ALSO SEE: Peter Frampton tells how he finally found success with Frampton Comes Alive! (1976). I guess our problem was that we were trying to carry on like nothing had changed. Thats another way of doing it. By Richard Sherwood, Valley News-Sun (Van Nuys, California) April 10, 1977. In the big business that is rock in its third decade, it takes a lot more than hard work to succeed. In 1975, this company filed for bankruptcy and most of its assets were liquidated. Honestly, when I finished that song, I was really youngI was 18 or 19 when I wrote that song. (Brandon Nagy / Shutterstock). On the very first night, he met who would be his lifetime friend and bandmate, Alan Gratzer, and the two held an impromptu jam session in the basement of their Illinois Street Residence Hall dorm. It was the groups first gold album. Steve Scorfina was also part of the band for a year, composing and performing live with the band for a year and being replaced by Gary Richrath in late 1970. I didnt put a whole lot of time and energy into the creative part of what I do. The bands most famous album, Hi Infidelity, which was released in 1980, has sold 10 million copies and became the best-selling rock album of 1981. When youre writing a song, you have no idea where that songs going to end upyou dont know whats going to happen. Bass Guitar / Lead & Harmony Vocals 1978-present. [REO band member] Gary Richraththe late, great Gary Richrath who unfortunately passed away this past yearwas my partner in crime, so to speak. So I called up and cancelled the songwriting session. The album spawned four hit singles that were written by Cronin and Richwrath, including Keep On Loving you (Cronin), Take It on the Run(Richrath), In Your Letter (Richrath) and Dont Let Him Go (Cronin). Their next album, Wheels Are Turnin, was released two years later and included the #1 hit single Cant Fight This Feeling and three more big hits: I Do Wanna Know, One Lonely Night, and Live Every Moment. amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; Shortly afterwards, four of their songs reentered the Billboard rock charts. The original members of REO Speedwagon are: Kevin Cronin on lead vocals, rhythm guitar, and occasionally piano Neal Doughty on keyboard Alan Gratzer on drums, percussion, and backing vocals Gregg Philbin on bass and backing vocals How did REO Speedwagon get its name? And there were some radio stations in the Midwest that were playing those songs. Were in tune with ourselves and I trust our taste. Note: This article may feature affiliate links, and purchases made may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. REO Speedwagons popularity began to decline in 1987 when the album Life as We Know It didnt sell nearly as many as the others. This week a month and a half later its moved up to 54 with a bullet and 61 with a bullet respectively in those same trade publications. REO remains a popular live band which tours steadily throughout the U.S. and worldwide. Getting gigs in the Midwest, however, is no problem at all. But endurance in the face of uncertainty has long been a trademark of REO Speedwagon. With a Continental engine, artillery wheels, and a different pattern of horizontal radiator louvers from the Flying Cloud, the Wolverine was made until 1928. REO has been recording since 1971, but the success that sent Cronin and his band members into such a culture shock came a decade later, when Hi-Infidelity stayed on top of the pop charts for nearly six months, making REO one of the hottest groups of 1981. Most Studebaker US6 trucks were built by Studebaker. DK: Keep On Loving You from Hi Infidelity is a great song. The failure of this program and the effects of the Great Depression caused such losses that Olds ended his retirement during 1933 and assumed control of REO again, but resigned in 1934. All the songs I write, they spring from an initial burst of creativity that kind of gets the ball rolling. The first track REO recorded featuring Bruce's vocals was Back On the Road Again from 1979, which was also a successful single . Olds Motor Works soon adopted the popular name of its vehicles, Oldsmobile (which, along with Buick and Cadillac, became a founding division of General Motors Corporation). It was really my songs that got me the gig. Also in 1989,Bryan Hittreplaced Lear on drums,whileJesse Harmsjoined as a second keyboardist, performing on the band's 1990 albumThe Earth, a Small Man, His Dog and a Chicken. Crownover only lasted two years when Bill Fiorio replaced him before also leaving in late 1969, taking the name Duke Tumatoe and forming the All Star Frogs. