She was my first real kiss, first real crush, first real love? This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Arrangements are pending. Then one day, Gary decided to plug his Les Paul into a double stack of Marshalls. Gary Richrath, the longtime guitarist for REO Speedwagon, died Sunday, Sept. 13, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Breaking News: Press conferences & events, TKO: Looking back at the life of Mike Shannon, Fox 2 Sports Final | Remembering Mike Shannon, Tributes from friends, fans of Mike Shannon, Syndergaard gets first Dodgers win in sweep of Cardinals, Mike Shannon, beloved Cardinals broadcaster, dies, Bring the family to see Derek Hough at Stifel Theatre, LL Cool J comes to St. Louis with a celebration of, Rude, crude or in a bad mood? Richrath recorded some 12 albums with the band, writing their 1980 hit Take it On the Run and singing lead vocals on tracks including Find My Fortune and Wild as the Western Wind. He left the band in 1989 and released a solo album in 1992. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Biography - A Short Wiki. Steve Spears. In the runup to the 2024 election, the Sun-Times, WBEZ and the Center for Effective Government at the University of Chicago will be collaborating on a project to educate our audience about the threat to our democracy and how we can form a more perfect union.. Former guitarist and songwriter for rock band REO Speedwagon from 1970 to 1989. My longtime friend and collaborator Gary Richrath passed away earlier today. Richrath was born in October 1949, according to public records. It was Gary that called me and asked me if I was ready to join REO, and it wasnt so much that he asked me, he said its time for you to pack up your stuff, youre movin to California.. He was 65. Gary Richrath was 65. It was extremely soothing and at the same time, very,very strong.. All Rights Reserved. Three years later, he released his solo album titledOnly the Strong Survivein 1992. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. The RENPHO Foot Massager Machine may be just the gift to make Mothers Day extra special for your mom this year. Both songs were written at a time when the friends were going through hard times with their marriages. Gary was both a unique guitarist and songwriter, and the embodiment of the tough guy with a heart of gold. DailyPress.com. REO Speedwagons representative, Erik Stein, confirmed Gary Richraths death on Monday. Former Lead Guitarist and Songwriter for Illinois-based Rock Band REO Speedwagon. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, I was going to tell him the painful love triangle of Janette, Harold and me and see if I could conjur some sage wisdom from my rock 'n' hero. You Can Tune a Piano but You Can't Tuna Fish, "Gary Richrath Obituary - East Peoria, IL", "Promoter Jay Goldberg 'in shock' over Gary Richrath's death", "Ex-REO Speedwagon guitarist and East Peoria native Gary Richrath dies at 65", Video of Gary Richrath's performance with REO Speedwagon in December 2013, Video "Rock to the Rescue Benefit Concert", Review of Gary Richrath on Guitar Jam Daily, You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish, The Earth, a Small Man, His Dog and a Chicken, Not So Silent Night Christmas with REO Speedwagon, Not So Silent NightChristmas with REO Speedwagon, The Yule Log DVD, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gary_Richrath&oldid=1147171164, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox musical artist with associated acts, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 29 March 2023, at 08:04. In retrospect, maybe I should have reached out to Gary, though he'd long departed REO by that time. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. The Punk Rock Musuem passes Gogol Bordellos Eugene Htzs test. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. He played saxophone in the school band as a child. His trademark soulfulness came from his upbringing and that he always wanted to get the approval of his dad, and his dad was a tough character, Cronin said. The Gordon Biersch Brewery is expected to close its doors this weekend, its parent company, SPB Hospitality, confirmed Friday. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Legal Statement. 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 document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Again and again. Gary Richrath, the longtime guitarist for REO Speedwagon, died Sunday, Sept. 13, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. In 1992, Mr. Richrath released a solo LP, Only the Strong Survive.. By 1968, he was a lead guitarist and songwriter in his hometown garage band Suburban 9 to 5. He was 65. Leaving the 80s behind for a better world | Opinion Frontman Kevin Cronin announced the death of REOs former lead guitarist, who was from the Peoria area, on the bands Facebook page Sunday. Pop superstar Harry Styles would be an apt headliner to follow U2 in The Sphere. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. REO Speedwagon has released a number of successful albums, including 1980's "Hi Infidelity," which sold 10 million copies in the United States. NEW YORK REO Speedwagon guitarist Gary Richrath, who wrote the bands 1973 hit Ridin the Storm Out, has died at the age of 65, bandmate Kevin Cronin said. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Bruce Hall, REO Speedwagons bass guitarist, recounted in his Facebook tribute post how Gary encouraged and inspired him to join the band. All rights reserved. Gary Richrath, former lead guitarist for REO Speedwagon, died September 13th, 2015. Gary Richrath, founding guitarist and songwriter of classic rock band REO Speedwagon, died on Sunday, the LA Times reports. Richrath, who had long battled alcoholism . The cause of death was not given. He also wrote songs for the band, including Ridin the Storm Out and Take It On The Run. In addition to playing guitar and writing songs, he also sang lead vocals on several songs, including Find My Fortune and Only A Summer Love.