RIP Gary Richrath, REO Speedwagon

DulcetJones

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/gary-richrath-dies/   I know they morphed into a power ballad classic rock kind of thing but in the early years they rocked pretty good.  I used to have a live album that was incredible.  

Kebabkid

Great player and songwriter - very under-rated.

There's a lot of good musicians going of late.

Philly_Q

That's sad news.  He was on the cover of one of the first issues of Guitar Player I bought in 1981 or 1982, in those days I used to read it cover to cover and go out and buy records by many of the featured artists so I've always remembered him.

There was also a long-ago live review which included a description that's stuck in my mind ever since - "guitarist Gary Richrath is fat and shiny".  It sounds insulting but it seemed oddly affectionate.

RIP

EricTheWeary

Only 65. I watched a concert on TV once and the live thing was much more about his guitar than the softer recordings. Read a couple of interviews and they were pretty wild on the road. RIP Gary.

riffbrother

Sad news. I've always loved his playing, especially on the Nine Lives album. The solos on Back On The Road Again and Meet Me On The Mountain are killer.   

Also Take It On The Run from Hi-Infidelity features one of his best leads.

He hadn't been in the best of health in recent years and footage of him reunited with REO a couple of years ago showed him unrecognisable from how he looked in the 70s & 80s.  

Nunogilberto

Great player. That tasteful pick scrape in 'Keep On Loving You'...