Lula Reed

Lula Reed was an American R&B and blues singer from Mingo Junction, Ohio. Active from the early 1950s, she recorded for King Records and became known for her powerful voice and hits such as "I'll Drown in My Own Tears," later covered by Ray Charles. She frequently collaborated with saxophonist and bandleader Sonny Thompson, with whom she also recorded duets. Reed's style blended gospel-inflected vocals with jump blues and early R&B, and she released singles on Federal and Argo as well as King. Though her chart success was modest, her recordings remain prized by collectors and have been reissued on various compilations. She largely retired from performing by the late 1960s.