As a child her family moved to Port Clinton, Ohio,[2] where she sang in her local church choir.
Reed was mentored by blind gospel singer Professor Harold Boggs, before winning an audition over 50 other contestants in Toledo to become the vocalist with Sonny Thompson's band.
The song reached no.5 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1952, and was recorded by Ray Charles in 1956 as "Drown in My Own Tears", with wider commercial success.
[7] She remained popular, being voted no.4 R&B singer in the Cash Box annual poll in 1954, and continued to record for the King label until 1956.
[8] In Episode 4, Season 1 of Totems (2021), French CIA agent Virgil'e (José Garcia) listens to Reed in his apartment.