Today we’d like to introduce you to Pete “Sleepin Pete” Reed.
Reed and Sons Music grew out of the long and winding road travelled by “Sleepin Pete” Reed in the music business. Pete began his musical journey in Pontiac, Michigan where he got his first electric guitar, a beat up Fender Telecaster, from his older brother, Jimmy. Pete took to the guitar right off, teaching himself by ear while listening to jazz, blues and Motown. Under Jimmy’s wing, strings were stretched and dues were paid.
Before long, Sleepin Pete was traveling the US, playing clubs and festivals with some of the finest and funkiest acts on the road, including The Blobs, the James Street Jazz Quartet, The Pulsations and sax master Bennie Poole. Cutting his teeth mostly on the Detroit scene, he was awarded the nickname Sleepin Pete by a bartender who noted that Pete would solo with his eyes closed.
Later on, family life and straight jobs took Sleepin Pete away from performing, but he thrived as a teacher and consultant, working mostly in treatment settings for children struggling against adversity. Lessons on the healing powers of music were learned and shared, never to be forgotten.
Recently, with the emergence of sons Calvin and Jackson as powerhouse players/producers in their own right, Sleepin Pete is once again engaged in making it funky. Though Reed & Sons Music may be in the formative stages, they have a wealth of talent, ideas and equipment that they hope to employ in pursuit of bringing out the best in musicians who need a helping hand.
Has it been a smooth road?
As anyone who has been immersed in it can tell you, the music business has more than its share of pitfalls and dead ends. The challenges of the creative process, daily pressures of making it in the real world and the dream of reaching a larger audience often come together in ways that tend to break us down as much as they lift us up. Now more than ever, wringing a little money out of performance is not for the faint of heart. Sleepin Pete got in his own way early and often, struggling with depression and reliance on drinking and drugs. Living the night life sometimes made it hard to appreciate the straight life.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Reed and Sons Music takes an intuitive approach to supporting/facilitating the efforts of musicians of all stripes and levels of ability. We recognize that guiding the spiritual component of making music is every bit as important as mastering the technical aspects to the success of the finished work.
Being a small, family based outfit makes us flexible enough to address the needs of the beginner as well as the more experienced performer. We also have expertise in the area of locating and obtaining instruments to suit the needs of both groups and solo artists.
We can offer on site recording and production in a digital studio. Upon request, we can develop individualized lessons on piano, guitar, drums, bass, trumpet and viola.
We also have a wealth of ideas on access to markets, promotion and integration of graphic arts as a compliment to all things musical.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Beverly is just about the friendliest place on the North Shore in my view. We’ve got top notch performance venues, great places to eat and drink, beautiful beaches and parks to inspire the musical soul. The place just vibrates with creativity, potential and opportunity.
Contact Info:
- Address: 108 Hale St. Beverly, MA 01915
- Website: www.sleepinpete.com
- Phone: 978 430 6977
- Email: 6stringreed@gmail.com
Image Credit:
All Photos By Sleepin Pete
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