REO Speedwagon Music

Artist Overview
Though the Champaign, IL group REO SPEEDWAGON eventually became known as one of the preeminent stadium-rock bands of the late 1970s/early '80s, they started out at a grass-roots level as a hardworking local act. On REO's early-'70s albums, their pure American sound hinted at the hard-rock style of bands like the James Gang (whose Joe Walsh guested on RIDIN' THE STORM OUT). By the end of the decade, however, they had adopted a more commercial sound bolstered by power ballads like "Keep on Lovin' You," which broke them through to stardom in 1981. Returned to the top of the charts in 1985 with yet another power ballad "Can't Fight This Feeling."