R.E.O. SpeedWagon

"REO Speedwagon is an American rock band from Champaign, Illinois, United States. Formed in 1967, the band grew in popularity during the 1970s and peaked in the early 1980s. Some of their more well-known songs are "Ridin' the Storm Out" and "Roll with the Changes", as well as 1980s power ballads "Keep On Loving You" and "Can't Fight This Feeling". Their 1980 album Hi Infidelity is the group's most commercially successful album, selling over ten million copies and charting four Top 40 hits in the US. Over the course of its career, the band has sold more than forty million records and has charted thirteen Top 40 hits. REO Speedwagon's popularity has declined over the years but the band still tours regularly, and remains popular on the fair and casino circuits and teams up with other acts to play larger venues.^[1][2] In summer 2010, the band- then touring with Pat Benatar- announced that it will release a 30th anniversary deluxe edition reissue Hi Infidelity."


HISTORY

"REO Speedwagon took its name from the REO Speed Wagon, a flatbed truck and fire engine, manufactured by the REO Motor Car Company. ("R.E.O." are initials of the company's founder, Ransom Eli Olds, who also founded Oldsmobile, once a division of General Motors.)

REO Speedwagon was formed by students attending the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois, in the fall of 1967 to play cover songsin campus bars. The first line up consisted of Alan Gratzer on drums and vocals, Neal Doughty on keyboards, Joe Matt on guitar and vocals, and Mike Blair on bass and vocals. In the spring of 1968, Terry Luttrell became lead singer, and Bob Crownover and Gregg Philbin replaced Matt and Blair. Joe McCabe played sax at this time until moving to Southern Illinois University. Crownover played guitar for the group until the summer of 1969 when Bill Fiorio replaced him. Fiorio then departed in late 1969, eventually assuming the name Duke Tumatoe, and went on to form the All Star Frogs. Another guitarist, Steve Scorfina, came aboard briefly, and was replaced by Gary Richrath in late 1970.

Richrath was a Peoria, Illinois-based guitar player and prolific songwriter who brought original material to the band including REO's signature song "Ridin' the Storm Out". With Richrath on board, the regional popularity of the band grew tremendously. The Midwestern United States was the original REO Speedwagon fan stronghold and is pivotal in this period of the band's history.

The band signed to Epic Records in 1971. Paul Leka, an East Coast record producer, brought the band to his recording studio inBridgeport, Connecticut where it recorded original material for its first album. The lineup on the first album consisted of Richrath, Gratzer, Doughty, Philbin, and Luttrell."

DISCOGRAPHY:

• REO Speedwagon (1971)
• R.E.O./T.W.O. (1972)
• Ridin' the Storm Out (1973)
• Lost in a Dream (1974)
• This Time We Mean It (1975)
• R.E.O. (1976)
• You Get What You Play For (1977)
• You Can Tune a Piano but You Can't Tuna Fish (1978)
• Nine Lives (1979)
• Hi Infidelity (1980)
• Good Trouble (1982)
• Wheels Are Turnin' (1984)
• Life as We Know It (1987)
• The Earth, a Small Man, His Dog and a Chicken (1990)
• Building the Bridge (1996)
• Find Your Own Way Home (2007)^[5]

CURRENT MEMBERS:

• Neal Doughty (Keyboards, Organ, Piano, Synthesizers) (1967-present)
• Kevin Cronin (Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Piano) (1972-1973, 1976-present)
• Bruce Hall (Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals) (1977-present)
• Dave Amato (Lead Guitar, Banjo, Dobro, Backing Vocals, 12 String Guitar) (1989-present)
• Bryan Hitt (Drums, Percussions) (1990-present)

Taken From: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.