Delbert Reed

Delbert "Doc" Reed was born at Sidney, Texas, and grew up on a crop and livestock farm. He began learning to play the fiddle at the age of 12, after a challenge from his daddy (Jesse Reed) who had offered $100 to the one of his three sons who would become the best fiddle player. Delbert was also influenced by his uncle (Arnold Lloyd) who was a fine guitarist. Delbert graduated from Sidney High School.

For a while, Delbert took fiddle lessons from a neighborhood farmer, Luther Redwine, and soon began to teach himself, never taking lessons past these initial ones. A few months later, Delbert teamed up with Mac Pyburn, who played piano, and they formed a country western band, which was subsequently to be known as the Hillbilly Kids. The band performed until Delbert graduated from high school. Delbert was the band leader, and during those six years, there were altogether 13 boys that played as a member of the Hillbilly Kids., with Delbert and Mac being the only members that started and finished during that time.

The Hillbilly Kids was a popular group that played on several radio and television shows in Texas, as well as many civic events, school functions, political rallies, and square dances. They played the then current country songs and the traditional fiddle tunes. Delbert entered and won a few fiddling contests during that time. The Hillbilly Kids performed on shows that featured popular entertainers Bill Carlisle and the Carlisles, Tex Ritter, and Elvis Presley, among other lesser known artists. They won the state Hollywood Amateur Contest, and during the same year, won the state 4-H Share the Fun Contest at Texas A&M, and received an all-expense paid trip to the National 4-H Club Congress in Chicago to perform to the 4-H delegation on stage of the Conrad Hilton Hotel.

Delbert received a B.S. and M.Ed. from Texas Tech University in Agricultural Education, and a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University in Plant Pathology. He served three years (six months active duty) in the Texas National Guard and 3 years in the Army Reserve. While in college, Delbert sang and played the guitar. He entered a regional contest sponsored by Warner Brothers which required contestants to sing and record the song "Hanging Tree," which was done by Marty Robbins for the movie by that name. The winner would compete at a higher level, and the national winner would get a recording contract. Delbert won second place, behind Sonny Curtis, a former Buddy Holly Cricket and later a session guitarist and songwriter in Nashville, TN. One of the contest judges was Waylon Jennings.

Delbert was head of the Agriculture and Biology Departments at Clarendon College from 1962-1968, and then taught agriculture at Bryan high School from 1974 until he retired in 1997.

In 1974, Delbert met Jim Eller (banjo) while teaching Jim's son Jimmy, and they have played together ever since. Jimmy played guitar with Jim and Delbert, and in 1977, Gene Davee joined the threesome.

In the '80's, Gary Potter (mandolin and vocals) and Ken Knauer (stand-up bass) joined the group, which then evolved into "Brazos Country Grass," playing both country and bluegrass. Jimmy had since resigned from the band. In the 1990s Gene and Ken resigned and were replaced by Lynn McDaniel as the featured vocalist, Ben Crouch as guitarist and vocalist, and Reggie Jenkins on the stand up bass and vocals.

In addition to being a regular member of "Brazos Country Grass", Delbert does free lance fiddling with several country and western groups throughout the local area.

Delbert and his wife, Pat, have two daughters. Melissa is married to Gary Van Deventer and they have two daughters--Morgan and Shelby. Rebecca is married to Mark Bushkuhl and they have two sons--Reed and Cade. Delbert is hoping that some of them will have a desire to become musicians, especially fiddle players.

If you wish to email Delbert Reed, click here: Delbert Reed.