‘Alto was the rock star’: Bob Seger remembers longtime bandmate Alto Reed

Alto Reed died after battle with colon cancer at 72 years old

Kayla Clarke, Senior Web Producer

Published: December 30, 2020 at 1:12 PM

Tags: Detroit, St. Clair Shores, News, Local, Local News, Entertainment, Music, Local Music, Michigan Music, Bob Seger, Alto Reed, Colon Cancer, Thomas Neal Cartmell

DETROIT – Alto Reed died at the age of 72 on Wednesday after a battle with colon cancer.

Born Thomas Neal Cartmell in Detroit, Reed was part of Bob Seger’s Silver Bullet Band since its inception, playing on 14 albums.

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Alto has been a part of our musical family, on and off stage, for nearly 50 years. I first starting playing with Alto in 1971. He was amazing. He could play just about anything ... he was funky, could scat, and play tenor sax and alto sax at the same time.
We worked with Alto often and when we booked our first headline arena gigs at Cobo Hall, we asked him to be a part of those shows. No doubt his iconic performance on Turn The Page helped lift us to another level. He has been with us on that stage virtually every show, ever since. And whether it was Turn The Page, Mainstreet, or Old Time Rock And Roll, audiences roared every time he played his part. In our band, Alto was the rock star.
Off stage, Alto had a passion for discovering and experiencing new things. He taught me how to sail on Biscayne Bay, we swam with the sharks (unintentionally!), and he often introduced us to local foods and restaurants he had discovered. I called him Captain. He was bolder than I was. I remember visiting him in the Miami area and I found him feeding the manatees in a lagoon behind his house. Most of us feed the seagulls, Alto fed the manatees!
Alto started a family and was a fabulous father. He helped raise two talented, beautiful, intelligent young ladies. Over the years, his passion for music, life and new adventures never diminished. We loved him like a brother and will miss forever.
Bob Seger

He also worked with Grand Funk Railroad, Ted Nugent, Little Feat, Foghat, Dave Mason, Spencer Davis, the Blues Brothers, George Thorogood, Robin Gibb, the Motor City Horns and more.

Reed co-led the Reed & Dickinson Band with Steve Dickinson, releasing the album “Tonight We Ride.” He also released a solo album, “Cool Breeze.”

Reed was raised in Detroit and later lived in St. Clair Shores. He began playing music at an early age. He was part of the original Silver Bullet Band lineup formed during 1974.

He is survived by his children, Chelsea Reed Radler and Jon Radler and Victoria Reed and Erik Deutsch, as well as his grandson, Harry Radler, and his sister, Nancy Neumann and her husband Dave.

He also leaves behind his partner Christiana Van Ryn, his stepdaughter Sophia Van Ryn and his ex-wife of 21 years, Monica Reed.

Last night, under the light of the full moon and surrounded by family at home, our beautiful father passed gently on to the next realm. Our hearts are deeply broken by this enormous loss, but also filled with gratitude as we reflect on his legacy and how incredibly lucky we’ve been to get to call such a special guy, dad. He lead an extraordinary life, marked by passion, determination, and dreams come true; an action packed adventure filled top to bottom with love, magic, dear friends, family, and unspeakable joys. The stuff of legends, really.
His skillfulness, dedication and brilliance as an artist and performer made him a hero not only to us, but to thousands of others, if not millions. He lived for the stage and most importantly, his role for nearly 50 years in the Silver Bullet Band with his musical family; Bob, Craig, Chris, and so many other talented musicians who played alongside him. We are truly comforted in knowing that his spirit will shine brightly on through the music that he has left behind, and the impression that he’s had on so many souls in concert.
But beyond all of that, to us, he was and always will be, dad. Loving, supportive, sweet and wise. Working front of house at our elementary school recitals, rigging up lights so we could ice skate at night, taking us tubing til our heads spun, rooting for the Red Wings, teaching us how to ski, fish, shoot pool and harmonize, always sharing in deep conversation, and all the while believing unfailingly in us and our dreams. Oh, and fixing everything, everywhere, always.
We are overwhelmed by and so appreciative of the love and support we have received from friends and those who feel like family during this sensitive time; it means the world to us, truly. And tomorrow, on New Year’s Eve, we will be celebrating his incredible life; we hope everyone that loved him will do the same.
In lieu of flowers we will be accepting donations in his name towards the Detroit Symphony’s Detroit Harmony Fund, whose goal is to put an instrument in the hands of every student in the city of Detroit. We also encourage friends and fans who loved him to honor his life through regular screenings and other early prevention methods for colon cancer.
P.S. Dad, we hope you have fun, flying high over everyone playing your sax, just like you did in the 70s. This time, no wires.
Chelsea & Victoria

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Reed’s name to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Detroit Harmony Fund, which provides instruments to music students in Detroit. Click here for more information on the Detroit Harmony Fund.

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‘Alto was the rock star’: Bob Seger remembers longtime bandmate Alto Reed

Alto Reed died after battle with colon cancer at 72 years old

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Kayla Clarke