Herbert Reed was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on
August 7, 1928. A founding member of The Platters, who were known for
their hits during the 1950s and 1960s. Reed, who was the last surviving
original member of the group, which he co-founded with four other
musicians in 1953, is credited with creating The Platters' name.
Reed thought of the group's name after noticing that DJs in the 1950s
called their records, "platters". He was the only member of
The Platters who sang on all of the approximately 400 songs recorded
by the group. His vocals can be heard on The Platters' biggest hits,
including Only You, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, The Great Pretender,
Twilight Time and My Prayer. Reed toured throughout his career. He
performed as many as 200 concerts per year until 2012, when he stopped
due to declining health. He died from complications from several ailments,
including heart disease, at a hospice in Boston on June 4, 2012, aged 83.
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