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For the vehicle, see REO Speed Wagon. The REO Speed Wagon was a motor truck manufactured by REO Motor Car Company.
REO Speedwagon

Background information
Origin Champaign, Illinois, USA
Genre(s) Rock, Hard rock
Years active 1967-present
Label(s) Epic, Priority/Rhythm Safari, Castle, Speedwagon Recordings
Members
Dave Amato
Kevin Cronin
Neal Doughty
Bruce Hall
Bryan Hitt
Former members

PRINCIPAL

Gary Richrath
Alan Gratzer
Gregg Philbin
Terry Luttrell
Mike Murphy

EARLY OR SHORT-TERM

Bill Fiorio (aka Duke Tumatoe)
Jesse Harms
Joe McCabe
Graham Lear
Miles Joseph
Steve Scorfina
Mike Blair
Joe Matt
Bob Crownover

REO Speedwagon is an American rock band which grew in popularity in the Midwestern United States during the 1970s and peaked in the early 1980s. Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums. Hard rock (also referred to as heavy rock) is a variation of Rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage and Psychedelic rock In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music Epic Records is an American Record label. It is owned and operated by Sony Music Entertainment. Kevin Cronin (born 6 October 1951, Evanston, Illinois) is the lead vocalist / Rhythm guitarist / occasional Pianist Neal Doughty (born 29 July 1946, Evansville, Indiana) is a Keyboard player and the sole remaining founding member of REO Bruce Hall (born 3 May 1953, Champaign, Illinois) is the current Bass guitarist for the Rock and roll band Bryan Keith Hitt (Born 5 January, 1954, Center Texas) is the current drummer for the rock band REO Speedwagon. Gary Richrath (born 18 October 1949, Peoria, Illinois) was a member of the band REO Speedwagon from 1971 until 1989 Bill Fiorio (born 1947) aka Duke Tumatoe, was one of the original members of the band REO Speedwagon. Jesse Harms is a session keyboard player and songwriter who was a member of Sammy Hagar 's backing band from 1984 ( VOA) to 1987 ( Joseph Martin McCabe ( November 12 1867 – January 10 1955) was an English Writer and speaker on Freethought Graham Lear is a Canadian drummer He was born in the United Kingdom on July 24, 1949. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the REO Speedwagon hits include "Keep On Loving You" and "Can't Fight This Feeling. " Keep On Loving You " is a Power ballad written by Kevin Cronin and performed by his band REO Speedwagon. " Can't Fight This Feeling " is a number-one song from REO Speedwagon about a man falling in love with a girl with whom he has been a friend for a long time " Both songs are power ballads that topped the U. The term " power ballad " is a Colloquialism used to describe a type of Song performed (but not necessarily written by a Hard rock or S. charts, the former being prototypical of the genre and appearing on the group's most commercially successful album, Hi Infidelity, which also included the hit "Take It on the Run," a song that peaked at number five on the U. Hi Infidelity is the ninth studio Album by REO Speedwagon, released in 1980 (see 1980 in music) S. charts.

Contents

History

Formation

REO Speedwagon took its name from the REO Speed Wagon, a flatbed truck, often outfitted as a firetruck, manufactured by the REO Motor Car Company. The REO Speed Wagon was a motor truck manufactured by REO Motor Car Company. A flatbed truck is a type of Truck which can be either articulated or rigid A fire apparatus, fire engine, fire truck, or fire appliance is a vehicle designed to assist in fighting Fires by transporting Firefighters This article is about The REO Motor Car Company for other uses see REO (disambiguation. ("R. E. O. " are initials of the company's founder, Ransom Eli Olds, who also founded Oldsmobile, once a division of General Motors. Ransom Eli Olds ( June 3, 1864 – August 26, 1950) was a pioneer of the American Automobile industry, for whom both the Oldsmobile Oldsmobile was a brand of Automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. General Motors Corporation ( GM) ( is a multinational automobile manufacturer founded in 1908 and headquartered in the United States. ) In 1971, GM gave the band rights to the name and logo.