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); It could be that you are wondering whether you are in the right place. Now that you know, have fun looking around! Horatio Alger never would have made it in rock n roll. Gary Richrath, the REO Speedwagon guitarist who wrote some of the bands biggest hits, including Take It on the Run and In Your Letter, died Sunday, according to a post by REO lead singer Kevin Cronin. So to me, my experience has been that my strongest songs are the ones where it all kind of happens at once. Were gonna do it and its gonna be hot.. Find REO Speedwagon Loveland tickets, appearing at Budweiser Events Center in Colorado on Nov 17, 2023 at 7:30 pm. Id just started to write a couple little silly songs. I sat down and started playing those chordsthat was what the song came from. So the answers to those other questions are separate topics, but here I wanted to explain just where REO Speedwagon got their name. Richrath was from Peoria, IL and was an amazing songwriter who wrote fresh material for the band, even driving 100 miles to see and become a part of the band. Really excellent feature. The group that formed in Chicago played the mid-60s clubs dates for some time, then branched out into the concert circuit throughout the Midwest. They perform about 100 dates a year. 1980s Hi Infidelity gave the band four Top 40 hits, including the #5 Take It on the Run and the #1 Keep On Loving You. That chart-topper sold a million copies and helped lay the blueprint for the power ballads of that decade; it also didnt hurt that it was paired with one of the first 20 videos to be played on a new cable channel called MTV. Cronin came back for 1976s R.E.O. A new concert series of them with Pat Benatar would be a smokin hot idea. ALSO SEE: Rock out with these 30 old Star Hits music magazines from the 80s. Meanwhile, after selling Reo's vehicle manufacturing operation to Bohn in 1954, management began liquidating the remainder of the company. And when I had that realization, I went down to my piano room and I wrote the B section and the chorus in about 15 minutes. All rights reserved. Over the past nine years, ever since coming out of the Midwest college bar circuit, REO have been one of the hardest-working bands anywhere, winning droves of hard-core fans by playing upwards of 300 shows a year and managing to find time between tours to record seven albums. So it all kind of came true. DK: When you write, do you usually create the melody or the lyrics first? As of late, its received quite a bit of FM airplay, and the latest LP, a live two-record set, entered the Rock World record chart at 160 with a bullet, and Cashboxs at 186 with a bullet. There are some good cover band concerts next year for The Doors, Billy Joel, The Eagles, Pet Shop Boys and maybe some other favorites. On this he learned to play Light My Fire by The Doors. lead singer of reo speedwagon. REO Speedwagon has recorded 16 studio albums which have sold a total of more than 40 million units. Traveling 4,176 miles (6,720km) from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Vancouver, British Columbia, in a 1912 REO special touring car, mechanic/driver Fonce V. (Jack) Haney and journalist Thomas W. Wilby made the first trip by automobile across Canada (including one short jaunt into northeastern Washington State when the Canadian roads were virtually impassable). But it would be fun to have some success as a co-writer. I appreciate the well-researched background story on REO Speedwagon here, and the links. Originally the company was to be called "R. E. Olds Motor Car Company", but the owner of Olds' previous company, then called Olds Motor Works, objected and threatened legal action on the grounds of likely confusion of names by consumers. I had the verses already written. 2. Official YouTube channel for REO Speedwagon. Links to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and other services inserted in the comment text will be automatically embedded. Starting bid: US $6.99 [ 0 bids] Shipping: $6.45 Economy . On July 13, on the way to a show in Milwaukee, they made a stop in Philadelphia to perform at the US leg of Live Aid, which broke a record for number of viewers in person and TV. [3], By late 1970, REO Speedwagon had finalised its first recording lineup with the addition of guitarist Gary Richrath in place of Scorfina. Basically what we said was, Im not going to let you have these songs on a record unless we produce them ourselves. To me, were still the same five guys who were schlepping around bars in the early 70s. How to Choose the Right Guitar String Gauges? His most notable playing includes the Hammond organ solo on "Roll with the Changes" and the honky-tonk piano work on "157 Riverside Avenue". Speedwagon) is an American rock band from Champaign, Illinois. At that point, REO had been making music for almost 14 years. [2] Bob Crownover took over as the band's guitarist, but was replaced after a brief tenure by Bill Fiorio