Discovering And Experiencing A REO Speedwagon Tour

By Shirley Allen


When it comes to rock and roll, there are a number of different types of rock. When it comes to attending a REO Speedwagon tour, fans can often hear influences of pop, rock, hard rock, adult contemporary and blues in the music. It should be noted that while the group includes traditional blues rifts in some songs, the bluesy rock stylings of REO is far different than that of Delta or Deep Southern Blues.

The group originally from the Midwestern United States, formed in 1967. Later, the band became popular during the 70s and 80s. In the 80s, the band began to see amazing commercial success. In fact Infidelity one album produced during that time featured over three top 40 hits and still remains one of the best selling studio recordings by the group.

Named for a character in the E. O. Speedwagon story JoJo's Big Adventure, the band definitely takes fans on a musical adventure whether listening at home, in the car or attending a live show. For, the band puts on some of the best light shows which align with lyrics and sound throughout each concert. In addition, as the band tends to tour with groups such as . 38 Special, Styx and Foreigner, the sound is often top quality as well.

In the beginning, REO would haul equipment to and from show dates in a station wagon belonging to a friend. During that time, most shows were held at bars, clubs and restaurants around the greater Midwest area of the United States. Then, once becoming more well known, the group released a self-titled album in 1972. After which, the song 157 Riverside Avenue became one of the most played songs of all time.

While the band has mostly remained stable over the years, the most notable change is that the vocalist changed three times during the first three recording sessions. Whereas, in the mid 1970s, REO convinced Epic to allow the band to record a live show to be released at a later date. Epic responded in kind, and the first live show You Get What You Play For was recorded during a live performance.

From the 1980s to present, the band has sold over forty million albums and has had 13 Top 40 hits. The most well known and popular top rated songs are most likely Can't Fight This Feeling and Keep On Loving You. While commercial popularity begin to wane in the mid-late 1980s, the group remains a very popular live act, often selling out shows in different areas.

While the self-financed release, Find Your Own Way Home in April of 2007 did not make the Billboard Rock and Roll charts, two singles from the album appeared on the Billboard American Contemporary chart. As such, it appears REO Speedwagon is a band that has new and old fans alike.

The band continues to tour on a regular basis, playing most of the classic hits from the 1970s and 80s. The group recently teamed up with the well known rock group Styx to record a single called Can't Stop Rockin which was released in 2009. REO Speedwagon is currently on a 2019 Winter tour which includes dates from California and the Pacific Northwest to the East Coast.




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