♫When the 'Speedwagon' Made Music History♫

The list of recording artists is seemingly endless. There are those who acquire billing via a given name, others a unique stage name, some a team and many form as a group. To try and keep up with them all is improbable, maybe impossible as names change in reality or fictitiously. Then, there are the songs. Ah-h-h! The melodies we never forget and for the 60s through at least the 80s with some in the 90s, we could sing along in tune with the melody without missing a single word.

Welcome into the Spotlight...

 REO Speedwagon performing in Anderson, Indiana, June 11, 2011

REO Speedwagon an American rock band formed in 1967 who grew in popularity in the 70s peaking in the early 80s

Over the course of a successful career, REO Speedwagon has sold over 40 million records charting thirteen Top 40 hits. In the early years, REO played bars and clubs all over the Midwest with their equipment being hauled to gigs in a friend's station wagon. While the band's mainstream popularity dissipated in the 90s, REO Speedwagon remains a popular live act. In early 2014, it was announced that REO Speedwagon and Chicago would be teaming up for 15 dates throughout 2014.

What about the name?

They named the band REO Speedwagon, from the REO Speed Wagon, a flatbed truck Doughty had studied in transportation history, and the initials are those of its founder Ransom E. Olds. Rather than pronouncing REO as a single word as the motor company did, they chose to spell out the name with the individual letters each pronounced ("R-E-O"). [Source: wikipedia.org]

 

1985 REO Speedwagon started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Can't Fight This Feeling', it made No.16 in the UK.

 

 1964 The Beatles filmed the last day of train scenes for the movie A Hard Day's Night. During their six days of filming aboard a moving train, The Beatles travelled a total of 2,500 miles on the rails.

 1975 Actor Telly Savalas was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with his version of the David Gates (from Bread) song 'If'. Savalas was currently high in the TV ratings playing the policeman Kojak.

 1977 The Jacksons CBS show was aired for the last time on US TV finishing at the bottom of the ratings.

 1996 Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher walked off stage during a gig at the Vernon Valley Gorge ski resort in New Jersey because his hands were too cold to play.

 2004 Tom Jones was banned from wearing tight leather pants by his own son and manager Mark Jones. His son said it was time to 'dress his age' as he was in danger of becoming a laughing stock at 63.

 

And the music goes on beating to the rhythm of the changing times...