Rocker Terry Reid, who turned down Led Zeppelin, dead at 75

English rock star Terry Reid, who once turned down offers to front Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple, has passed away. He was 75.

Reid’s UK rep confirmed the shocking news in a statement to the Guardian on Tuesday, August 5.

Although his cause of death has not been revealed, the beloved musician’s passing follows a fight with cancer.

The “Seed of Memory” singer had been forced to postpone an upcoming tour due to his worsening health battle, according to his official Instagram page.

“Due to medical issues arising from recent treatment for cancer, Terry has had to postpone his autumn 2025 UK, Irish and Norway,” the announcement posted on July 2 began. “Terry is especially upset about this as his 2024 tour was so successful and he had been looking forward to playing some new towns and venues, plus old faves, as well as his first-ever dates in Norway.”

“We wish Terry a speedy recovery back to good health and will provide details about rescheduled dates for 2026 in due course,” it added.

A GoFundMe page set up on the rock star’s behalf last month detailed Reid’s cancer fight.

“Over the past several months, Terry has been courageously battling cancer as well as numerous other serious health issues,” it said. “His fight has been quiet and brave, but it has also come at a great personal cost.”

“He’s been in and out of the hospital, enduring rounds of treatment and uncertainty — and, most recently, was forced to cancel his long-anticipated six-week tour,” it continued. “The financial strain has become overwhelming, and the medical bills are mounting by the day.”

“Terry would never ask for this himself — which is why we’re asking for him,” the message added.

Born and raised in Cambridgeshire, England, Reid first came to prominence as a teen when he joined Peter Jay and the Jaywalkers as the band’s frontman.

Reid’s reputation was further cemented in the mid-1960s when he supported the Rolling Stones during their tour at age 16.

It was then that he was approached by Jimmy Page, who was still with the Yardbirds at the time, and asked to join the group that would ultimately become Led Zeppelin.

“I was very friendly with Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones,” Reid recalled during a 2024 interview with Classic Rock. “Keith asked me to support the Stones in the States, but then shortly afterwards, Jimmy wanted me to join his new band. I was torn.

“In the end, I put the ball in Jimmy’s court,” he continued. “I said: ‘You’d better speak to Keith and tell him I’m not going.’ But Jimmy bottled it. He said: ‘I’m not having him shoot me in the f–king leg.’ Even then, Keith had a reputation.”

“So I ended up going to America with the Stones,” Reid added. “I even played with them at Altamont.”

After turning Page down on the offer to join Led Zeppelin, Reid recommended singer Robert Plant and drummer John Bonham instead. Both musicians ultimately joined, and Led Zeppelin was established in 1968.

“I was intent on doing my own thing,” Reid told the Guardian last year. “I contributed half the band – that’s enough on my part!”

He also turned down an offer from Ritchie Blackmore to join Deep Purple after the band’s original lead singer, Rod Evans, departed the group in 1969.

“It was very flattering,” Reid told the Guardian. “Ritchie was one hell of a guitar player.”

Touching tributes for the revered singer-songwriter, who was nicknamed “Superlungs” due to his powerful and unique voice, have poured in following the news of his passing.

“Goodbye my friend,” Joe Bonamassa wrote on Instagram Tuesday morning. “It was an honor to get to know you as a friend and a musical mentor.”

“I will miss our hangs and stories in Palm Springs,” he continued. “One of the greatest to ever do it, and a beautiful person and soul.”

“Rest in peace Terry Reid,” Bonamassa concluded. “My deepest condolences to his family on this terrible day.”