William Gordon Reid, known professionally as Billy Reid, was a notable English songwriter, bandleader, pianist, and accordionist, born on September 19, 1902, in Southampton, England. He passed away in the same city on December 12, 1974. Reid's career spanned from the 1920s until 1956, during which he became a prominent figure in the traditional pop genre.

Reid was a self-taught musician who initially worked as a riveter in the Southampton docks. He taught himself to play the piano and accordion and began performing in local clubs before turning professional. He formed the Ariste Dance Orchestra and played accordion in Noël Coward's show "Bitter Sweet." Reid's band was featured on the "Stars of Luxembourg" radio program, and he also led the London Piano-Accordion Band, which gained popularity in the 1930s.

In 1938, Reid discovered Welsh singer Dorothy Squires, with whom he formed a successful professional and personal partnership. He wrote numerous songs for Squires, including "The Gypsy," which became a major hit when recorded by The Ink Spots in 1946, making Reid the first British songwriter to top the US music charts. His other notable works include "Coming Home," "It's a Pity to Say Goodnight," and "Bridge of Sighs."

Reid's songs were recorded by several renowned artists, including Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Peggy Lee. Despite his success, Reid declared bankruptcy in 1956 and retired from the music industry. He spent his later years on the Isle of Wight with his second wife, singer Jane Gordon. Reid died of kidney disease in 1974, and his legacy was honored by Dorothy Squires with a tribute concert at the London Palladium shortly after his death. In 2002, a plaque was unveiled in his memory at the site of the Southampton Hippodrome.