REO Speedwagon was formed by students attending the University of Illinois in Champaign in the fall of 1967 to play cover songs in campus bars. This article is about the flagship campus For other uses and locations of University of Illinois, see University of Illinois (disambiguation The University of Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. In Popular music, a cover version, or simply cover, is a new rendition ( Performance or Recording) of a previously recorded commercially released The first line up consisted of Neal Doughty on keyboards, Alan Gratzer on drums and vocals, Joe Matt on guitar and vocals and Mike Blair on bass and vocals. Neal Doughty (born 29 July 1946, Evansville, Indiana) is a Keyboard player and the sole remaining founding member of REO Michael Robert Leighton Blair (born April 20 1981 in Edinburgh) is a Scottish Rugby union footballer In the beginning, Gratzer and Matt handled about 95 percent of the lead singing, with occasional turns by the others. Sometimes the members would switch around on their instruments (with Doughty even playing drums on one song, etc. ). In the spring of 1968, the group decided to recruit a permanent front man to handle most of the singing. Terry Luttrell was the one chosen to assume this position. Terry Luttrell (Born 1947 was the original lead vocalist for the band REO Speedwagon. Around the same time, Bob Crownover and Gregg Philbin were brought in to replace the graduating Joe Matt and Mike Blair. Crownover played guitar for the group until the summer of 1969 when Bill Fiorio (ex- Lothar and the Hand People ) replaced him. Lothar and the Hand People was a late 1960s Psychedelic rock band known for their spacey music and pioneering use of the Theremin and Moog modular Fiorio then departed in late 1969, eventually assumed the name Duke Tumatoe, and went on to form the All Star Frogs. Bill Fiorio (born 1947) aka Duke Tumatoe, was one of the original members of the band REO Speedwagon. Another guitarist, Steve Scorfina, came aboard, only to be replaced by Gary Richrath by late 1970. Gary Richrath (born 18 October 1949, Peoria, Illinois) was a member of the band REO Speedwagon from 1971 until 1989 Richrath was a Peoria, Illinois-based guitar player and prolific songwriter who brought original material to the band. Peoria Illinois (named after the Peoria tribe is the largest city on the Illinois River and the County seat of Peoria County, Illinois The guitar is a Musical instrument with ancient roots that is used in a wide variety of musical styles A songwriter is someone who writes the Lyrics to songs the Musical composition (chords or Melody to songs or both With Richrath on board, the regional popularity of the band grew tremendously. During these early years, there were also several others (including horn players, etc. ) who quickly came and went. But by early 1971, the band's lineup was stable at last. The Midwestern United States used to be an REO Speedwagon fan stronghold, and has its roots in this period of the band's history.

The band signed to Epic Records in 1971. Epic Records is an American Record label. It is owned and operated by Sony Music Entertainment. Paul Leka, an East Coast record producer, brought the band to his recording studio in Bridgeport, Connecticut where it recorded original material for its first album. Paul Leka is an American Songwriter, arranger and orchestrator The East Coast of the United States, also known as the "Eastern Seaboard" or "Atlantic Seaboard" refers to the easternmost coastal states in the central and northern A recording studio is a facility for sound recording. Ideally the space is specially designed by an acoustician to achieve the desired acoustic properties (sound Connecticut ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The lineup on the first album consisted of Doughty, Gratzer, Philbin, Luttrell, and Richrath.

