Blind Alfred Reed, born on June 15, 1880 in Floyd County, Virginia, was a country, folk, and old-time singer-songwriter and musician. He began performing at local events from an early age. His breakthrough came when Ralph Peer invited him to record four songs including "The Wreck of the Virginian" (1927) and "Walking in the Way with Jesus" (1927) during the Bristol Sessions. Reed continued recording until 1929, releasing notable tracks like "How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live?" (1930) and "Money Cravin' Folks" (1930). He stopped recording after 1929 but continued performing locally until 1937. He passed away on January 17, 1956. Posthumously, Reed was inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame in 2007 and had his song "How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live" added to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2020.
