MEMORABLE MONDAYS: REO Speedwagon

 Welcome back to Memorable Mondays! Our bonanza gave us a short vacation but now we are back, with a band some may have forgotten. If you just can't fight this feeling anymore, then this may be just what you're looking to read. Still performing, REO Speedwagon made a successful run in the music world particularly with album Hi Infidelity, starting the 80s off right.

The band actually got its beginning in 1966. Neal Doughty just began an electrical engineering program at the University of Illinois. There he met fellow stuent Alan Gratzer. They had an impromptu jam session in the basement of the Illinois Street Residence Hall dormitory. Gratzer continued playing with his own band, but Doughty began appearing at gigs, and eventually sat in on a few songs. On the last day of the spring semester, Joe Matt the guitarist told the others that Gratzer and bassist Mike Blair decided to start a new band where everyone but Doughty would sing. 

This new band made a list of songs to learn over the summer break. With his first summer job, Doughty bought an organ. He taught himself to play the Doors Light My Fire. In 1967, the band had their first rehearsal before school started. They decided on the band name REO Speedwagon, named after the car. Their first gig was a fraternity party that turned into a food fight. They continued to perform cover songs in campus bars, fraternity parties, and university events. 

In 1968, Terry Luttrell became the lead singer and Bob Crownover joined as guitarist, replacing Matt when he graduated. Mike Blair left mid-year and was replaced with Gregg Philbin. Joe McCabe played saxophone until he moved on to Southern Illinois University. Marty Shepherd joined on trumpet soon after. Horns were dropped from the group all together in 1969, after Marty left. Crownover played until Bill Fiorio replaced him. He departed in 1969, assuming a new name of Duke Tumatoe. He went on to form the All Star Frogs. Steve Scorfina, who would go on to form Pavlov's Dog, came aboard and composed with the band for a year before being replaced by Gary Richrath. Richrath had driven 100 miles to see the band and become part of it. He refused rejection, and his addition led to more regional popularity. Epic Records signed the band in 1971, at the time the lineup consisted of Richrath, Gratzer, Doughty, Philbin, and Luttrell. 

In the early days, classmate Irving Azoff managed the band. He later managed the Eagles and many others, becoming one of the most powerful people in the recording industry. Using a friend's station wagon to haul equipment to gigs, they continued to play bars and clubs all over the midwest. Their debut album released 1971, with their first popular track being "157 Riverside Avenue". 

While the lineup remained mostly stable, they switched the lead vocalist 3 times for their first three albums. Luttrell left in 1972, and later became the lead singer for Starcastle. He was replaced by Kevin Cronin. Cronin recorded R.E.O/T.W.O with the band, but left during the recording sessions for album 3 due to internal conflict. Ridin' Out the Storm ended up with Michael Bryan Murphy on vocals. Murphy stayed for their next two albums, Lost in a Dream and This Time We Mean It, before Cronin returned in 1976, becoming the vocalist on the next release R.E.O. Cronin's return was spurred by Greg X. Volz rejection of the vocalist position since he had become a Christian. Volz went on to become the lead singer of Christian rock band Petra for a while.

In 1977, the band convinced their label that their strength was live performances, and agreed to allow them to produce their first live album. This went platinum, and the band moved to Los Angeles. Philbin left the group this year also. It is unsure whether he left due to being disgruntled with the new payment structure, or he was asked to leave due to lifestyle issues affecting his music quality. He was replaced with Bruce Hall, to record You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish. Roll With the Changes and Time for Me to Fly got a great deal of radio airplay, and it became their first album to make the top 40. They would turn back to hard rock for their next release, Nine Lives. 

Hi Infidelity was released next, and showed a shift towards more pop-oriented material. It spawned four hit singles, remained on the charts for 65 weeks, and sold over ten million copies. The followup to this highly successful release was Good Trouble in 1982, which while not as successful as the prior release, did perform well and had hit singles like Keep the Fire Bunin', and The Key. 1984s release Wheels are Turnin' included number one single "Can't Fight This Feeling" and others including One Lonely Night and Live Every Moment. In 1985, they did a set at Live Aid with the Beach Boys, and it broke the record for number of viewers. 

Their next release in 1987, Life as We Know It, saw a decline in sales but did provide two top 20 hits. In 1988, a greatest hits compilation was released with two new tracks. Here With Me would be their last top 40 single. 

Gratzer left the band in 1988 to retire from music and open a restaurant. Richrath left in 1989, due to conflicts with Cronin boiling over. Cronin spent some time playing with the Strolling Dudes, a jazz ensemble that included Rick Braun, Miles Joseph, and Graham Lear. Lear and Joseph came over to REO Speedwagon with the membership loss. Backup singers Carla Day and Melanie Jackson were also added. The backup singers were dropped later in favor of Dave Amato and Jesse Harms. The 1990 release The Earth, a Small Man, His Dog, and a Chicken with Bryan Hitt on drums was a commercial disappointment. It produced one Billboard 100 single and is their last charting to date. Harms left the group in 1991 due to disappointment in the failure of the release. 

During this time, Richrath produced a namesake band which produced album Only the Strong Survive. It was their only release. They disbanded in the late 90s. Having lost their Epic contract, REO Speedwagon released Building the Bridge in 1996 on a label that went bankrupt. They then released through Castle records, which also experienced financial troubles. The band ultimately self-financed the record that failed to chart. Epic chose to release recordings from older albums in compilations due to the failures with the new lineup. The band self-financed another release in 2007, Find Your Own Way Home. It did not chart. 

The band today is mostly a live band, still touring to perform the hits. Gary Richrath passed away from surgery complications in 2015. Gregg Philbin passed in 2022. In 2023, Neal Doughty retired from touring with the band after 55 years. Derek Hilland became his touring replacement. Matt Bissonette is currently filling in for Hall while he recovers from back surgery. 

Enjoy the magic of arena rock, and take a listen to their catalog!