Henry Reed

James Henry Neel Reed (April 28, 1884 – February 8, 1968) was an American fiddler and banjoist in the Appalachian music tradition. Reed became known for his fiddle tunes only after Alan Jabbour and the Hollow Rock String Band spread his music. Reed never had a professional career as a fiddler but was able to influence many other musicians through a relationship with his apprentice Alan Jabbour.

Early life Henry Reed was born in Monroe County, West Virginia, on April 28, 1884. He was the youngest of the eight children of Marion Reed and Sophia Catherine Underwood Reed. Reed grew up in Monroe County in a large extended family and spent most of his life in the surrounding area. At the age of 23 Reed married Nettie Ann Virginia Mullins on December 11, 1907. They settled down in Glen Lyn, Virginia. shortly after meeting Alan Jabbour in 1966.

Legacy Reed's name and legacy continue on through the Henry Reed Fund and the Annual Henry Reed Memorial Fiddlers Convention.

The Henry Reed Fund was started by Alan Jabbour in 1999. Alan explains why he created this fund by expressing his desire "to provide support for initiatives benefiting folk artists and taping the collections of the American Folklife Center. In doing so, [the Henry Reed Fund] also commemorates the important cultural process through which the artistry of people like Henry Reed is shared with younger generations and provides continuing enrichment for our cultural life." The Annual Henry Reed Convention was started in 2003 in honor of Reed. This convention allows fiddlers to get together in Glen, Virginia once a year to share their music.

Films The Henry Reed Legacy (2009). Directed by Chris Valluzzo and Sean Kotz. Horse Archer Productions.