and later Steve Scorfina. We started out as friends. Very glad theyre still touring, new albums or not. Beverly Rae Kimes, editor of the Standard Catalog of American Cars, terms the Royale "the most fabulous Reo of all". On the very first night, he met who would be his lifetime friend and bandmate, Alan Gratzer, and the two held an impromptu jam session in the basement of their Illinois Street Residence Hall dorm. Today, Doughty, Cronin, and Hall remain with the band; guitarist Dave Amato and drummer Bryan Hitt have been in since 1989. Cronin: I actually wrote that song as I was traveling from Chicago to Los Angeles, when I rejoined the band; I left the band for a couple years. Temporary guitarist Bill Fiorio later found fame under the name Duke Tumatoe. The original REO Speedwagon vehicles & other classic REO cars and trucks. The vocalist was replaced byKevin Cronin, who performed on the group's second albumR.E.O./T.W.O. The record company people told me to stick with the band, he said, then laughed. Cronin: I first joined the band in 1972. Notably, both Cant Fight This Feeling and Keep On Loving You reached number one on Billboards Hot 100 singles chart, and became two of the most popular rock ballads of the 1980s. Roll with the Changes (Uploaded to YouTube by REO Speedwagon). The band itself has never left the road, hitting the tour circuit with ongoing regularity. The name was used on a lower-priced 6-cylinder model through 1935. Hi Fidelity alone produced four Top-10 hits for the group, with two hitting Number One: "Keep on Loving You" and "Can't Fight This Feeling." Note: ClickAmericana.com features authentic historical information, and is not intended to represent current best practices on any topic, particularly with regard to health and safety. We circled our wagons and started making some changes We changed everything except the record company. Keep On Loving You (Uploaded to YouTube by REO Speedwagon). So when I finished Cant Fight This Feeling, I realized that yeah, Ive gotta make this move. Ive gotta do what Im saying in this songIve got to make this happen. Then I thoughtyou know what, so be it, then thats how it has to be, because thats what this songs name is. Notably, these five band members have been together since 1989. Who died from REO Speedwagon? With the momentum of the live album, the band truly turned the corner on 1978s You Can Tune a Piano, but You Cant Tuna Fish. Its a blessing because Ive always got myself (laughs). Even though all of REO's hits came after current lead singer Kevin Cronin joined the band, keyboardist Neal Doughty is the only original member. Here is the Q&A interview with Kevin Cronin: DK: When did you join REO Speedwagon, andhow did you developa key role as the bands singer & songwriter? However, Cronin admitted, after two months the self-production they were permitted to do didnt sound right. [15] Since the end of Harms's brief tenure with the group, REO Speedwagon has retained a consistent lineup of Neal Doughty, Kevin Cronin, Dave Amato, Bruce Hall, and Bryan Hitt[16] until 2023 when Doughty was replaced by former Iron Butterfly and Whitesnake member Derek Hilland.[17]. Beyond a convincing demonstration of endurance, REOs history has been one of repeated disappointments because they were never able to capture even a hint of their exciting live show in their records. Excerpted from The News Tribune (Tacoma, Washington) April 5, 1985. REO has been recording since 1971, but the success that sent Cronin and his band members into such a culture shock came a decade later, when Hi . Every other album weve made wed start recording at 10 at night and drag home at 7 the next morning, completely dry. Back in the day of the album, that was very important. You probably knew them well at the height of their popularity in the early 80s, listening to them non-stop on the radio on the way to work or grocery store. I used to listen to the Beatles Rubber Soul albumI know that album inside and out. We fired our producer halfway through, and Gary (Richrath) and I took over.. Despite the fact that the latest album, You Get What You Play For, sold 41,000 copies in Kansas City alone during the first three weeks of release, singer/guitarist Kevin Cronin still isnt satisfied. His first track written for REO was Lost In A Dream from 1974 (co-wrote with Mike Murphy). But for me, I usually write the song first and then I find the title in the song. I just needed a mental break. I feel songs are kind of the same way. Before REO Speedwagon was formed, Neal Doughty had entered the electrical engineering program as a junior in 1966. Fifty years after their first album, they remain a touring draw that can find new audiences in unexpected ways. The band formed in the autumn of 1967 by Neal Doughty and Alan Gratzer. For