Early years

The band's debut album, REO Speedwagon, was released on Epic Records in 1971. REO Speedwagon was the debut album by American rock band REO Speedwagon. Epic Records is an American Record label. It is owned and operated by Sony Music Entertainment. One of the most popular tracks on this record was "157 Riverside Avenue. " The title refers to the Westport, Connecticut address where the band stayed while recording in Leka's studio in nearby Bridgeport, and remains an in-concert favorite. Westport is a coastal town located on Long Island Sound in Fairfield County, Connecticut, 47 miles north of New York City in the United

Although the rest of the band's line-up remained stable, REO Speedwagon switched lead vocalists three times for their first three albums. Luttrell left the band in early 1972, eventually becoming the vocalist for Starcastle. Starcastle is a Progressive rock band from St Louis Missouri, and Champaign-Urbana Illinois. He was replaced by Kevin Cronin. Kevin Cronin (born 6 October 1951, Evanston, Illinois) is the lead vocalist / Rhythm guitarist / occasional Pianist Cronin recorded one album with the band, 1972's R.E.O./T.W.O., but left the band during the recording sessions for 1973's Ridin' The Storm Out because of missed rehearsals and creative disagreements. REO/TWO is the second LP released by the Illinois based rock band REO Speedwagon. Ridin' the Storm Out is the third album by REO Speedwagon, released in 1973 Ridin' the Storm Out was completed with Mike Murphy on the microphone. REO Speedwagon is an American rock band which grew in popularity in the Midwestern United States during the 1970s and peaked in the early Murphy stayed on for two more albums, Lost in a Dream and This Time We Mean It, before Cronin returned to the fold in January 1976 and recorded R.E.O., which was released that same year. Lost in a Dream is the fourth album by REO Speedwagon, released in 1974 This Time We Mean It is the fifth album by REO Speedwagon, released in 1975 REO is the sixth album by REO Speedwagon, released in 1976 It marked the return of Kevin Cronin to the band after a four year absence

REO Speedwagon's first live album, Live: You Get What You Play For (1977), was certified platinum. Live You Get What You Play For is a Live album by rock band REO Speedwagon, which was released as a double - LP in In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of Albums and singles sold through retail and The band was dissatisfied with the producers on their studio albums because of their alleged inability to capture on tape the quality of the band's live show. The live album, which was self-produced, seemed to change that. Subsequent albums were recorded with band members participating as producers.

In 1977, Philbin was replaced with Bruce Hall to record You Can Tune a Piano but You Can't Tuna Fish , released in 1978. Bruce Hall (born 3 May 1953, Champaign, Illinois) is the current Bass guitarist for the Rock and roll band You Can Tune a Piano but You Can't Tuna Fish, REO Speedwagon 's seventh studio album was the first to be produced entirely by lead singer Kevin Cronin and This album contained "Roll with the Changes" and "Time for Me to Fly", both of which received heavy FM radio airplay but fell short of the Top 40 . The Top Forty or Top 40 is a music industry shorthand for the currently most-popular songs in a particular genre. In 1979, the band took a turn back to hard rock with the release of Nine Lives. Nine Lives was the ninth album by REO Speedwagon and featured nine songs (hence the title Nine Lives)

Mainstream success

The lineup was now set for the band's most popular era. In the fall of 1980, REO Speedwagon released Hi Infidelity, which represented a change in the music from hard rock to more pop-oriented material. Hi Infidelity is the ninth studio Album by REO Speedwagon, released in 1980 (see 1980 in music) Hard rock (also referred to as heavy rock) is a variation of Rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage and Psychedelic rock Pop music as a genre features a noticeable rhythmic element catchy melodies and hooks, a mainstream style and conventional structure Hi Infidelity spawned four hit singles, including the #1 "Keep On Loving You", the #5 "Take It on the Run", "Don't Let Him Go" (#24) and "In Your Letter" (which peaked at #20), and remained on the charts for 65 weeks, 32 of which were spent in the top ten, including three months at number one. " Keep On Loving You " is a Power ballad written by Kevin Cronin and performed by his band REO Speedwagon.

