The reasons why Terry Reid’s name isn’t mentioned among the pantheon of musical greats is a mystery bordering on a travesty. He was lauded by his peers but his music never quite made it beyond that coterie and into the public realm.

What a shame this is. His is a voice that could do the world some service. It’s a beautiful thing, raw and raspy one minute and achingly tender by turn.

It’s no surprise he was chased by both Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple to be their vocalist. But Reid was a maverick and a man hopelessly devoted to pursuing his own dream. That courage and conviction is a measure of his truth as an artist. He shunned the lure of stepping into someone else’s shoes and instead set out on his own singular path.

He had a lot to say and he went about saying it with unerring grace and passion. He wasn’t a man to blow his own trumpet so he never got the credit he deserved.

And which music lover among us doesn't get lifted when we hear something that we wished we'd known all along. All things being equal, Terry Reid's 1976 masterpiece Seed of Memory would have a place in all our hearts. It's a rare gem you can't afford to be without.

Produced by Graham Nash to mellow perfection, it’s no exaggeration to say it may also be his finest hour in the studio. He enlisted an array of West Coast luminaries such as David Lindley, Al Perkins and even Fred Wesley to conjure a sound that couches Reid’s voice in an atmosphere that confers on it an other worldliness that adds turbo power to armchair travelling.

Describing the songs would be futile. Everything is in its right place. That’s all you need to know. Don’t delay now. Dive on in. The water’s fine.