Gary Richrath was a unique songwriter and guitar player.  Without him REO Speedwagon would not even exist.  Let us pay tribute to one of the best guitarists to bless this earth!

Gary Richrath, the longtime guitarist for REO Speedwagon, died Sunday, September 13, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was 65.

Richrath wrote and co-wrote popular songs for the band, including 1973's "Ridin' the Storm Out" and 1981's "Take it on the Run," a No. 5 Billboard single that was one of the first videos played on MTV. Richrath remained one of the band's principal songwriters, penning multiple tracks on each of their albums for the nearly 20 years he was a member. He left the band in 1989 after a dispute over the band's direction.

Richrath last played with the band in 2013, when the band performed a benefit concert in Bloomington, Illinois, to raise money for tornado victims.

REO Speedwagon has released a number of successful albums, including 1980's "Hi Infidelity," which sold 10 million copies in the United States.

Richrath released a solo album, "Only the Strong Survive," in 199