During his 45-year tenure in Bob Seger s Silver Bullet Band, Alto Reed became one of rock n roll s premiere players and a show-stealing performer who provided a wealth of memorable moments beyond just his iconic, haunting 1973 track Turn the Page that became his signature.
Reed (real name Thomas Neal Cartmell) died on Wednesday morning, Dec. 30, at the age of 72, after battling stage four colon cancer. I was the leader, but he was our rock star, Seger, who d traveled to visit Reed earlier this month after learning of his situation, said on Wednesday. I loved him like a brother. He was bold, and worldly; I learned so much from the guy. He was just generous, wonderful, creative enormously creative.
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Alto Reed, the saxophonist known as a longtime member of Bob Seger s Silver Bullet Band, died Wednesday after a battle with colon cancer. He was 72. Alto has been a part of our musical family, on and off stage, for nearly 50 years, Seger wrote in a statement published on social media. I first starting playing with Alto in 1971. He was amazing – he could play just about anything…he was funky, could scat and play tenor sax and alto sax at the same time.
Born Thomas Neal Cartmell in 1948, Reed was, like Seger, a Detroit native, and a member of the Silver Bullet Band from its earliest days. His most famous performances included the saxophone solo on Old Time Rock and Roll and the intro to the classic rock radio favorite Turn the Page.