REO Speedwagon

REO Speedwagon began in Illinois, in the early sixties. The band was born from a university dorm room, from an improvised practice night between friends. Neil Doughty, a guy who studied electrical engineering, played piano and already knew some Beatles songs. He joined Alan Gratzer, who played drums and had been in bands before. Together they started experimenting, playing at parties and bars on campus.

The band's name came from an old truck, one that was called REO Speed Wagon. Doughty saw it written on a chalkboard, in a university hallway, and kept it. He used it as a name, spelled it as if it were a word, as if it were a nickname. Thus the band was born, with a touch of humor and a bit of casualness.