This week, the air of nostalgia was palpable at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as former REO Speedwagon members Neal Doughty and Alan Gratzer, alongside former bass player Bruce Hall, made a sentimental journey back to their college roots. The occasion? A visit to their old dorm rooms in Townsend Hall, now adorned with gold plates marking the beginnings of rock history.
In a tradition that’s as ingrained in the university’s culture as its academic prowess, plaques identify the dorm rooms of notable alumni, including actor Nick Offerman and NFL legend Dick Butkus. Among these luminaries are Doughty and Gratzer, who met in the mid-1960s when Gratzer was an aeronautical engineering student. Reflecting on his college days, Gratzer humorously recounted his academic struggles, saying, “Between chemistry and physics, I didn’t have a clue. I went for five semesters and changed majors every semester. All I wanted to do was play rock and roll.”
Now, visitors to Townsend Hall can spot Doughty’s plaque outside room 250, with Gratzer’s just next door at room 252. This week’s visit was part of a larger celebration, the Honoring the Legacy of REO Speedwagon event at the State Farm Center on June 14, which also saw former members Terry Luttrell, Mike Murphy, and Steve Scorfina in attendance.
But the trip was more than just a stroll down memory lane. The trio, including Champaign native Bruce Hall who joined the band in 1978, also visited the site of the former Vriner’s Confectionery, immortalized on the back cover of their 1972 album, R.E.O./T.W.O. “They’ve got us busy,” Doughty joked to the Champaign News-Gazette, hinting at the filming of a documentary chronicling their storied journey. “It’s the most work I’ve done in one week for quite a while.”
As fans and alumni gather to celebrate the enduring legacy of REO Speedwagon, one can’t help but reflect on the band’s illustrious career marked by both triumphs and challenges. From the dorm rooms of Townsend Hall to the heights of rock stardom, Doughty and Gratzer’s story is a testament to the timeless power of rock and roll.