Good Trouble (1982) and Wheels Are Turnin' (1984) were follow-up albums which also did well commercially, the former containing the hit singles "Keep the Fire Burnin'" (U. Good Trouble is the tenth studio album by REO Speedwagon, released in 1982 as a follow up to Hi Infidelity. Wheels Are Turnin is the eleventh studio Album by REO Speedwagon, released in 1984 (see 1984 in music) S. #7) and "Sweet Time" (U. S. #26) and the latter containing the #1 hit single "Can't Fight This Feeling", as well as three more hits: "I Do' Wanna Know", "One Lonely Night" and "Live Every Moment". " Can't Fight This Feeling " is a number-one song from REO Speedwagon about a man falling in love with a girl with whom he has been a friend for a long time In addition, the band performed at 1985's Live Aid, (where they performed "Can't Fight This Feeling"). Live Aid was a multi-venue rock music concert held on. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia

1987's Life as We Know It saw a decline in sales, but still managed to provide the band with the minor hits, "That Ain't Love," and "In My Dreams".

Hard times

However, by the end of the 1980s, the band's popularity had waned and the group began to disintegrate. In 1988, their future was uncertain as Gratzer retired from the group at the end of that summer to open a restaurant. Former Santana drummer Graham Lear then joined. Graham Lear is a Canadian drummer He was born in the United Kingdom on July 24, 1949. Lear had been playing with The Strolling Dudes, a side project put together for fun by Cronin and Hall. Around this same time, Cronin and some of the other band members had been getting into healthier lifestyles, adopting better diets, better nutrition, etc. Richrath, however, chose not to follow this course. He had also developed writer's block. After further disagreements between him and the others regarding the band's musical direction, he was asked to leave. Richrath departed in early 1989 after a tour of Hawaii. Strolling Dudes guitarist Miles Joseph was then brought in as a temporary replacement and back up singers Carla Day and Melanie Jackson (who were also Strolling Dudes members) were added to boost the group's vocal sound onstage. Miles Joseph (born May 2, 1974 in West Springfield Massachusetts) is a former U This lineup did only one show--in Viña del Mar, Chile--ironically winning the award for best group at the city's annual International Song Festival. Viña del Mar ( Spanish: "Vineyard of the Sea" also known locally as La Ciudad Jardín (Spanish "The Garden City" is a Chilean After that, Miles Joseph and the back up singers were dropped in favor of former Ted Nugent guitarist Dave Amato and songwriter/producer/keyboardist Jesse Harms ( Eddie Money, Sammy Hagar ). Theodore "Ted" Nugent (born December 13, 1948) (aka Jesse Harms is a session keyboard player and songwriter who was a member of Sammy Hagar 's backing band from 1984 ( VOA) to 1987 ( Eddie Money (born Edward Joseph Mahoney, March 21 1949) is an American rock Singer-songwriter who found success in Samuel Roy "Sammy" Hagar (born October 13 1947) known as "The Red Rocker" is an American rock guitarist singer


The 1990 release The Earth, a Small Man, His Dog and a Chicken, with Bryan Hitt (formerly of Wang Chung) replacing Graham Lear on drums and Amato debuting on lead guitar, was a commercial disappointment. The Earth a Small Man His Dog and a Chicken is the thirteenth studio Album by REO Speedwagon, and was released in 1990. Bryan Keith Hitt (Born 5 January, 1954, Center Texas) is the current drummer for the rock band REO Speedwagon. Harms was disillusioned and his tenure in the group was short. He was gone by early 1991. These lineup changes were a stinging blow to many fans, especially those of the band's harder-edged material from the 1970s which had been dominated by Richrath's unique style on the guitar. It was the last REO album to chart, reaching #129 on Billboard's Top 200.

Shortly after his departure, Richrath assembled former members of the midwestern band, Vancouver, to form a namesake band, Richrath. After touring for several years, the Richrath band released Only the Strong Survive in 1992 on the GNP Crescendo label. Richrath continued to perform for several years before disbanding in the late 1990s.

