REO Speedwagon guitarist Dave Amato grew up in Framingham

By Colin McCandless
Contributing Writer

FRAMINGHAM – He cut his teeth playing in high school bands, but Framingham native Dave Amato would later soar to worldwide fame as the lead guitarist of 1980s arena rock titan REO Speedwagon. The band announced last September that it would retire from touring and played its last concert under that name in December.

The decision to keep the Speedwagon parked in the garage stemmed from—stop reading this sentence if you’ve heard this one before—“irreconcilable differences” between certain band members, specifically lead singer Kevin Cronin and bassist Bruce Hall.

Long tenure as lead guitarist
Amato joined REO Speedwagon in 1989 as its lead guitarist. Prior to his 35 years with REO Speedwagon, Amato performed with such rock luminaries as Ted Nugent, Bon Jovi’s Richie Sambora and Cher. 

REO Speedwagon formed in 1967 in Champaign, Illinois. Although there has been a revolving lineup over the decades, the most recent iteration included Cronin, Hall, Amato, keyboardist Derek Hilland and drummer Bryan Hitt.

The Grammy-nominated band’s breakthrough album didn’t come until 1980’s “Hi Infidelity,” which featured the power ballad “Keep on Loving You” and other radio hits such as “Take it on the Run.” They scored another power ballad favorite in 1984 with “Can’t Fight This Feeling.”

Amato’s early bands
Hudson resident Tom Brodeur served as the drummer in the bands Dave and the Essex and ICE with Amato growing up in Framingham. Brodeur (class of 1970) and Amato (class of 1971) were one year apart at Framingham South High School. 

By 1968, Amato’s reputation as a talented singer was already well known by area musicians like Brodeur, and his band played all the area high school dances. While seeking a new drummer for Dave and the Essex, Amato came to one of the gigs for Brodeur’s band Black Death.

After the show, Amato asked Brodeur to join his band, much to his delight. Brodeur had seen Dave and the Essex perform before at a local battle of the bands. “They were amazing. They wore these blue tuxedos, you know they looked great. They won,” recollected Brodeur. “To be invited to play was just fantastic.”

They played together in Dave and the Essex from 1968-70. The band mostly covered Beatles’ songs. “We were just all so obsessed with the Beatles,” recalled Brodeur, a semi-retired IT services account manager. They would also cover other popular music of the time like the Young Rascals and the Rolling Stones.

An amazing voice
Brodeur said Amato had an amazing voice and a knack for singing elaborate harmonies with fellow bandmate Mark Mariani. He said Amato wasn’t a great guitarist initially, but his vocals stood out. “He was driven from day one to always be wherever the best bands were. And he could do that because he had the singing ability. And of course every band around wanted him to be in it.”  

Amato left Dave and the Essex to join a band called One Way Out. Once again Amato’s gifted harmonies led the way. “As a guy who knew what he wanted, he transformed that band,” stated Brodeur. 

Fast forward a few years and several bands later, and Brodeur had been playing in a Framingham-based cover band called Moonfast. They were a full-time working band earning $200 a week, meeting girls and having fun.

Brodeur eventually left Moonfast, and in 1976, Amato called Brodeur about a new band he was starting and asked if he’d be interested in becoming their drummer. The quartet, known as ICE, featured two guitarists and a bassist who all sang great harmonies. They mainly covered Queen songs but also Yes, Bad Company and other fashionable contemporary rock bands. 

Their run lasted two years, until 1978. They worked full-time and were extremely popular in the nightclub scene, drawing big crowds, remembered Brodeur. “The band’s stage performance even boasted eye-catching visuals such as colorful lights and dry ice smoke. “That was really a killer, exciting group.”

Amato next played in a Boston-based band called August with his friend Jimmy D’Angelo. Brodeur and the other ICE band members were devastated to lose someone of Amato’s prodigious talent. “Dave, there’s no question that he was the best guy in any band around,” he asserted. 

Move to California
Ever the ambitious one, Amato always eyed his next move, shared Brodeur. After playing in August for two years, that next move became California.  

Amato relocated to Los Angeles in 1980 to boost his career even further. He joined a cover band in the early ‘80s, and Brodeur and other friends visited him in 1981 to watch him perform. 

His first big break came when Jonathan Cain of Journey walked into a club one night and saw him play a show. Cain asked Amato to play on an album with his then wife, musician Tane McClure, related Brodeur.

Career takes off
Amato later ended up playing with artists such as Cher and Julian Lennon. In 1985, Amato joined Ted Nugent’s band, appearing on 1986’s “Little Miss Dangerous” and 1988’s “If You Can’t Lick ‘Em…Lick ‘Em,” and toured with the band. Brodeur said if you listen to the album “Little Miss Dangerous,” Amato sings all the vocals. “The whole record is just Dave singing, and we were just blown away because it was good, and it was like ‘holy cow, he’s playing with Ted Nugent,’” mused Brodeur.

When Nugent’s tour came to Worcester, Amato invited Brodeur and other former bandmates to watch them open for Aerosmith and brought them backstage. Then they all went out for breakfast with Amato and Nugent after the gig. “It was unbelievable watching it happen,” marveled Brodeur. 

Around the same time as the latter Nugent album release, longtime REO Speedwagon guitarist Gary Richrath left the band, and Amato had a chance to play a gig with them. Amato was ultimately hired in 1989 as their replacement lead guitarist and to sing back-up harmonies. 

“At that time they were kind of a has-been,” recollected Brodeur. “Their records had come and gone.” They had traded the arenas of yesteryear for smaller venues such as ballrooms. Soon thereafter, Brodeur and other mutual friends of Amato went to see REO Speedwagon play at the Hampton Beach Ballroom and met all the band members.  

Classic rock nostalgia
REO Speedwagon later experienced a resurgence as a wave of nostalgia for classic rock bands in the late ‘90s spawned successful tours with the likes of Styx, Foreigner, Journey and others. 

“Dave was never one to stay with a band, so he obviously finally found his niche,” explained Brodeur. “I say that because Dave never wanted to be the main singer in a group—although he was the best singer. And so to be a side man in REO, where all he does is sing back-up harmonies—he doesn’t sing any lead vocals—is the perfect match for him, allowing him to focus on his guitar playing.”

Living a clean life
Brodeur described Amato as a gearhead who has always loved buying musical equipment. He has hosted YouTube videos called “Gear Candy” where he showcases his extensive vintage guitar and amp collection. 

While Amato enjoys material possessions such as cars, he never took a drink or did any drugs to Brodeur’s knowledge and “lived a very clean life.” 

“I’m sure Dave’s clean living had a lot to do with all the really good gigs that he ended up having,” he said. 

Brodeur added that most importantly, Amato treats people well. He never forgot his Framingham roots and has provided his old band members and friends from those early days with tickets to REO’s concerts along with backstage passes, including to see them perform with rock icons Def Leppard.

“So you can’t find a better rock star than Dave,” he said.

Brodeur wrote an article for Amato’s website daveamato.com/ice.html around 20 years ago that chronicled their time together in those Framingham bands and reflected on how Amato’s immense talent, infectious energy and relentless pursuit of perfection were evident even then. 

While Brodeur still keeps in touch with Amato, he said he hates to bug him, so he doesn’t call him often. 

Amato still plays with the same band; they just can’t call it REO Speedwagon anymore due to the dispute with Bruce Hall, explained Brodeur. It’s now known as Kevin Cronin Band—The Voice and Songs of REO Speedwagon.

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