Died On This Date (September 13, 2015) Gary Richrath / REO Speedwagon
themusicsover Gary Richrath
October 18, 1949 – September 13, 2015
Gary Richrath is best remembered as the lead guitarist for REO Speedwagon from 1970 to 1989, the period that included the band’s most fruitful years. Richrath, a prolific songwriter, grew up near Chicago, Illinois. As the ’70s dawned, he got the attention of local up-and-coming band, REO Speedwagon, who brought him on board to take over lead guitar and many songwriting duties. One of his early songs that the band recorded was “Ridin’ The Storm Out,” which went on to become their first hit and signature tune. His contributions helped the band break out of the local market and become a huge regional, and then, national act. In 1980, REO released Hi Infidelity – it included four Top 40 hits and went on to sell over 10 million copies. Rochrath wrote three songs (plus one co-write) on the album, including “Take It On The Run,” which reached #5 on the US singles chart. The band went on to sell over 40 million albums to date. Richrath left the band in 1989 and released two solo albums. He reunited with the group for a couple of songs at a local flood benefit in December of 2013. Gary Richrath was 65 when he passed away on September 13, 2015. Cause of death was not immediately released.
What You Should Own
Lynn Anderson was a very popular country singer who had several hits during the ’70s and ’80s. Her biggest hit was 1970’s “(I Never Promised You) A Rose Garden,” a 
Joan Sebastian was a Mexican singer-songwriter who counted at least 1000 compositions as his own. Over the years, his songs have been made into hits by the likes of Vicente Fernandez, Rocio Durcal and Pepe Aguilar. Sebastian was just a seven-year-old boy living in rural Guerrero when he first began writing songs. As a teen, his mother sent to live in a monastery where he strongly considered a life as a priest, but after enrolling in a seminary, he decided he wanted a career in music. During the late ’60s, Sebastian met actress and singer Angelica Maria who not only asked him to write songs for her, but encouraged him to write songs for himself to record. By 1974, he was living in Mexico City where he recorded his debut album, Pedro Parrandas to modest local acclaim. During the ’90s, Sebastian landed a role in the popular Mexican soap opera, Tu y Yo, but still worked hard to further his music career. In 2000, he released Secreto de Amor which became a smash in Mexico, the United States, and beyond. In the U.S. alone, it sold over 4 million copies and earned him multiple Grammys. He went on to become the most awarded Mexican performer in Grammy history. In 1999, Joan Sebastian was diagnosed with bone cancer. Although he battled it into remission a handful of times over the next several years, it ultimately took his live on July 13, 2015. He was 64.
Wendell Holmes was the guitarist, pianist and vocalist for the legendary gospel, R&B, and blues band, the Holmes Brothers. Formed in 1978, the trio built a legion of loyal followers thanks to their heavenly harmonies and overall sound that was once described by the New York Times as “deeply soulful, uplifting and timeless.” Formed in Christchurch, Virginia, the Holmes Brothers moved to Harlem during the ’80s to try their luck in the city’s blues clubs. They signed their first record deal in 1989 and went on to release 12 albums, including three that landed in the top five of the Billboard Blues Album charts. The list of artists they recorded with includes Joan Osborne, Willie Nelson, Peter Gabriel, and Van Morrison. In 2014, they received an National Endowment For The Arts National Heritage Fellowship. Wendell Holmes died from complications due to pulmonary hypertension. He was 71.