Alto Reed, Bob Seger’s Silver Bullet Band Saxophonist, Dead at 72

Alto Reed, the longtime saxophonist for Bob Seger’s Silver Bullet Band, has died at age 72. Seger shared the sad news in a Facebook post, writing, “It is with a heavy heart that we inform you of the passing of our lifelong friend and band mate, Alto Reed. Alto passed away this morning at his home with his family by his side after fighting a courageous battle with colon cancer.”

Seger went on to share that Alto had “been a part of our musical family, on and off stage, for nearly 50 years.” Reed “first started playing” The Silver Bullet Band in 1971, with Seger calling Reed an “amazing” talent. “He could play just about anything,” the legendary rocker said. “He was funky, could scat and play tenor sax and alto sax at the same time.” Seger added, “We worked with Alto often and when we booked our first headline arena gigs at Cobo Hall, we asked him to be a part of those shows.”

When it comes to some classic Seger tunes, the guitarist gives Reed a lot of credit for adding some iconic notes. “No doubt his iconic performance on Turn The Page helped lift us to another level,” Seger stated. “He has been with us on that stage virtually every show, ever since. And whether it was Turn The Page, Mainstreet, or Old Time Rock And Roll, audiences roared every time he played his part. In our band, Alto was the rock star.”

Sharing a little about who Reed was “off stage,” Seger shared that he “had a passion for discovering and experiencing new things.” Seger continued” “He taught me how to sail on Biscayne Bay, we swam with the sharks (unintentionally!), and he often introduced us to local foods and restaurants he had discovered. I called him Captain. He was bolder than I was. I remember visiting him in the Miami area and I found him feeding the manatees in a lagoon behind his house. Most of us feed the seagulls, Alto fed the manatees!”

Finally, the “Night Moves” singer concluded his message by writing, “Alto started a family and was a fabulous father. He helped raise two talented, beautiful, intelligent young ladies. Over the years, his passion for music, life and new adventures never diminished. We loved him like a brother and will miss him forever.”