Conrad Reeder (born 1954)[1] (also known as Connie Reeder Nichols) is an American singer, songwriter, writer and college professor. She was married to the late producer and recording engineer Roger Nichols for over thirty years.

Conrad Reeder
Reeder in 1988
Reeder in 1988
Background information
Birth nameConnie S. Reeder
Also known asFugitive Blonde
Born1954
Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
GenresRock, folk, pop, others
Occupation(s)Recording artist, singer, songwriter, playwright, professor
Years active1974–present

Music career

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She was born in Columbus, Ohio, United States.[1] Reeder sang for fifteen years with John Denver in live concerts, on television and recordings including Dreamland Express and It's About Time. She sang live duets with Denver as well as performing as a background singer and stayed in contact with Denver's mother after he died in a plane crash.[2]

She also co-wrote the Denver song "Thanks to You."[3]

 
With husband Roger Nichols in the studio

Reeder is credited as a writer or co-writer on all tracks of her husband's release, The Roger Nichols Project. [4] She was signed to Motown's Morocco Records in the early 1980s, but the label folded before her first album was released. Reeder led her own band called Fugitive Blonde in Nashville, Tennessee the 1980s and 1990s, with an earlier Los Angeles version titled Big Blonde.[5]

Writing career

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She was a featured columnist and article writer at EQ Magazine [6] in the 1990s, writing as C. Reeder. The column, The Demo Queen, often lampooned the trials involved in the process of recording demo tapes in quest of a record deal.[7] Her writing sometimes takes a serious view of life and love,[8] and a book, Memory Clouds: Good Grief Bad Grief, is available on Amazon.[9] Her plays have been staged in Florida and California (Graffiti).[10]

Education

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Reeder graduated in 2008 from the University of New Orleans with a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing/Playwrighting. Her thesis, Jack is Dead, was inspired by Denver's accidental death. She has taught as an adjunct professor at Palm Beach State College in Florida.[11] Reeder is currently a Doctoral candidate at Pacifica Graduate Institute in Santa Barbara, California, and is also a lecturing professor at the Maui campus of the University of Hawaii.

 
Reeder with daughters Cimcie and Ashlee Nichols at the 54th Grammy Awards in 2012 to accept her husband's Special Merit/Technical Grammy Award.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Bio". Conradreeder.com. October 12, 2018. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  2. ^ "Services set for Erma Deutschendorf, 87, mother of John Denver". Aurorasentinel.com. Retrieved January 31, 2012.
  3. ^ "THANKS TO YOU LYRICS". Lyrics.com. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
  4. ^ "The Roger Nichols Project". AllMusic. Retrieved January 31, 2012.
  5. ^ "Amazon.com : wildlife Fugitive Blonde". Amazon.com. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  6. ^ "Nashville State of Mind: The Demo Queen takes on the King of the Nashville Music Scene straight from Music Row". Conradreeder.com. February 6, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
  7. ^ "Madam Meets Midem". Conradreeder.com. September 24, 2000. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
  8. ^ "Sunshine on My Shoulder". Archived from the original on July 29, 2012. Retrieved January 31, 2012.
  9. ^ Memory Clouds: Good Grief Bad Grief. Gopita Press. November 12, 2015 – via Amazon.com.
  10. ^ "DG presents "Graffiti" in North Hollywood | Connie Reeder Nichols". Archived from the original on November 10, 2013. Retrieved November 10, 2013.
  11. ^ "The Low Residency MFA in Creative Writing Alumni Page". Lowres.uno.edu. Retrieved January 31, 2012.
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