Biography

Rick Reed is a lifelong musician, currently working as a director of music and worship at a parish in NW Ohio.  Previously, he has worked in the Atlanta area, as well as central Pennsylvania and Texas.  He has served as cantor for diocesan liturgies as well as the musician/song leader for diocesan clergy retreats.

Part of his duties at work includes composing and arranging choral and instrumental music for major liturgical celebrations. 

Rick began his liturgical music career in his hometown of Reynoldsville, Pennsylvania, singing in his church choir. Soon after, he began playing the organ, and occasionally directed the choir. Rick wrote his first Mass at age 15. He then had the honor of accompanying its performance at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican in 1978.  His “Mass in Honor of St. Mary” was also used for a Sunday Mass at Il Duomo in Florence, Italy.

As a member of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians (NPM), Rick serves on the Standing Committee for Ensemble Musicians, is a member of the Director of Music Ministries Division (DMMD), and was an Executive Committee member for the Altoona-Johnstown Chapter.  He was also Chapter Director in the NPM Chapter in the Atlanta, Georgia Archdiocese.

Rick is a composer and arranger, having worked on television and video productions in Houston, Texas. He also spent several years traveling with rock bands. In recent years, he has worked with and accompanied such composers as Grayson Warren Brown and Leon C. Roberts.  He has recorded several albums, including “Hymns and other songs”, a collection of improvisations on well-known hymn tunes. A recent project was composing music for and recording “The Fireman’s Prayer”, as a tribute to all fallen firefighters.  "Relaxxx" is for kicking back, and he also has two Christmas albums to his credit.

When not making music, Rick has worked for 30 years as a firefighter (volunteer and paid). He and his wife, Karyn Posella, have two dachshunds, Francis and Clare.