They went from college town cover band to bona fide rock stars in about five years. REO Speedwagon was founded in 1967 by some University of Illinois students, including keyboardist Neal Doughty and drummer Alan Gratzer. Doughty is the only original member still with the group. The band’s name comes from a precursor to the modern pickup truck known as the REO Speed Wagon.

REO Speedwagon’s greatest chart success came in the 1980s when they released the albums Hi Infidelity, Good Trouble, and Wheels Are Turnin’. Their three biggest singles were “Keep On Loving You” (1980), “Take It On The Run” (1981), and “Can’t Fight This Feeling” (1984).

Most of REO Speedwagon’s hits from 1972 on featured Kevin Cronin on lead vocals. You may also recall the magnificent mane he had back in the day. That hair should be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

• Keep On Loving You (1980)

  The video for “Keep On Loving You” begins with lead singer Kevin Cronin talking to a psychiatrist about his relationship troubles with a woman he says he invented when writing the song. It went all the way to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

• Take It On The Run (1981)

  “Take It On The Run” was the ninth music video played on MTV’s first day, August 1, 1981. Unfortunately, technical difficulties caused the video to go black after just 12 seconds and it never came back. That won’t happen here.

• Can't Fight This Feeling (1984)

  The video for “Can’t Fight This Feeling” depicts the life cycle of a man, from infancy to old age. The song was the second of REO Speedwagon’s two #1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. It also topped the chart in Canada.

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