We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Harold Reid. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Harold below.

Harold, appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

Well music has always been a big part of my life. When I was growing up I didn’t have the best home life and I guess I kinda used music to distract myself from everything around me. I would always have headphones on listening to some sort of music. It wasn’t til I was a preteen in middle school that a friend of the family that I referred to as an uncle talked to me about playing an instrument. He eventually told me that the one thing that people are always looking for in the music industry is a good Sax player. I had at this time started teaching myself how to play the drums and started playing drums in a small country band that he had. I finally decided to take band in middle school and was supposed to play percussion but due to a change in directors the new director called my parents and told them I would be playing the saxophone in the school band. So when I got home one day there was a Saxophone on my bed and I was kinda stuck with it. I remembered what I had been told about saxophone players always being sought after. So I decided to learn the sax without complaining and later on was able to learn a few other instruments as well, so it all worked out. When I got to high school my band director had a huge impact on my life when it came to music. He introduced me to a lot of great music that I still listen to today. When I was in 10th grade I had to have open heart surgery and I couldn’t play saxophone for about a year. I didn’t let that stop me from being involved in band at school so I joined the drumline the following year. I knew in high school that I wanted to do something with music for the rest of my life so I decided to go to college and study music education and minor in music ministry. The first job I got in music was as a music minister of a small church. I later went to help with the music of another church and then became a Music Pastor of another church for a few years and helped out with music in a few other churches. I was never happy doing music in the church so I left the church thing completely, it just wasn’t for me. I then helped head up a band and helped get started a free concert series in Liberty S.C. that is still going today. After the band broke up I focused on my family for a while. When my son joined the high school marching band I started helping teach the woodwinds as an instructor at my old high school and was the Alumni Band Director as well. I really loved and enjoyed teaching these kids and seeing them get excited about music. After a few years I decided I wanted to get back into performing and playing live shows again so I decided to start playing solo gigs and see where it would lead. I got my first gig at a small pizza place in my home town. I later started getting more small gigs here and there. Then on February 10, 2023 my life came to a halt when I had a major heart attack that almost took me out. After having emergency surgery that same day I was lucky enough to still be alive. I honestly didn’t know if I’d be able to play my Saxophone again. After months of rest and building my strength back up I was finally able to pick up the sax again and did my first gig since the heart attack at a local ice cream shop for a Christmas event they had. Since then I have come a long ways. I’ve been on late night tv, have recorded many albums that are streaming on all music platforms, I’ve written two original albums (the second one comes out on Dec, 1 2024), I have my own station on IHeart Radio, I have an album I’m collaborating with a great musician that I hope to have out next year, and this is my second interview for a magazine that I’ve done. I’ve gone from playing a pizza joint to not knowing if I’ll be able to play again to doing private gigs and having my music streamed world wide. I’ve come a long way from where I’ve started but I definitely have a long ways to go. I don’t know what the future holds for Sax Man but I hope it’s going to be great and I’m very thankful for what ever comes my way.

Harold, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Well my stage name is Sax Man, of course. I’ve been playing the saxophone since 1999. I play gigs anywhere in the upstate. I’ll play venues, restaurants, private parties or events, etc. Even though I’m a sax player I play all genres of music, such as country, pop, rock, R&B, soul, Motown, oldies, today’s hits and so much more. I have all my own equipment and with my P.A. System and backing music it’s like I have a full band behind me. People are always excited and pumped when they hear me play and that’s what I love to see. I’m definitely not your average sax player.

The one thing that I’m most proud of is my son, and that’s why my newest original album “Out On A Limb” that I wrote that will be out on December 1, 2024 is the album I’m most proud of. The reason is because when I wrote this album I went outside of my comfort zone and wrote a few songs with lyrics that I sung myself for this album. One of those songs is titled “A Father’s love”. I wrote this song about my son and the journey of watching him grow into the young man that he is today. That is why this album would have to be the project that I’m most proud of so far.

The one thing I would like everyone whom may be a potential client or fan to know is this: I’m not your average sax player. Most people when they see I play the saxophone they assume that all I play is jazz. That is not the case with me. I play all kinds of different genres of music. Although I can play some jazzy tunes I play songs you would hear played on a dance floor or club. I play something you can get into or even sing along with.

I want to enjoy the music I’m playing so I want my audience to enjoy it as well.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

The number one thing that society can do to help support working musicians/bands/artist is this: Stop expecting musicians to perform and provide music/ entertainment for free or just for tips. Providing your venue or what ever it may be with music is our job so we expect to be paid. Keep in mind you’re paying for more than just a few hours of music. You are paying for all the years that were put into learning the craft, the many hours of practice to prepare for your event, travel time to get to and from your venue, gas, wear and tear of vehicles, our equipment, and the time that we are playing and providing you with music. So don’t be cheap either when it comes to paying musicians and bands. Most of us try to be as reasonable as possible but we have bills to pay just like everyone else.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

Well that’s a question that could take hours to answer. lol. There is so much that I wish I knew and had access to when I first started out as a solo artist that would have made me better from the start, but the one thing I wish I had from the start would have to be some of the people that I have met along this journey that I now get the privilege to call my friends. Some of them have helped inspire me and have made me want to keep pushing myself to do and become a better musician. Just seeing some of them succeed in the same industry makes me want to keep pushing and do better myself. I’m very thankful for the music community that I’ve become a part of and I just wish I was a part of it a lot sooner.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5CyafQSPMQuCluK2vbfub4?si=kcL7oNw9Rj-dtmolm5lMlw
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sax_man_hr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saxmanhr
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/haroldwreid
• Other: https://www.iheart.com/artist/sax-man-42501165?cmp=ios_share&sc=ios_social_share&pr=false