BOMBER MEMORIAL

GREGORY ALAN "GREG"/"GREITEN"/"GREGRIO" REITEN ~ Class of 1969
January 19, 1950 – February 20, 2013



Unable to locate an online obit for Greg, so this is the 2/23/13 Sandstorm entry from Greg's friend, Jeff Curtis ('69):

I received word today of the passing of RHS alum Greg Reiten ('69) on February 20, 2013 due to lung cancer. He had been a long-term resident of the Bay area in California and was residing in Walnut Creek, CA at the time of his death.

The sixties in Richland (and everywhere in the country for that matter) was the decade in which a large part of our generation came of age and great change was occurring. The music scene was obviously a big part of all that. Greg was a major player in the Tri-Cities live music culture and a huge contributor to it. He organized and led bands such as The Esquires, The Parrots, Grandaff, Lenore and Flesh for years and years. He sang, played guitar and drums. His bands were always booked and working mainly through his efforts, and many fine local musicians honed their skills in bands Greg put together.

He worked his talented rear end off for his music, and his passion was a blessing to many, many of us who attended RTA dances at the old Community House, or CYO dances at Christ the King, or Battles of the Bands at the Richland Roller Rink, or RHS post-game mixers in the girls' gym, or homecomings, senior parties, etc. The first live band I ever saw was a performance by Greg's Esquires in the compound behind Chief Jo for our eighth-grade party. I couldn't imagine any activity so certain to ruin forever what little self-esteem existed in the soul of an insecure 14-year-old than getting up in front of the entire class and singing... loudly... through a PA system. Well, Greg and his band totally nailed it, blew everybody away performing tunes like "Gloria", "Midnight Hour" and "House of the Rising Sun" and changed my perspective of the power of performance forever.

Greg always had a band, and that band was always working because of him. Greg was also a talented artist and created posters, band graphics and silk-screened T-shirts. He even created custom band letterheads for booking and contract communications. Examples of his work exist in several of the RHS Columbian yearbooks from '66 – '69.

I will miss Greg quite a lot, but I will never forget him. He made an indelible impression on many, and I'm sure that for those of us who were part of the music scene in '60s Richland, he will be remembered as talented, innovative, dedicated and part of the extended family which we comprised.

RIP (Rock in Peace), Greg REITEN
January 19, 1950 – February 20, 2013

From: Bruce Tambling

I just found out my cousin, Greg, passed away from cancer today, 02/20/12, in Walnut Creek, CA. It happened very quickly.

Greg was a MAJOR musical influence in my life. I remember watching his bands rehearse when I was only about 8 years old. Totally entranced and enchanted, my parents had to drag me away! Greg performed and produced on many albums and even had his own radio show in Richland, WA. In the Bay Area, he was active with the Northern California Songwriters Association and collaborated with Robert Berry of SoundTek Studios on many projects. Greg played every instrument (guitars, drums, keyboards, etc.), sang lead and harmony, and could write original songs all day long with a never-ending flow of creative ideas.

A prolific artist in many mediums, he had a full pottery and ceramics studio and sold his pieces at top exhibits and art fairs in California. He could work magic at a Potter's Wheel and made it look so easy. This actually influenced our entire family and inspired my mother to set up a ceramics kiln in our back yard and my brother, Doug, to pursue a side career as ceramics artist. Mom went on to launch a family business, TamArt, to sell her ceramic creations. Doug continues to output an incredible amount of pottery and ceramics as he experiments with new glazing techniques year after year - often involving family adventures to the beach for Pit Firing Ceremonies! I doubt any of that would have happened without Greg's influence. To be honest, whenever we would hold a Tambling piece next to a Greg Reiten piece we would always ask, "How does Greg do it?!" Greg signed his work with "Greiten", and everything he created was imbued with his unique style and technical mastery.

When I was 12 years old, Greg taught me how to play acoustic guitar starting with Puff the Magic Dragon and Alice's Restaurant. I looked up to him as a mentor and role model.

Early in his career, Greg began working at Matson, one of the leading ocean transportation companies of the world. Since Greg was so meticulous and very organized, he advanced into a high-end management position. This career was a good fit as it provided the financial security many artists find elusive. The flexible work schedule and generous vacations granted him time and freedom for artistic and creative pursuits like writing music and remodeling his house. I will never forget Greg's house in the Oakland Hills. It was like an art exhibit where every square inch was filled with beauty, vibrant colors, fresh flowers and collections of his sculptures, paintings, tapestries, photography and ceramics. And, of course, there were musical instruments everywhere.

When Greg started getting into recording back in the 80's, he actually purchased MY entire analog 8 track recording studio (for thousands of dollars as I was upgrading to 16 tracks) and built a beautiful studio in his home in the Oakland hills. Here I was able to be the mentor for Greg! We spent some magical moments setting up his studio. I taught him the basics of audio engineering and even helped mix some songs. His home studio evolved into a commercial facility, and he recorded many professional bands and solo artists in the East Bay. He was always more of a producer than recording engineer and would often end up playing on client's tracks.

Greg loved Las Vegas and knew it like the back of his hand. He even published a monthly newsletter on travel tips for Vegas. A few years ago, I went to Vegas to see The Beatles Love show with Cirque du Soleil. Greg set everything up for us including where to stay, recommended AMAZING seats, and told us all the cool, must-see places. Previously, my only experience in Vegas was at trade shows so I never had time to venture off from the Convention Center. But Greg turned me on to the larger-than-life magnificence of Vegas! It was a spectacular experience in my life that I will never forget. The state-of-the-art music technology of Cirque du Soleil and Celine Dion were beyond anything I have ever seen. Amazing, transformative, over the top, inspiring learning experience.

We are reminded that life is indeed short and every moment very precious. I don't profess to understand the mysteries of the universe or what happens after physical death. But the essence of all that Greg is remains a very strong gift in my life, and I can feel his profound influence engulf and interpenetrate the very fibers of my entire being. Thanks Greg. Rock on!

From: VegasChatter

The VegasChatter family is sad to pass along news of the loss of a vocal and respected member of not just our community, but several Vegas-centric sites. Known online as GREGRIO, Greg Reiten passed away recently after battling with cancer. Word of his death spread through Vegas message boards on Thursday.

Though he did not reside here, Greg loved this town and was known as an authority on Vegas shows. He knew our theaters even better, we'd hazard to guess, than most of the performers who graced those stages and was always willing to share his thoughts on the shows themselves as well as advice on which seats were the best, down to specific sections and rows. As his name implied, VegasChatter also knew him to be a big fan and a regular guest of the Rio. He often shared his insider view of the off-Strip property here on our site.

We offer our heart-felt condolences to his loved ones. That sounds so meager and inadequate but know it's written with the utmost sincerity. And, to you our readers, we offer some of GREGRIO's wisdom on Vegas shows as well as the Rio down below. See all the comments he left on VegasChatter, here. Once you're done reading, we can't think of any more fitting tribute than to make plans to take in a Vegas show. Even better, make those reservations using GREGRIO's advice.

Bomber Memorial put together by Maren SMYTH ('63/'64) and edited by Shirley COLLINGS Haskins ('66).