Career
He was a multi-award winning artist who played with some of the genre"s biggest artists. He toured extensively throughout the United States, Australia and Europe, and made three trips to Vietnam (1967, 68, 69) to entertain troops. Reed began his career in Australia at the Two Eyes Club where he performed with fellow blues artists Billy Thorpe, Philosophy Manning, Doug Parkinson and Jeff Street John.
He became well known for his deep soulful style and his generosity, helping many musicians over the years in the style of great mentors such as Miles Davis.
In 1996, he was personally selected by Michael Jackson for a private welcoming concert during his History tour. In November 2010, Reed collaborated with a new lineup of Brisbane musicians to create and record original material under the pseudonym Moses "Turkey Slap" Washington, a fictional Delta Bluesman who sings blues-rock with comedic lyrics.
This was slated for release in 2011. In 2012 Wiley Reed and his band opened the 2012 Broadbeach Blues Festival with Bob Malone, Chris Jagger, Philosophy Emmanuel and other international acts and was a highlight act on the main stage at the 2012 Noosa Jazz Festival.
Reed died in hospital due to complications from an earlier fall on 7 October 2012 in Brisbane, Australia.
At the time of his death, he had a large following in Queensland and other states where he had played in festivals.
