EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) – With five decades of hits, REO Speedwagon is making a return visit to the Tri-state this weekend including Evansville native and co-founder of the band Neal Doughty.
Eyewitness News Gretchen Ross had a chance to catch up with keyboardist Neal Doughty.
As part of their tour around the country, the band is stopping by Evansville Friday February 18. A concert of The group will be taking the stage at the Old National Events Plaza at 7:30 pm.
“I had never been in a rock band of any kind. I played the trumpet in high school. Never played keyboard excepts for my parents’ beat up piano.” Doughty said. It was through Alan Gratzer, his dormmate, that he started taking up music. “We were a cover band. But we had a much different playlist than anybody else. We were doing the Doors and Youngbloods.” Said Doughty.
Named for a truck built in the early 1900’s, REO Speedwagon was off and running, incorporating the sounds of the synthesizer in their songs. Gaining popularity in the 70s and 80s, the band has sold over 40 million records with hits such as “Keep On Loving You” and “Can’t Fight This Feeling.”
REO Speedwagon keyboard player Neal Doughty says he’s happy to lend a hand to emerging rock bands.
Supplying honky-tonk piano to the new single by Indiana’s Easthills, for instance, is a matter of paying it forward.
“The same was done for us way back when,” said Doughty, who co-founded REO Speedwagon in 1967. “We had some big names who put us on their tours and taught us the ropes.”
For the Easthills, Doughty’s participation carries the prestige of a Midwestern band that sold more than 40 million albums. Illinois-bred REO Speedwagon continues to perform hit singles “Cant’ Fight This Feeling” and “Take It on the Run” in arenas and amphitheaters.
Released today in advance of Easthills album “Fear and Temptation,” the song unfurls classic-rock riffs that Doughty and Hannon couldn’t resist.
“It immediately hit me as a Rolling Stones vibe,” Doughty said. “So, I tried to channel Nicky Hopkins. I hit them with all the honky-tonk licks I knew.”
