Songwriter Mike Reid To Be Honored During CMHoF’s Poets and Prophets Series

Mike Reid

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will feature Nashville Songwriter Hall of Famer Mike Reid in the latest installment of the museum’s special series Poets and Prophets on Saturday, March 4, at 2 p.m. in the museum’s Ford Theater.

Hosted by Museum Editor Michael Gray, an in-depth interview will follow Reid’s career as an All-Pro football player as well as tales behind many of his hit songs. The discussion will be illustrated with vintage photos, film footage and recordings. In addition to the interview, Reid will offer a short performance.

Following a football career with Penn State University and then the Cincinnati Bengals, Reid went on to pen 13 No. 1 hits, including one (“Walk on Faith”) he recorded himself.

A Pennsylvania native, Reid moved to Nashville in 1980 to pursue his career as a songwriter. Reid experienced quick success, writing a string of hits for Ronnie Milsap, including “Stranger in My House,” the 1983 Grammy winner for Best Country Song, and “Lost in the Fifties Tonight,” ASCAP’s Country Song of the Year in 1986.

Reid’s songwriting reached beyond country music in the 1990s, when Bonnie Raitt had a Top 20 pop hit with “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” a title Reid wrote with Allen Shamblin. Raitt’s recording was inducted recently into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Adele, George Michael, Prince, and many others have recorded “I Can’t Make You Love Me.”

Other hits written by Reid include No. 1 country songs for Alabama (“Forever’s as Far as I’ll Go”), Tim McGraw (“Everywhere”), Collin Raye (“In This Life”), and Wynonna (“To Be Loved by You”). Reid also penned Willie Nelson’s recent single “A Woman’s Love.”

Poets and Prophets is included with museum admission and free to museum members. Seating is limited, and passes are required for admittance. Museum members can reserve program passes in advance by phone (615-416-2050) or via e-mail (reservations@countrymusichalloffame.org). The program will be streamed live at countrymusichalloffame.org/streaming. Following the program, Reid will sign a commemorative Hatch Show Print poster, available for purchase in the Museum Store.