, Main Street or Old Time Rock and Roll, the audience roared every time he played his part. In our band, Alto was the rock star.

Outside of the stage, Alto had a passion for discovering and experiencing new things. He taught me to sail in Biscayne Bay, we swam with the sharks (unintentionally!) And often introduced us to local foods and restaurants that he discovered. I called him Captain. He was braver than me. I remember visiting him in the Miami area and feeding him the manatees in a lagoon behind his house. Most of us feed the seagulls, Alto the manatees!

Alto raised a family and was a great father. He helped raise two talented, beautiful, intelligent young women. Over the years his passion for music, life and new adventures never let up. We loved him like a brother and we will miss him forever.

He has also worked with Grand Funk Railroad, Ted Nugent, Little Feat, Foghat, Dave Mason, Spencer Davis, the Blues Brothers, George Thorogood, Robin Gibb, the Motor City Horns, and others.

Reed led the Reed & Dickinson Band together with Steve Dickinson and released the album « Tonight We Ride. He also released a solo album, « Cool Breeze. ”

Reed grew up in Detroit and later lived in St. . Clair Shores. He started playing music at a young age. He was part of the original Silver Bullet Band line-up that formed in 1974.

He is survived by his children Chelsea Reed Radler and Jon Radler as well as Victoria Reed and Erik Deutsch as well as his grandson Harry Radler and his sister Nancy Neumann and her husband Dave.

He also leaves behind his partner Christiana Van Ryn, stepdaughter Sophia Van Ryn, and 21-year-old ex-wife Monica Reed.

Last night, under the light of the full moon and surrounded by a family at home, our beautiful father moved gently into the next kingdom. Our hearts are deeply broken from this tremendous loss, but also full of gratitude as we reflect on his legacy and how incredibly lucky we were to be able to call such a special guy, Dad. He led an extraordinary life, marked by passion, determination and dreams come true. An action-packed adventure full of love, magic, dear friends, family and inexpressible joys. The stuff of legends, really.

His skill, devotion and brilliance as an artist and performer made him a hero not only for us but for thousands of others, if not millions. He lived for the stage and most importantly his role for nearly 50 years in the Silver Bullet Band with his musical family; Bob, Craig, Chris, and so many other talented musicians playing alongside him. We are really comforted to know that his spirit will shine bright from the music he left behind and the impression he made on so many souls in concert.

But beyond that, he was and remains for us, papa. Loving, supportive, sweet and wise. We work in front of the house at our elementary school concerts, set up lights so we can skate at night, take tubes until our heads turn, look for the Red Wings, teach us to ski, fish, shoot and harmonize and always share Believe in us and our dreams tirelessly in deep conversations. Oh, and fix anything, anywhere, anytime.

We are overwhelmed and we appreciate the love and support we have received from friends and those who feel like family during this sensitive time. it really means the world to us. And tomorrow, on New Year’s Eve, we will celebrate his incredible life. We hope everyone who loved him will do the same.

Instead of flowers, we are accepting donations on his behalf to the Detroit Symphony’s Detroit Harmony Fund, whose goal is to provide an instrument for every student in the city of Detroit. We also encourage friends and fans who loved him to honor his life through regular checkups and other colon cancer screening methods.

P. . S.. . Dad, we hope you have fun and soar high above everyone who plays the saxophone just like you did in the 70s. No wires this time.

Instead of flowers, the family is soliciting donations on Reed’s behalf to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Detroit Harmony Fund, which provides instruments for music students in Detroit. For more information on the Detroit Harmony Fund, click here.

Kayla is a web producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before joining the team in 2018, she worked as a digital producer at WILX in Lansing.

Bob Seger, Alto Reed, saxophone, Detroit