Glenn Reid’s performing career started out in Montreal, where he worked clubs as a front man and lead singer before gravitating to writing some of the material as well. Here he met the Henman brothers, David and Ritchie, who had parted ways with April Wine after recording most of the album “Electric Jewels” and a long-time collaboration between the artists began.
Ritchie Henman joined Glenn in a short-lived band and David Henman produced Glenn’s first demo “Baby Tonight”. In 1979, Glenn made the move down the 401 to Toronto. When he arrived he formed a band called “The Rave Ons” with Eddy Zeeman (Cats Can Fly), Nick Sneer (writes music for television) and Sarge Chesson. The band had great success playing venues of up to 8-10 thousand people opening for The Segarini Band, Goddo, Ian Hunter and Battered Wives among others.
Glenn formed a duo with Drew Winters (The Segarini Band) and they played clubs through out the GTA. They were the longstanding house band at a popular club in Mississauga called Madam’s. A short time later, David Henman makes the move to Toronto and hooks up with Glenn (still lead singing but also playing trumpet and rhythm guitar), Norm Hartshorne, Tony Basile on sax and Joel Rabinowitz (owner of The House in Canada and The Hut in the USA) to form “The Business”. When Joel leaves to continue his successful clothing business, Max Styles (The King’s) replaces Joel on drums and joins “The Business”. The band still continues its 20 year run – co-writing hundreds of original songs.
While working at SST Studio’s, Glenn had the opportunity to be involved in sessions with such Canadian luminaries as Lisa DalBello, Cheryl Rae, Charity Brown, Dominic Troiano and Greg Godovitz. He added occasional background vocals and even sang (informally) an old Guess Who song called “Life in the Bloodstream” with Burton Cummings, a cherished memory for Glenn.
David and Glenn worked as a duo around Toronto until a chance meeting with Bob Segarini leads to combining “The Business” with Bob Segarini, Drew Winters (The Segarini Band), Suzie Burmester (Brave and Crazy) and Sam Pollard (The Haircuts, Samantha, Brave and Crazy) to form “Cats and Dogs”. The band released two CD’s on indie label Bullseye Records – containing the stellar Glenn Reid original “The Only Thing” and his version of “Knockin’ on Heavens Door” by Bob Dylan.
Glenn spent two years in Alberta working as a solo act – playing 3 sets a night, 6 nights per week. This was a very rich song-writing period that aided in developing his country style. Glenn stopped at a local club where he won a talent contest and was awarded studio time at TAG Recording in Alberta. While recording his first solo CD “A Piece of This Country” Glenn also worked as a DJ on the local country/gospel station C.I.H.S. “A Piece of This Country” sold hundreds of copies to people from all over the world.
Upon his return to Toronto, Glenn performed in a duo with Suzie Burmester called R&B and recorded a demo at Steve Sherman Studio’s. Glenn continued his solo gigs and also hosted a Sunday night jam at The Brigadoon in Scarborough where he was regularly joined by Robbie Hancock (The Candidates), Peter Verity and Seb Agnello (Lords of London).
In February 2005, Glenn returned to Steve Sherman Studio’s to start “Workin’ Man” – a solo project containing a collection of 10 Glenn Reid originals. Along with Glenn’s superior writing, lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Steve Sherman lends his outstanding bass playing, guitar work and production ear to the project. Guest artists include: Max Styles (The Business, The Kings), Pete Grey (Reuben Cherry), David Henman (April Wine, David Henman Band, Brave and Crazy, Cats and Dogs, The Dudes), Norm Hartshorne (The Business), Ty Templeton (comic book superstar for The Simpsons, Superman, Batman and Stigs Inferno to name a few), Robbie Hancock (The Candidates), Bob Segarini (The Family Tree, The Wackers, Roxy, Q107’s Iceman, The Segarini Band, The Anger Brothers, Cats & Dogs and Late Great Movies) and Jade Dunlop (Leader of the Pack, Starmites).
Glenn returned to Steve Sherman’s studio in March 2006 to start “I’m In” a collections of songs expressing his experiences over the past year. A year that saw unprecedented success in Europe with his solo CD “Workin’ Man, a whirlwind courtship and marriage to new wife Cindy, a battle with and triumph over cancer, and a full briefcase full of new songs. Using many of the same supporting cast as was utilized on the first CD he created “I’m In”, singles from which received extensive airplay throughout Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
2008 saw Glenn enter Steve Sherman Productions once again to start the recording of his most ambitious project to date, a 16-song opus with a title cut co-written with Juno Hall of famer, David Henman, called “Keep on Walkin’”. The first single released throughout Europe was entitled “Sing Like Johnny Cash”, and it entered the European Country Music charts in France at #31, Denmark at#23, and Belgium at #18, and was ranked on the ECMA’s list of “most played” at #31 for the week of Oct 8th, 2010.
In 2016 Glenn released "Not Being With You" which contains a mix of new songs and some fan favourites. New Zealand and Chetwynd BC lead the pack in daily spins but the title cuts is getting air play around the globe.
At the end of 2017 , Glenn and wife Cindy moved to Kingston Ontario.
Still performing at countless clubs, festivals and benefits across the Ontario landscape and with a support tour throughout Europe in the planning stages, audiences around the world will be enjoying this consummate performer’s music for some time to come. Combining tireless enthusiasm and a seemingly unending supply of songs both poignant and uplifting, Glenn’s live shows continue to thrill, intrigue and satisfy. As the CD says…Keep on Walkin’.