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],'biographyhost_com-box-3','ezslot_1',113,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-biographyhost_com-box-3-0'); Gary Richrath was an American rock musician best known as the lead guitarist and songwriter for Illinois-based rock band REO Speedwagon from 1970 to 1989. REO Speedwagon has released a number of successful albums, including 1980s Hi Infidelity,which sold 10 million copies in the United States. Radioactive roads? Clark County has big plans in September to celebrate Las Vegas being known as the Wedding Capital of the World for the past 70 years. Just a few weeks ago, I messaged my old friend Janette and told her the story about the conversation with Kevin Cronin. Speaking to the Songfacts website in 2017, Cronin disclosed the cause of Richrath's death: "He had some stomach problem or something and he went in the hospital to get treated for a stomach ailment and there were complications and he didn't make it." Eighties nation is still a little stunned at the sudden death of REO Speedwagon guitarist Gary Richrath, who passed away I learned most of what I know about being in a rock band from Gary Richrath, REO Speedwagons lead singer, Kevin Cronin, wrote on the bands website and Facebook page. Trademark and Copyright 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. [8] He was 65 years old. I feel so sad. Gary Richrath Ridin the Storm Out (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_GB/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); Hi friends, kc here. Gary Richrath of REO Speedwagon Richrath last played with REO Speedwagon in 2013, when the band performed a benefit concert in Bloomington, Illinois, to raise money for tornado victims. I remember not too long after 9/11, GM put out a long TV commercial that used REO's "Roll With The Changes". REO Speedwagons frontman Kevin Cronin revealed the cause of Richraths death to theBillboardwebsite in 2015, stating that Richraths wife told him that Richrath had abdominal surgery a few days before his death. But REO Speedwagon was more than a hair band. The group had a string of hits that combined bombast with ballad rock, including Time for Me to Fly and songs Mr. Richrath wrote or co-wrote: Ridin the Storm Out, Keep on Lovin You, Say You Love Me or Say Goodnight, and Take it on the Run. Kevin listened to the story politely and then chuckled. REO Speedwagon guitarist Gary Richrath dies at age 65 The entire REO Family mourns his death and shares in the grief of his family, friends, and fans. Elmhurst Blotter: Man charged with battery for allegedly punching a security guard at a bar, Hinsdale police blotter: multiple thefts reported by patients at Hinsdale Hospital, Glenview police blotter: Harwood Heights woman charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. All Rights Reserved. When Mr. Richrath contacted the service, Cronin said he pitched the top singer songwriter in my vast stable Cronin himself. He is, however, still considered an official member of the band. Mr. Richrath loved to play live. Visit Billboard Pro for music business news, Len Goodman, Dancing With the Stars Judge Dies at78, Dragon Bursts Into Flames During Disneylands Fantasmic! Show, Fugees Rapper Pras Launches Defense in Campaign FinanceTrial. But once I heard the way the song sounded with the sweet piano melody and the gnarly guitars, the lightbulb went off, and I said, This is it! . Decades later, I interviewed Kevin Cronin a few weeks before REO was set to play in Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay home sales are down. Gary Dean Richrath (October 18, 1949 September 13, 2015)[1] was an American guitarist, best known as the lead guitarist and a songwriter for the band REO Speedwagon from 1970 until 1989. Gary Richrath, former REO Speedwagon lead guitarist (left), and Kevin Cronin, frontman (foreground). she replied. On this International Workers Day, were committed to fighting for a better future for all workers in our city and state, two labor leaders write. [4] Born on October 6, 1951 in Evanston, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, Cronin has experienced the best of times and the worst of times with REO Speedwagon. By the late 70s, singles such as Ridin the Storm Out and Time for Me to Fly many written by Cronin started making the charts, preparing the band for its 1981 blockbuster, Hi Infidelity. That album sold more than 9 million copies, according to Allmusic.com, and the band became an arena-filling headline attraction. He left the band in 1989. was the most he would offer that day. When I play live, I rip my fingers up and I love it, he said in 1987. He did not give a cause of death. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Richrath was the guitarist for REO Speedwagon, a group that actually formed in the early 1970s, but had its biggest success between 1980 and 1986. Richrath co-wrote some of the band's songs, including "Take It on the Run," which became a Top 5 pop hit on the Billboard charts. Legal Statement. I was just sitting there, strumming a guitar, thinking, 'God, these guys' relationships are worse than mine.' Gary Richrath provided much of the creative and driving force in the Erik Stein confirmed on Monday that Richrath passed away but offered no details about the cause of death. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Gary Richrath - REO Speedwagon, Death & Wife - Biography REO Richrath released a solo album, "Only the Strong Survive," in 1992. The cause of death was not given. I just sat there and sang vocals about the effects of gossip and relationships breaking up, which was what was on the tube and all that was similar to what was going on in my life.". Well, it felt like it at the time. Gary Richrath Gary Richrath "The entire REO Family mourns his death and shares in the grief of his family, friends, and fans. Jeff Beck was Mr. Richraths idol, but his earliest guitar influence was his Uncle Leroy a country picker, Cronin said. Gary Richrath