Neal Doughty is retiring from REO Speedwagon

[Ivan May]

Neal Doughty, founding keyboardist of REO Speedwagon and the only member to appear on all of the band's albums, has announced his retirement from touring.

The band shared the news in a statement on its website. "After 55 years with REO Speedwagon and having spent his entire adult life on the road, keyboardist and founding member Neal Doughty has decided the time was right to retire from touring and begin enjoying the fruits of his years of hard work," they wrote.

"I want everyone to know that it was all that traveling that finally got to me," Doughty added. "I always enjoyed playing the shows and looking out to see all the loyal fans who allowed me to do this for so long."

Doughty founded REO Speedwagon in 1967 along with drummer Alan Gratzer. The two met while attending the University of Illinois, where Doughty was majoring in electrical engineering.

"Just by chance, meeting Alan across the hall in the dorms, we started goofing around," Doughty told UCR in 2011. "I'd never played in a band, but I'd always played piano at my parents' house. They had one and I kind of taught myself to play it, starting somewhere around early teens. So it was just a thing that I was kind of faking my way through it. I go, 'Oh, yeah, I can do this thing, no problem.' And then over 40 years, I finally sort of picked up a few things!"

Gratzer left REO Speedwagon in 1988, leaving Doughty as the sole original member. He's appeared on 16 studio albums with the band, from 1971's R.E.O. Speedwagon through 2009's Not So Silent Night ... Christmas With REO Speedwagon.

 

This is pretty interesting news to hear. I am a huge fan of REO Speedwagon, and I think Neal Doughty's keyboard playing on the albums Hi Infidelity and You Get What You Play for are just amazing, and soulful. At times Neal Doughty's keyboard playing often reminds me of Billy Powell's piano and organ playing on all those early Lynyrd Skynyrd albums.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Baldwin Funster]

After Richrath was fired or quit, I didn't hear any great contribution by Doughty. Even before that with the heard it from a friend stuff. Yes he added some sweet melodic layers but essentially REO became a puppy love pop band and there was no Rock and Roll fire in the boiler any more. I think it just became a paycheck to Doughty. I don't blame him, I just miss the old Ridin the storm out REO SPEEDWAGON.

[mate stubb]

I played many shows in the early 70s on the same bill with REO and interacted with them backstage. Cronin and Richrath were prima donna rock stars. Neal OTOH was a humble nice guy. We had some pleasant conversations about synths and Hammonds. They did rock a lot harder back then but then I suppose I did too!

[bill5]

Had no idea they were still around (in some form or other). Saw them in the 80s (SRV was the warmup!). They were such "gamers,"  really loved playing to the crowd and if we applauded long enough, we'd still be there. 

[RABid]

Was a big fan in the late 70's and REO was my third concert sometime around 1977 or 78. Have not listened to their music in ages.

[Lou Gehrig Charles]

Best wishes to Neal in his retirement - he's certainly earned it, toiling for so many years in the shadow of one Kevin Cronin.  Yeah, it's no coincidence my favorite REO song is "Back On The Road Again" sung by Bruce Hall.  Kevin's sappy love ballads did little for me (although I'm right in the middle of learning "Can't Fight This Feeling", go figure!).

[RodWichita]

One of my Fav's of Neal's playing.. Happy Retirement Neal...well deserved my friend.

 

[Delaware Dave]

76 years old, it's time....

[Outkaster]

Wall music never really leaves you so well see if he makes an appearance again.  REO was HUGE in 1991 and 1982. I was a freshman in HS and they were on the radio all the time.  

[o0Ampy0o]

There was an episode of a series on Netflix called Ozark where REO Speedwagon was to play at an event the main characters were hosting. One of the show's stars, Laura Linney, had something going on while the band is doing a soundcheck. Later some new Speedwagon song is being broadcast over the car radio as Laura Linney is singing to it driving. It was as if the character was showing viewers how the song was catchy.

 

They had to pay for that unless they had close ties with someone or there was a huge fan high up in production (as was the case with Steven Van Zandt and David Chase of The Sopranos). I figured it would have to be a very catchy tune and the viewers would have to be ripe for new material from REO Speedwagon for that to generate much action for the band. If anything it was a way of letting some old fans know they were still around but they seemed hopeful using new material instead of a big hit. Journey received a revival from the use of Don't Stop Believin' for the finale of The Sopranos. If it had been a new song I doubt people would have been motivated to dig them up.

[vonnor]

"Don't Let Him Go," perennial show-opener for those guys, and coolest synth lead sound ever. When I got my MemoryMoog back in 1983 that was the first sound I tried to recreate from scratch. Always love Neal's playing.

 

~ vonnor

[jazzpiano88]

On 1/12/2023 at 2:04 PM, o0Ampy0o said:

There was an episode of a series on Netflix called Ozark where REO Speedwagon was to play at an event the main characters were hosting. One of the show's stars, Laura Linney, had something going on while the band is doing a soundcheck. Later some new Speedwagon song is being broadcast over the car radio as Laura Linney is singing to it driving. It was as if the character was showing viewers how the song was catchy.

 

They had to pay for that unless they had close ties with someone or there was a huge fan high up in production (as was the case with Steven Van Zandt and David Chase of The Sopranos). I figured it would have to be a very catchy tune and the viewers would have to be ripe for new material from REO Speedwagon for that to generate much action for the band. If anything it was a way of letting some old fans know they were still around but they seemed hopeful using new material instead of a big hit. Journey received a revival from the use of Don't Stop Believin' for the finale of The Sopranos. If it had been a new song I doubt people would have been motivated to dig them up.

 

It looks like they got a triple whammy out of the deal:

 

1. Payment for cameo role

2. Royalties on the song

3. Free Advertising -- Bump back onto the Billboard charts: "Keep On Loving You," "Can't Fight This Feeling," "Time for Me to Fly," and "Take It On the Run" all re-entered Billboard's Hot Rock Songs chart. Meanwhile, their 1988 compilation album, The Hits, entered the Top Rock Albums chart at 49 per EW.