Reo Speedwagon Tickets

REO Speedwagon
REO Speedwagon -formed in 1968, by students of University of Illinois, namely Neal Doughty (keyboardist) and Alan Gratzer (drummer).

After graduation, the group signed on with then-unknown manager Irving Azoff, which led to a devoted fan-following in the Midwest due to nonstop touring. By the early '70s, Doughty and Gratzer joined hands with guitarist Gary Richrath, in addition to bassist Gregg Philbin and singer Terry Luttrell. With this line-up, the group released the 1971 self-titled debut recording for Epic Records.

The debut didn't earn mainstream success, worsening it further was the quitting of Luttrell. Folksinger/guitarist Kevin Cronin got the gig; with not much experience of leading a loud rock & roll outfit. The Cronin-led lineup appeared to be headed in the right direction though, judging from 1972's R.E.O. 2,but since the progress was slow, Cronin was asked to leave the band. Then hired REO's frontman was Mike Murphy, whose debut with the band, 1974's Ridin' the Storm Out, was their first album to chart on Billboard, generating a concert standard with the rocking title track. Murphy stayed onboard for a couple of more releases -- 1974's Lost in a Dream and 1975's This Time We Mean It -- but neither managed to push REO to the next level.

Surprisingly, this time REO welcomed back Cronin. The move paid off almost immediately, as REO found their position by streamlining their sound and focusing on melodic rockers aimed at radio, as well as power ballads aimed at teenage girls' hearts. 1976's R.E.O. signaled the beginning of the veteran group's winning streak, as both 1977's Live: You Get What You Play For and 1978's You Can Tune a Piano, But You Can't Tuna Fish were REO's first to earn gold and platinum certification. Another live album, Live Again, was also issued in 1978, followed up a year later by another gold-certified hit, Nine Lives. Although REO was moving towards success slowly, unpredictably, their next album, Hi Infidelity, turned out to be a major break-through. Issued at the tail end of 1980, it became one of 1981's biggest albums - generating one of the best-known power ballads of all time, "Keep on Loving You," as well as such popular rock radio hits as "Don't Let Him Go" and "Take It on the Run." Hi Infidelity sold more than nine million copies - elevating REO to arena-headlining status.

REO Speedwagon continued to produce hit albums (1982's Good Trouble, 1984's Wheels Are Turnin') and singles ("Keep the Fire Burnin'," the number one hit power ballad "Can't Fight This Feeling," etc.). Life as We Know It (1987) managed to go gold, but their fans' sudden lackadaisical attitude and the mayhem between certain bandmembers resulted in the departure of both Richrath and Gratzer by the end of the decade. With replacement members Dave Amato (ex-Ted Nugent, guitar) and Bryan Hitt (ex-Wang Chung, drums), their 14-track 1988 compilation The Hits proved to be a steady seller over the years. Other studio-albums such as 1990's The Earth, a Small Man, His Dog and a Chicken and 1996's Building the Bridge received a tepid response. It was the end of REO, until a sudden wave of renewed interest in classic-rock bands of yesteryear began to sweep the U.S. during the late '90s, resulting in REO launching successful co-headlining tours alongside such acts as Styx, Fleetwood Mac, Pat Benatar, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Journey, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Bad Company, among others.

in the 90's, numerous REO compilations, including such titles as The Second Decade of Rock n' Roll: 1981 to 1991, Only the Strong Survive, The Ballads, and a specially priced three-disc set of Live: You Get What You Play For, You Can Tune a Piano, But You Can't Tuna Fish, and Hi Infidelity were released. Additionally, further in-concert releases cropped up -- Live: Plus, Extended Versions, and a 2001 live set, Arch Allies: Live at Riverport, split 50/50 between REO and touring mates Styx.

In a 2001 episode of VH1's Behind the Music series that focused on REO Speedwagon, Cronin and Richrath cleared up any misunderstandings existing between them and approved of a possible reunion in the nearby future. When REO returned to the studio later in the 2000s, however, it was without Richrath. Find Your Own Way Home, the band's first studio album of new songs in more than ten years, featured Cronin along with founding member Neal Doughty on keyboards, longtime bassist Bruce Hall, and '80s additions Amato and Hitt.

Nothing beats the fun and excitement of a live concert, and when your favorite band is on the stage, the thrill is doubled! Now you have the chance to catch REO Speedwagon live in action at their upcoming series of concerts, which are scheduled to take place soon. Founded in the year 1967, REO Speedwagon originated from Champaign, Illinois, United States. They rose to fame in the 70s and achieved great popularity all over the world. One of their most popular albums was titled Hi Infidelity, which went on to sell more than 10 million records and charted on the 4th spot in the Top Forty hits chart in the United States.

Over the course of their career, REO Speedwagon has managed to sell over 40 million copies of their albums and had no less than 13 tracks on the Top Forty charts. The current line up of the band includes stars such as Bryan Hitt, Dave Amato, Bruce Hall, Kevin Cronin and Neal Doughty. However, the band has changed their roster numerous times over the years and some of their past members include Alan Gratzer, Joe Matt, Terry Luttrell, Marty Shepard, Mike Blair and numerous more as well.

Enjoy an incredible experience at their latest concerts with your REO Speedwagon tickets and get ready to rock!