By KEN VOSS

The Peoria Riverfront Muse-um’s exhibition RICHRATH kicked off the facility’s “Peoria Plays America” on Feb. 28, but it’s continuing through Sunday, April 5.

Launching the series, which will examine careers of world-famous Peorians, RICHRATH looks into his musically formative years in Peoria and features a selection of guitars used in his career with REO Speedwagon and reminds visitors of the influence of rock ‘n’ roll’s most influential Peoria son.

East Peoria native Gary Richrath has his hands full lead guitar for the legendary REO Speedwagon.
NORM RUTKOWSKY

After joining REO in 1970, Richrath (Oct. 18, 1949-Sept. 13, 2015) is credited with moving the group’s sound from a hard-working Champaign bar band to an arena-rock powerhouse built on an aggressive but melodic drive that helped define 1970s and ’80s “Midwest Rock,” including REO contemporaries such as Cheap Trick and Styx.

Before REO, Richrath was a local fixture.

“I played saxophone when I was in 6th or 7th grade,” he told a reporter in the 1980s, “and when I went to East Peoria High School, we played parades.

“I wasn’t that good, but I did learn to read music,” he continued. “I took guitar lessons from a country and western cat and watched anybody and everybody. My first band, the Mach IV, playing sock hops mainly. Legion halls seemed like a big deal then. In 1967, we started a new group, Suburban 9 to 5 – and that was my first Top 10 hit.”

That band – including Scott Somerville, Rick Nelson, Danny Higgins and Bubby Skinner — recorded at Golden Voice in South Pekin, released “Walk Away” b/w “Elevator Operator,” “Sunshine Becomes You” b/w “Capt. Kangaroo,” and “I Wanna Be There” b/w “Flying on the Ground,” and opened for acts including the Who.

REO went on to release 13 albums, and after Richrath left the group he released a solo album in 1992.

REO Speedwagon bandmate Kevin Cronin said Richrath was “the guy who this band wouldn’t be here without.”