REO Speedwagon's Neal Doughty's marriage to an Austin, Minn., teacher Darya Trimble apparently hasn't brought smiles to some faces.

Got an e-mail from someone unknown to me about the marriage Saturday in downtown Minneapolis. The nuptials were followed by dinner at Basil's for the couple, whose union made a "lovely family," according to my e-mailer. Said e-mailer later wrote that this was supposed to be kept private and requested that I not disclose his/her e-mail address. After a couple contacts at Basil's, I confirmed that Doughty had booked a private area for a dinner that night.

Then I began calling people today in Austin named Trimble, not knowing that was Darya's former married name; I thought it might have been her maiden name.

Talked to Scott Trimble, whose family runs Trimble Cycle Center, who confirmed that he was the father of Darya's children and that his ex-wife had in fact married the REO Speedwagon guy.

"I'm fine," he said, when asked how he was doing. After telling him I was doing a column item about her remarriage, I asked whether he could call Darya and ask her to call me. "Um, I don't want to talk to her; you can talk to her. I have no desire to talk to her," Scott Trimble said, giving me her number.

When I asked him a question about his ex-wife's relationship with the rocker, Scott Trimble even said, "I'm not going to get into that with you. You can talk to her." As I thanked him for his help, Scott said, "Wow," while hanging up the phone.

"So what exactly kind of comment did you get from Scott?" Darya said to me. I gave her a recap, and she said, "No, I don't want you to make this about my relationship with my ex-husband.

"Neal and I are happy. Our kids are happy. I can understand. No more comment. No more comment. Would you like a story or do you want smut?" As she whispered in the background, I indicated that I just wanted to know what happened. She laughed, said "Wow" and hung up.

While Darya may continue to be crazy about REO Speedwagon, I gather that love isn't shared by members of the Trimble family.

"My kids in the '70s listened to" REO, said Marlys Trimble, who identified herself as a regular reader of this column. Scott's "got one of his albums, I guess, if he hasn't smashed it."

The breakup "was a shock here. This town isn't that large, you know," she added.

Asked whether it was accurate that Darya is a teacher, Marlys said, "Um-hum, and I guess a very good teacher."

Marlys said she was hearing the same gossip my e-mailer included about Doughty owning a residence in Minneapolis but planning to buy a place in Austin. A defunct REO fan website joked a few years ago that Doughty was looking for his "fourth wife." Keep on rolling. WOW.

C.J. is at 612.332.TIPS or cj@startribune.com. E-mailers, please state a subject -- "Hello" doesn't count. Attachments are not opened, so don't even try. More of her attitude can be seen on FOX 9 Thursday mornings.