Keith Reid Dies: Procol Harum Lyricist On ‘A Whiter Shade Of Pale’ And Other Hits Was 76
deadline.comKeith Reid, who cowrote the lyrics for most of Procol Harum’s original songs, died March 23 of cancer, his wife confirmed. No details on location were provided.
Reid was a writer on Procol Harum’s biggest hit, 1967’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” as well as on group classics as “A Salty Dog,” “Conquistador,” “Shine on Brightly” and “Grand Hotel.” Born on October 19, 1946, in Hertfordshire, England, Reid began collaborating with Procol Harum keyboardist Gary Brooker in the 1960s.
One of their first joint efforts, “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” reached No. 1 in their native U.K., as well as in Australia, Canada, and several European countries.
It also reached No. 5 on Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart in the U.S. Although not a performing member of Procol Harum, Reid was essential to the group’s mystique.
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