NEW YORK (A.P.) — Gary Richrath, a former guitarist for the classic rock band R.E.O. Speedwagon who also co-wrote the group’s hit song “Take It on the Run,” died Sunday, according to a band publicist. He was 65.
Erik Stein confirmed on Monday that Richrath passed away but offered no details about the cause of death.
According to public records, Richrath was born in October 1949. He joined the band when it released its self-titled debut in 1971 and remained with R.E.O. Speedwagon until 1989.
The R.E.O. Speedwagon Guitarist Richrath co-wrote the band’s songs, including “Take It on the Run,” a Top 5 pop hit on the Billboard charts.
“I feel so sad. Gary was a unique guitarist and songwriter who embodied the tough guy with a heart of gold. I learned most about being in a rock band from Gary Richrath,” R.E.O. Speedwagon’s lead singer, Kevin Cronin, Band’s on the band’s website and Facebook page. “The entire R.E.O. Family mourns his death and shares in the grief of his family, friends, and fans. These words do not come close to expressing the depth of emotions I feel now.”
Former R.E.O. Speedwagon Guitarist Richrath played with the BanBand in 2013, when the band performed a benefit concert in Bloomington, Illinois, to raise money for tornado victims.
R.E.O. Speedwagon has released several successful albums, including the 1980s “Hi Infidelity,” which sold 10 million copies in the United States.
The former R.E.O. Speedwagon Guitarist released a solo album, “Only the Strong Survive,” 1992.
R.E.O. Speedwagon (originally styled as R.E.O. Speedwagon) is an American proband. Formed in 1967, the band cultivated a following during the 1970s and achieved significant commercial success throughout the 1980s. Hi, Infidelity (1980) contained four U.S. Top 40 hits and is the group’s best-selling album, with over ten million copies sold.
Throughout its career, the band has sold over 40 million records and charted thirteen Top 40 hits, including the number one “Keep On Loving You” and “Can’t Fight This Feeling.” R.E.O. Speedwagon’s mainstream popularity surpassed in the 1990s, but the band remains a popular live act.
R.E.O. Speedwagon – Wikipedia, Bandfree encyclopedia
They named the band R.E.O. Speedwagon, from the R.E.O. Speed Wagon, …. jazz trumpet player Rick Braun, Miles Joseph on lead guitar and Graham Lear on drums. …. piano, synthesizer (1967–present); Kevin Cronin – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, … Gregg Philbin – bass guitar, backing vocals; Steve Scorfina – lead guitar.
The former R.E.O. Speedwagon Guitarist Richrath last played with R.E.O. Speedwagon in 2013