In the meantime, REO Speedwagon, unable to interest Epic in new music, released Building the Bridge (1996) on the Priority/Rhythm Safari label. Building the Bridge is a 1996 album by REO Speedwagon. The album which features mostly Adult Contemporary -flavored ballads it received mixed When that label went bankrupt, the album was released on the ill-fated Castle Records which also experienced financial troubles. Bankruptcy is a legally declared inability or impairment of ability of an individual or organization to pay their Creditors Creditors may file a bankruptcy petition against Sanctuary Records is a Record label based in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. REO Speedwagon ultimately self-financed this effort, which failed to chart. Epic still distributes the band's original CDs, and owns the rights to compilation projects.

Revival of the hits

From 1995 to the present, the label released over a dozen compilation albums featuring greatest hits, including 1999's The Ballads, which contained two new tracks. In 2000, REO teamed up with Styx for a joint tour. One of the shows on this tour, an appearance at Riverport Amphitheater in St. Louis, appeared later that year as the live concert video Arch Allies: Live at Riverport. The Verizon Wireless Amphitheater St Louis (most commonly known as simply the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater and previously known as the Riverport Amphitheatre and the Arch Allies is a live album recorded by REO Speedwagon and Styx at Riverport Amphitheatre (now Verizon Wireless Amphitheater) in Maryland The REO portion of the show was later released as three different packages: The DVDs Live - Plus (2001) and Live Plus 3 (2001), and the CD Extended Versions (2001).

Current

REO once again teamed with Styx in 2003 for the Classic Rock's Main Event tour which also included Journey. The band released a self-financed album entitled Find Your Own Way Home in April of 2007. Find Your Own Way Home is the fifteenth studio album by REO Speedwagon. Though it did not chart as an album, it produced two singles which appeared on Billboard's Adult Contemporary radio chart (their highest-charting singles in 19 years). See Billboard (Turkish magazine Billboard is a weekly American Magazine devoted to the Music industry Adult contemporary music, frequently abbreviated AC, refers to styles of popular music that ranges from "lush Sixties pop often vocal -based and rooted in

REO still tours on a regular basis, with the schedule posted at the REO Speedwagon Website.

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Compilation albums

Charted singles

Year Song US Hot 100 US MSR US A.C. UK singles Album
1977 "Ridin' the Storm Out" 94 - - - You Get What You Play For
1978 "Roll with the Changes" 58 - - - You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish
1978 "Time for Me to Fly"1 56 - - - You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish
1980 "Keep On Loving You" 1 9 - 7 Hi Infidelity
1981 "Take It on the Run" 5 6 - 19 Hi Infidelity
1981 "Don't Let Him Go" 24 11 - - Hi Infidelity
1981 "In Your Letter" 20 - 26 - Hi Infidelity
1981 "Tough Guys" - 25 - - Hi Infidelity
1981 "Out of Season" - 59 - - Hi Infidelity
1982 "Keep the Fire Burnin'" 7 2 - - Good Trouble
1982 "Sweet Time" 26 - - - Good Trouble
1982 "The Key" - 34 - - Good Trouble
1982 "Stillness of the Night" - 19 - - Good Trouble
1982 "Good Trouble" - 51 - - Good Trouble
1984 "I Do' Wanna Know" 29 5 - - Wheels Are Turnin'
1985 "Can't Fight This Feeling" 1 - 3 16 Wheels Are Turnin'
1985 "One Lonely Night" 19 17 10 - Wheels Are Turnin'
1985 "Live Every Moment" 34 - - - Wheels Are Turnin'
1987 "That Ain't Love" 16 5 - - Life as We Know It
1987 "Variety Tonight" 60 28 - - Life as We Know It
1987 "In My Dreams" 19 - 6 - Life as We Know It
1988 "Here with Me" 20 - 9 - The Hits
1990 "Live It Up" - 6 - - The Earth, a Small Man, His Dog and a Chicken
1990 "Love Is a Rock" 65 31 - - The Earth, a Small Man, His Dog and a Chicken
2007 "I Needed to Fall" - - 25 - Find Your Own Way Home
2008 "Find Your Own Way Home" - - 23 - Find Your Own Way Home