some reason they didnt do that many concerts out here or I likely would have gone to see them more. Fortunately, I stumbled into my home studio, which was a very humble little studio back in those days. amzn_assoc_title = "REO Speedwagon"; document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The Saturday Evening Post is a nonprofit organization funded primarily by our members. The band began when college freshman and keyboard player Neal Doughty met drummer Alan Gratzer on his first day at the University of Illinois in the fall of 1966. For You Can Tune a Piano in 1978, Cronin said, We had a bunch of songs: Roll with the Changes, Time for Me To Fly, Blazing Your Own Trail Again, Sing To Me, and we were cocky about it. What inspired you to write this song? Cronin: We talked about Music Manthat song has a very special place for me because it kind of got me the gig. Hi Infidelity (1980) contained four US Top 40 hits and is the group's best-selling album, with over ten . Band member and lead singer Kevin Cronin stressed about the announcer getting the name right. Material on this site is provided for purposes of education, criticism, commentary, cultural reporting, entertainment, historical reference, and news reporting/analysis. [1] Currently, he is using synths made by Korg and Yamaha and tours with a Hammond B3 organ routed through Leslie speaker cabinets. In 1905 Olds left Oldsmobile and established a new company, REO Motor Car Company, in Lansing, Michigan. REO Speedwagon is an American hard rock band from Champaign, Illinois. Formed in 1967, the group originally included guitarist and lead vocalist Joe Matt, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Blair, keyboardistNeal Doughtyand drummer Alan Gratzer. Remember Maybelline Kissing Potion & other flavored lip gloss from the 70s & 80s? Although it still managed to make the top-20 hits with the songs That Aint Love and In My Dreams. And then if Im lucky enough to capture that, then the actual craftsmanship comes into play. So I sat there and looked at my lyric notebook and if you think about it, the opening line of the song is I cant fight this feeling any longer. That was likeBingo! You need a gold record to get a job.. Who are the original members of REO Speedwagon? Richrath also left early the next year, with Miles Joseph filling in for a show beforeDave Amatotook over in May. At one point, the company also manufactured buses on its truck platforms. The Royale rode upon factory wheelbases of 131 inches (3,300mm) (Model 8-31) and 135 inches (3,400mm) (Model 8-35); a 1932 custom version rode upon a 152-inch (3,900mm) wheelbase (Model 8-52). You know, our audiences are interesting. Tools Ridin' the Storm Out is the third studio album by REO Speedwagon, released in 1973. As time went on, and my buddy broke up with her, we still remained friends. I remember thinking to myselfWowCant Fight This Feelingwhat a horrible, f**king song title. That next studio collection is the key to REOs precarious success and the boys in the band know it better than anyone. It was great. Theyre a partying kind of rock n roll audience. The cause of death has not yet been determined.. If interested in music and guitars, then you are in the right place and will learn a lot. The Hi Infidelity album was the one that broke things loose. If we were going to make it, a live album might be the way to do it. Copyright 2023 Saturday Evening Post Society. Free shipping for many products! He was an early adopter of the Moog synthesizer, which can be heard on the opening swoop of "Ridin' the Storm Out". The record deal provided the band with some stability with one exception: the lead singer role. Another one like that is Keep Pushin, which I wrote a little after Music Man. That was another one where I felt likeit was soulfulI wrote it right from the heart. I think the main reason that I got the gig, was that REO had released one album, and they were working on songs for their second album for Epic Records. I felt like I had a fever and my stomach hurt. DK: So what were you thinking about, when you wrote Cant Fight This Feeling? [11] Richrath also left early the next year, with Miles Joseph filling in for a show before Dave Amato took over in May. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. If you liked this article, please share it! Are you and the band working on a new studio album? Although the members of REO Speedwagon long considered themselves a high-energy rock band, they will be remembered forevermore as masters of the power ballad. Rock on REO SPEEDWAGON. Formed in 1967, the group originally included drummer and backing vocalist Alan Gratzer, guitarist and lead vocalist Joe Matt, bassist and lead vocalist Mike Blair, and keyboardist Neal Doughty. The songs for that album had a certain cohesive nature to them. Classic Rock 105.1 relates that the Speedwagon was designed as a series of light, quick delivery vehicles a sort of precursor to today's pickups. He will still appear at select shows in the future. If I can inspire any young songwriter with anything that Im saying today, thats probably the most important thing that Ive learned over the years. 