{{Short description|American singer-songwriter}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2014}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Conrad Reeder | image = ConGoldMic.jpg | caption = Reeder in 1988 | image_size = | birth_name = Connie S. Reeder | alias = Fugitive Blonde | birth_date = 1954 | birth_place = Columbus, Ohio, US | spouse = Roger Nichols | genre = Rock, folk, pop, others | occupation = Recording artist, singer, songwriter, playwright, professor | years_active = 1974–present | past_member_of = Big Blonde, Fugitive Blonde, John Denver's band }}

'''Conrad Reeder''' (born 1954),<ref name="bio"/> also known as '''Connie Reeder Nichols''', is an American singer, songwriter, writer and college professor.

==Early life, family and education== {{expand-section| date= May 2026}} Reeder was born in Columbus, Ohio, US.<ref name="bio">{{Cite web| url= https://conradreeder.com/bio/|title=Bio|website= conradreeder.com| date=October 12, 2018 | publisher= Conrad Reeder |access-date=October 8, 2021}}</ref>

Reeder graduated in 2008 from the University of New Orleans with a Master of Fine Arts degree<ref name= lowres>{{Cite web| url= http://lowres.uno.edu/alumni.cfm|title=The Low Residency MFA in Creative Writing Alumni Page |website= lowres.uno.edu |publisher= University of New Orleans |access-date=January 31, 2012}}</ref> in Creative Writing/Playwrighting. Her thesis, ''Jack is <s>Dead</s>'', was inspired by her friend and fellow musician John Denver's death by plane crash.{{cn|date= May 2026}} Reeder was a doctoral candidate at Pacifica Graduate Institute in Santa Barbara, California.{{cn|date= May 2026}}

==Career== ===Music=== thumb|right|With husband Roger Nichols in the studio in 1988 [[Image:Conrad Reeder & Paul Rothchild.jpg|thumb|right|With Paul A. Rothchild in 1994]] [[Image:Cimcie, Connie & Ashlee Nichols Grammys 2012.jpg|thumb|right|Reeder with daughters Cimcie and Ashlee Nichols at the 54th Grammy Awards in 2012 to accept her husband's Special Merit/Technical Grammy Award.]] Reeder sang for fifteen years with John Denver in live concerts, on television and recordings including ''Dreamland Express'' and ''It's About Time''. She sang live duets with Denver as well as performing as a background singer. She co-wrote the Denver song "Thanks to You."<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/18420449|title= Thanks to You Lyrics |website=Lyrics.com|access-date=September 24, 2021}}</ref> She remained in contact with Denver's mother after he died in a plane crash.<ref>{{Cite web| url= http://www.aurorasentinel.com/news/article_f7865bd5-1825-52e1-957e-2e629f392761.html|title=Services set for Erma Deutschendorf, 87, mother of John Denver| website= aurorasentinel.com|access-date=January 31, 2012}}</ref>

Reeder is credited as a writer or co-writer on all tracks of her husband's release, ''The Roger Nichols Project''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/harmonic-ocean-r205516|title=The Roger Nichols Project|website=AllMusic|access-date=January 31, 2012}}</ref> She was signed to Motown's Morocco Records in the early 1980s, but the label folded before her first album was released. Reeder led her own band Fugitive Blonde in Nashville, Tennessee during the 1980s and 1990s; an earlier Los Angeles version was Big Blonde.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=digital-music&field-keywords=wildlife+Fugitive+Blonde&rh=n:163856011,k:wildlife+Fugitive+Blonde&ajr=0|title= wildlife Fugitive Blonde| website=Amazon.com|access-date=October 8, 2021}}</ref>

=== Writing === Reeder was a featured columnist and article writer at ''EQ'' magazine<ref>{{Cite web| url= https://conradreeder.com/2010/02/06/tony_brown_eq_cover/|title=Nashville State of Mind: The Demo Queen takes on the King of the Nashville Music Scene straight from Music Row| website= conradreeder.com | publisher= Conrad Reeder |date=February 6, 2010 |access-date=September 24, 2021}}</ref> in the 1990s, writing as C. Reeder. The column, ''The Demo Queen'', often lampooned the trials involved in the process of recording demo tapes in quest of a record deal.<ref>{{Cite web| url= https://conradreeder.com/2000/09/23/madame-meets-midem/|title=Madam Meets Midem| website= conradreeder.com | publisher= Conrad Reeder |date=September 24, 2000 |access-date=September 24, 2021}}</ref> Her writing has sometimes taken a serious view of life and love,<ref>{{Cite web |url= http://www.conradreeder.com/cpage4.htm |title= Sunshine on My Shoulder | publisher= Conrad Reeder | website= conradreeder.com |archive-url= https://archive.today/20120729150750/http://www.conradreeder.com/cpage4.htm|archive-date=July 29, 2012| url-status= dead |access-date=January 31, 2012}}</ref> including in her book, ''Memory Clouds: Good Grief Bad Grief''.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.amazon.com/Memory-Clouds-Good-Grief-Bad-ebook/dp/B017YB4L34|title = Memory Clouds: Good Grief Bad Grief|via=Amazon.com|date = November 12, 2015| publisher= Gopita Press}}</ref> An e-book she wrote is ''On the Beach: Poems and Vignettes''.<ref>{{cite web| url= https://www.amazon.com/Beach-Poems-Vignettes-ebook/dp/B00DE8NVW4/ | title= On the Beach: Poems and Vignettes (Kindle edition) |website= Amazon.com| date= | access-date= 2026-05-31}}</ref>

Her plays include ''Graffiti'' and the co-written ''Venus The Love Show''. Her plays have been staged in Florida and California.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.conradreeder.com/?p=1084 |title=DG presents 'Graffiti' in North Hollywood &#124; Connie Reeder Nichols | publisher= Conrad Reeder | website= conradreeder.com | access-date=2013-11-10 |url-status=dead |archiveurl= https://archive.today/20131110080858/http://www.conradreeder.com/?p=1084 |archive-date=November 10, 2013}}</ref>

===Instructor=== She has taught as an adjunct professor at Palm Beach State College in Florida.<ref name= lowres /> She been a lecturing professor at the Maui campus of the University of Hawaii.

==Personal life== She was married to producer and recording engineer Roger Nichols for over 30 years until his death at age 66.<ref name= most>{{cite news| url= https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/jun/26/the-most-important-cassette-on-the-planet-how-steely-dan-fans-uncovered-their-holy-grail| work= The Guardian| title= ‘The most important cassette on the planet’: how Steely Dan fans uncovered their holy grail | first= Joe |last= Koning| date= 2023-06-25| access-date= 2026-05-31}}</ref> Their daughters are Cimcie and Ashlee Nichols.<ref name= most />

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == *[http://conradreeder.com/ Official website]; includes blog *[http://www.venustheloveshow.com/ Website for ''Venus The Love Show''], a musical by Conrad Reeder and Pam Wolfe *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=dBVkTdJ_80A Duet with John Denver] (1986) via YouTube *[http://www.grammy.com/videos/roger-nichols-family-accepts-grammy-special-merit-award Video of Reeder accepting a Special Merit Grammy Award on behalf of her husband Roger Nichols]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Reeder, Conrad}} Category:Living people Category:1954 births Category:Singers from Columbus, Ohio Category:Singer-songwriters from California Category:Pacifica Graduate Institute alumni

Category:Singer-songwriters from Ohio