ABOUT REED (OFF STAGE)
Reed’s earliest memories of charitable work are singing for the residents at the local nursing home in Ellsworth, WI with his family. Several times a year they would rally in the activity room where an upright piano sat in the corner to entertain those in attendance, bringing levity to what can be a somewhat heavy atmosphere. The reality that music can change someone’s day, and potentially their life was not wasted on Reed. This has been a driving factor of his creative journey, and a major purpose in why he continues to follow the inspiration of music. In a time where the world is becoming more obsessed with screens, where our attention can be highjacked by any number of things, inside and out, it seems that music has the ability to bring us into a present, shared experience in which we can release our mental baggage, even if just for a moment. With great power comes great responsibility, so Reed decided to focus his musical ability in collaborating with several non-profit organizations to help their missions flourish. In 2013 Reed joined a new Twin Cities based non-profit called Massive Amounts of Good (MAOG). This organization’s mission is to gather creatives and utilize the creative process itself to help other non-profits achieve their next goals, mainly in the area of food insecurity. To date, MAOG has connected dots which have raised thousands of dollars, and literally hundreds of tons of food for those in need. One of Reed’s favorite creative ventures is writing theme songs for non-profits to help get their good word to the masses. Working intimately with the organization’s leaders, Reed gets to know their mission in a way that allows him to write music that captures the energy of the group as well as the message they want to share. Another one of Reed’s favorite creative collaborations is working with children. He has gone to schools, homes, festivals, and hospitals performing and teaching music lessons as well as speaking to students about being kind, creative, and inclusive. Reed has seen the importance of positive reinforcement of these characteristics in the youth and is inspired to continue empowering students to empower themselves, and each other.
Click to hear/watch the songs in action!
Another one of Reed’s favorite creative collaborations is working with children. He has gone to schools, homes, festivals, and hospitals performing and teaching music lessons as well as speaking to students about being kind, creative, and inclusive. Reed has seen the importance of positive reinforcement of these characteristics in the youth and is inspired to continue empowering students to empower themselves, and each other.