1 hits Keep on Loving You and Cant Fight This Feeling., Celebrity Q&A, Featured Article, Where Are They Now, https://americanprofile.com/articles/where-are-they-now-reo-speedwagon-video/, https://americanprofile.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/reo-speedwagon-150x150.jpg. The band also briefly added saxophonist Joe McCabe and trumpeter Marty Shepard to its lineup in 1968. Formed in 1967, the group originally included guitarist and lead vocalist Joe Matt, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Blair, keyboardist Neal Doughty and drummer Alan Gratzer. Unfortunately, Richrath passed away in 2015, sad news that was broken in an announcement by Cronin. I saw them in 1997 at the Universal Amphitheater with Survivor and Blondie. The song kind of came first. Since the end of Harms's brief tenure with the group, REO Speedwagon has retained a consistent lineup of Neal Doughty, Kevin Cronin, Dave Amato, Bruce Hall, and Bryan Hitt [16] until 2023 when Doughty was replaced by former Iron Butterfly and Whitesnake member Derek Hilland. We got back together after a year, and found we had gained a mutual respect. REO's two most memorable cars were its Reo Flying Cloud introduced in 1927[6] and the Reo Royale 8 of 1931. The bandwe were all kind of going through some chaos in our personal lives. He was 65. Right away, they formed a rock band. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Whats up with the band REO Speedwagon these days? The coachbuilt cars were priced close to $6,000. [8][9] Philbin left the following year, with Bruce Hall taking his place. Too many good songs in the past have come out sounding like bad records.'. He also owned the The REO Motor Truck Company, which made a model in 1915 called the Speedwagon, a forerunner to the pickup truck. Bob Crownover took over as the band's guitarist, but was replaced after a brief tenure byBill Fiorioand later Steve Scorfina. So that was the song that kind of got it going. But from all appearances, REOs next studio LP really will be different and largely because of a change in the bands attitude toward making records. Before they met, Gratzer was a drummer in high school and played in a local group on the weekends while Doughty was studying the Beatles songs closely using his parents piano. I just havent had a great deal of success with it (laughs). It was number one (on the Hot 100 chart) for I think three weeks, which back in the 80s was quite an accomplishment. ""It's R-dot-E-dot-O-dot Speed-wagon REO Speedwagon!" The announcer sort of got it right. Sure enough, its proven itself right so many times for me, that I have to really believe its a truth that I can count on. Each studio album landed with a resounding thud on the national scene. Thanks for visiting and for supporting a small business! One might say that as long they keep on rollin, fans will keep on loving them. Yet Im thinking this song is so important to me and I think its got the potential to be a real special song in the world, but this title is going to kill it. We know weve got to prove ourselves, says lead singer Kevin Cronin, and I cant wait to get that next album out. In 1905 Olds left Oldsmobile and established a new company, REO Motor Car Company, in Lansing, Michigan. The odds against a band forming while The Beatles were still together, continuing for five decades, and returning four songs to the charts via a Netflix show appearance just last year have to be nearly incalculable. And sure enough, it ended up working out. I can always pick up a guitar or sit down at the piano. For others, however, the wait can last for years. He formed the band in the fall of 1966, with original drummer Alan Gratzer (who left REO in 1988). To properly celebrate such a momentous, golden milestone in the history of the band, Styxworld speaks exclusively to co-founding members James JY Young and Chuck Panozzo as well as guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw, keyboardist/vocalist Lawrence Gowan, drummer Todd Sucherman, bassist/vocalist Ricky Phillips, and . amzn_assoc_linkid = "d272d907009b8147dd9ad76c24c6f0b5"; It gave me an outlet for expressing myself when I was very young and didnt know any other way to do it. Its like the stars lining up. Theyre able to choose, and have a right to do so., ALSO SEE: Creedence Clearwater Revival was the richest, most successful pop-rock group in the world in 1971. Material on this