In addition to the above, REO Speedwagon has several songs that never charted as singles but occasionally obtain airplay on classic rock stations. REO Speedwagon was the debut album by American rock band REO Speedwagon. REO/TWO is the second LP released by the Illinois based rock band REO Speedwagon. Ridin' the Storm Out is the third album by REO Speedwagon, released in 1973 Lost in a Dream is the fourth album by REO Speedwagon, released in 1974 This Time We Mean It is the fifth album by REO Speedwagon, released in 1975 REO is the sixth album by REO Speedwagon, released in 1976 It marked the return of Kevin Cronin to the band after a four year absence You Can Tune a Piano but You Can't Tuna Fish, REO Speedwagon 's seventh studio album was the first to be produced entirely by lead singer Kevin Cronin and Nine Lives was the ninth album by REO Speedwagon and featured nine songs (hence the title Nine Lives) Hi Infidelity is the ninth studio Album by REO Speedwagon, released in 1980 (see 1980 in music) Good Trouble is the tenth studio album by REO Speedwagon, released in 1982 as a follow up to Hi Infidelity. Wheels Are Turnin is the eleventh studio Album by REO Speedwagon, released in 1984 (see 1984 in music) REO Speedwagon is an American rock band which grew in popularity in the Midwestern United States during the 1970s and peaked in the early The Earth a Small Man His Dog and a Chicken is the thirteenth studio Album by REO Speedwagon, and was released in 1990. Building the Bridge is a 1996 album by REO Speedwagon. The album which features mostly Adult Contemporary -flavored ballads it received mixed Find Your Own Way Home is the fifteenth studio album by REO Speedwagon. Live You Get What You Play For is a Live album by rock band REO Speedwagon, which was released as a double - LP in Arch Allies is a live album recorded by REO Speedwagon and Styx at Riverport Amphitheatre (now Verizon Wireless Amphitheater) in Maryland Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks (originally called Mainstream Rock Tracks) is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on Mainstream rock The Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart (formerly known as Adult Contemporary Singles, Easy Listening, and only Adult Contemporary) lists the most popular The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company (OCC on behalf of the British record industry " Keep On Loving You " is a Power ballad written by Kevin Cronin and performed by his band REO Speedwagon. " Can't Fight This Feeling " is a number-one song from REO Speedwagon about a man falling in love with a girl with whom he has been a friend for a long time Those include "Keep Pushin'", "157 Riverside Avenue", "Back on the Road Again", "Golden Country", "Like You Do", and "Only the Strong Survive".

Videography

Concerts

Appearances

REO Speedwagon recorded a song for The Goonies soundtrack, Wherever You're Going (It's Alright), which appeared in the 1985 movie. "Goonies" redirects here For other uses see Goonies (disambiguation.

Kevin Cronin was a celebrity contestant on Don't Forget the Lyrics! on March 27, 2008. Don't Forget the Lyrics! (or Lyrics) is a singing game show that premiered on FOX on July 11, 2007, hosted by Events 196 BC - Ptolemy V ascends to the throne of Egypt. 1309 - Pope Clement V excommunicates 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common He raised $350,000. 00 for MusiCares. The MusiCares Foundation, Inc was established in 1989 by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

The 1985 hit "Can't Fight This Feeling" was featured in the 2008 animated film, "Horton Hears A Who", sung by the characters.

"Can't Fight This Feeling" and "Back On the Road Again" are featured in two separate Season 2 episodes of the television show Supernatural. Supernatural is an American horror television series regarding the Paranormal.

REO Speedwagon played a live concert on the CBS Early Show on May 2, 2008. The Early Show is an American Television morning news Talk show broadcast by CBS from New York City, 7 to 9 a Events 1194 - King Richard I of England gives Portsmouth its first Royal Charter. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common

See also

References

External links

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