After decades of playing with REO Speedwagon, keyboardist Neal Doughty decided to retire from touring this year; what was the reason why he wanted to stop playing live for their fans?
Taking to their official website, the band shared a lengthy statement about the musician's retirement, saying he would be leaving the group after spending 55 years of his adult life with them on the road.
"Keyboardist and founding member Neal Doughty has decided the time was right to retire from touring and begin enjoying the fruits of his years of hard work," they wrote. (via Ultimate Classic Rock)
Doughty also shared his own words and revealed the reason why he wanted to stop touring, saying it was "all that traveling" that went into him, but he clarified that he always enjoyed playing for the band's loyal fans.
Bassist Bruce Hall wishes his good pal well in his new phase in life and noted that he would always be a part of the REO Speedwagon brotherhood.
REO Speedwagon Tour 2023
According to the band's website, the group will embark on a tour throughout 2023 that will kick off at the Fred Kavli Theatre - B of A Performing Arts Center in Thousand Oaks, California on January 11.
REO Speedwagon will then visit several cities across the United States including Modesto, San Jose, Savannah, Cherokee, Clearwater, La Crosse, New Buffalo, Temecula, Idaho Falls, Port Huron, Billings, and many more.
Their last scheduled show would be at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip in Sturgis, South Dakota, on August 8.
Neal Doughty's History With REO Speedwagon
Per the outlet, Doughty was one of the founding members of the band in 1967. He formed the group along with drummer Alan Gratzer. Both musicians were studying at the University of Illinois at the time.
In a previous interview, the keyboardist said he met Gratzer in the dorm and they started "goofing around." Although he has never been part of any band before, the musician said he would play and taught himself to play the piano at his parents' house.
At first, he was "faking" his way through it until he found his rhythm. He became a part of REO Speedwagon for decades and was the only member who appeared on all of their 16 studio albums.
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