site is provided for education, criticism, commentary, cultural reporting, entertainment, historical reference, and news reporting/analysis. It just has this huge history to it. After signing with Epic Records in 1971, the band cut their first album, R.E.O. The current lineup of REO Speedwagon consists of Cronin, original member Neal Doughty (keyboards), Bruce Hall (bass), Dave Amato (lead guitar) and Bryan Hitt (drums). It was keyboard player Neal Doughty who came up with the name, which embodied the rebellious spirit of Ransom Olds and also stood out . They are the only two remaining of five original band members. Cant Fight This Feeling would hit #1 in 1984. The famous Barnum & Bailey Circus exhibited sideshow performers, Tiny Tim and Tom Thumb, driving a scaled-down version of the 1906 Reo Model-A Light Touring Car known as the "Baby Reo". With the exception of the last, our albums just didnt capture those energies.. Speedwagon (they would later drop the periods). Here with Me from 1988 (Uploaded to YouTube by REO Speedwagon). After gigging for a while, with Matt, Blair, and Grazter doing vocals, lead singer Terry Luttrell joined in 1968. I wrote Time For Me To Fly on the guitarmost of my songs I write on the acoustic guitar. What was REO Speedwagon's first #1 single? Required fields are marked *, Attachments The maximum upload file size: 260 MB. Drop files here. Gratzer left REO Speedwagon in 1988, leaving Doughty as the sole original member. All Rights Reserved. Gregg Philbin would become the bassist, and in 1970, the band added a legitimate guitar hero in Gary Richrath. Shortly thereafter, the rising tides of hip-hop and alternative rock marked a shift in musical taste, and a number of long-time bands faced commercial difficulties. R.M.Owens & Co. A 1919 REO Motor Car Company Advertisement. I learned something from thisthat if you pay attention to the song, the song will tell you what it needs. Dont see anything coming up in 2022 yet, but am loving their new Crash of the Crown album from just earlier this year. What do you think of their name? Kevin Cronin - lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar, piano Gary Richrath - electric guitars Bruce Hall - bass Neal Doughty - Hammond organ Alan Gratzer - drums Additional personnel Steve Forman - percussion Tom Kelly - backing vocal Richard Page - backing vocal Chart performance Weekly charts Year-end charts Certifications See also The current lineup of REO Speedwagon consists of Cronin, original member Neal Doughty (keyboards), Bruce Hall (bass), Dave Amato (lead guitar) and Bryan Hitt (drums). Notably, these five band members have been together since 1989. Formed in 1967, the band cultivated a following during the 1970s and achieved significant commercial success throughout the 1980s. But what about you? Become a Saturday Evening Post member and enjoy unlimited access. Speedwagon was released in October of 1971 and credited all five members (Doughty, Gratzer, Richrath, Philbin, and Luttrell) as the writers of all eight songs. Whenever any two people work closely together it brings about a sort of creative tension. But then once I got done with the craftsmanship part of it, I thought HeyI think I could hear this song on the radiopeople might want to listen to it. Its funny, when youre just starting out as a songwriterwhen youre trying to figure things out and see what your path is and where youre headingas I reminisce and think about it, it seems I have these sweet memories of that time. Volvo later took over White and thus currently owns the rights to the REO brand name. [4] The band also briefly added saxophonist Joe McCabe and trumpeter Marty Shepard to its lineup in 1968. Cronin: Well for me, songwriting has been kind of a solitary journey. Band member and lead singer Kevin Cronin stressed about the announcer getting the name right. However, Epic has mined their catalog for a variety of successful compilations, as well as new and classic live albums. Could use a Which Ones Pink? Cant wait to see them again its been 30 years going to freedom hall in old Johnson city end of Feb stay healthy gods speed. Kevin and Lisa share the story of their storybook romance and secret to their successful 24-year marriage. Note: ClickAmericana.com features authentic historical information, and is not intended to represent current best practices on any topic, particularly with regard to health and safety, but also in terms of outdated cultural depictions and social values. Their keyboard player was the leader, but the others wanted out. Thats my titlethats what this song is about. I just couldnt get the courage up, to make that leap of vulnerability, to share with her that I had feelings for her that were more than friendship.
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