REO Speedwagon

REO Speedwagon is an American rock band that grew in popularity in the Midwestern United States during the 1970s and peaked in the early 1980s as one of America’s most popular arena rock bands at this time. REO Speedwagon hits include "Keep On Loving You" and "Can't Fight This Feeling". Both songs are power ballads, the former being prototypical of the genre and appearing on the group's most commercially successful album, "Hi Infidelity". That album also included the hit "Take It on the Run", a song that peaked at number five on the U.S. charts. The band continues to tour and release albums, their latest being "Find Your Own Way Home" with songs such as "Smilin' in the End".

REO Speedwagon was formed by students attending the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois in the fall of 1967 to play cover songs in campus bars. The band’s name came from Ransom Eli Olds (REO) an early 20th Century truck manufacturer of the Speedwagon model, commonly used for fire engines. The first line up consisted of Alan Gratzer on drums and vocals, Neil 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 SIU. 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.

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