Antonio "L.A." Reid (born June 7, 1956 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is a three-time Grammy Award-winning American^{[citation needed]} record executive, songwriter, and record producer, best known as the co-founder of LaFace Records. He is responsible for signing and helping bring Mariah Carey, Avril Lavigne,Toni Braxton, TLC, Usher, Ciara, OutKast, Dido, Kerli and Pink to multi-platinum album sales.^[1]

He is the Chairman and CEO of Island Def Jam Music Group and President and CEO of Hitco Music Publishing, based in Atlanta.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Career 3 Personal 4 External links 5 References

[edit] Biography

Reid is one of four children of Emma Reid, a seamstress and interior decorator. His father was mostly absent. He was raised in Mount Auburn and Madisonville neighborhoods in Cincinnati, Ohio's east side.^[2]

His first drum lessons were with his uncle, Albert Baldwin.

At Hughes Center High School (Cincinnati, Ohio), Reid was a star drummer who cut his teeth playing with bands in "Merry-Go-Round," an annual talent show held in the school auditorium. He also played in the marching band. Reid's former music teacher Terry Brown (now deceased) taught him how to be a professional.^[2] Reid didn't graduate from Hughes in 1974 as he should have. There are no photos of him in the 1974 yearbook because, says Reid,

“I dropped out. I was enrolled, but I did not participate. I went through the 12th grade, and didn’t have enough credits to graduate. I decided to pursue my music career. One thing led to another, and as I started to have success, I took the necessary steps to get a diploma.”^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Career

Reid's first appearance on record was with Cincinnati funk rock outfit Pure Essence who released one solitary 45 in the middle 1970s as well as garnering an appearance on local FM rock radio station WEBN's second annual LP compilation, this time as Essence.

Reid and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, both members of the 1980s R&B band The Deele, founded LaFace in 1989, and issued their product through Arista Records. In 2000, LaFace was merged into Arista Records with Reid being promoted to president and CEO of Arista Records. He took a six week executive course at Harvard Business School ^[2][3] in order to become CEO of Arista in 2000 when Clive Davis was passed over. Reid signed his first unknown artist to Arista, pop/rocker Avril Lavigne. Following his stint at Arista, he was appointed as Chairman of The Island Def Jam Music Group in 2004. He is also currently Chairman/CEO of Hitco Music Publishing.

[edit] Personal

Reid flies home to Blue Ash, Ohio every year to take his mother Emma to dinner ^[2].

Reid has a son Antonio, Jr. (born 1978).
Reid was married to singer and TLC manager Perri "Pebbles" Reid from 1989-1996. They have a son named Aaron Reid (born 1989). Aaron was featured in an episode of MTV's My Super Sweet 16. Reid also helped raise Perri's daughter Ashley V. Smith (born 1983 from a relationship with her former producer George L. Smith) and she now goes by the name Ashley V. Reid ^[4].

Reid has a son, Chase Anthony Reid (1999)^{[citation needed]}, with Philadelphia ad executive Victoria Robinson ^[5]. Chase resides in New Jersey with his mother.

Reid later married former schoolteacher Erica Holton in a lavish three day ceremony in Capri, Italy in July 2000. Their daughter Ariana Manuelle was born in April 2001 ^[6]. Their son Addison Kennedy was born in August 2003^[7]. They reside in New York City.

[edit] External links

• Antonio "L.A." Reid - Making of an Industry Mogul

[edit] References

1. ^ http://www.islanddefjam.com/about.aspx
2. ^ ^{a b c d} "Antonio “L.A.” Reid - Hoodgrown Magazine". http://www.hoodgrownonline.com/online/?p=176. 
3. ^ http://articles.latimes.com/2000/may/03/business/fi-25917 BMG Chief Strauss Zelnick Sens Reid back to school
4. ^ L.A. Reid's Daughter Opens An Art Exhibit AllThatsFab.com
5. ^ http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/reid%20in%20court%20wrangle%20over%20son%20allowance LA Reid's 2d son Chase
6. ^ http://www.classicwhitney.com/newsfile/reports/arista/la_nymag22012001.htm
7. ^ http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_6_104/ai_106389013 Reid & wife have son