lead singer of reo speedwagon lead singer of reo speedwagon

When Mike Blair left the band in the summer of 1968, Gregg Philbin replaced . DK: When you write, do you usually create the melody or the lyrics first? Thats not to say they never willsongs have a way of surfacing in the future sometimes. 1 of 13. But Ive written some of our biggest hits on the piano. Some of the greatest songs ever have been written by songwriting partnerships. In 2008, Cronin took a break from the recording studio to appear as a celebrity contestant on Dont Forget the Lyrics! The premise of the show revolved around contestants competing for a prize pot of $1million by selecting songs to sing along to alongside a karaoke-style video screen. Richrath co-wrote some of the bands songs, including Take It on the Run, which became a Top 5 pop hit on the Billboard charts. Cronin: I first joined the band in 1972. As a result, hes spent more time with them in the past 18 months than he ever has, and says the bond theyve formed will remain forever.. Hi Infidelity blew the doors off the joint and people went back and discovered (early albums like)You Can Tune a Piano, But You Cant Tuna Fish and discovered R.E.O/T.W.O, and all the songs on those albums. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. I just really felt like it was a two-person job [this past year] more than ever. When youre writing a song, you have no idea where that songs going to end upyou dont know whats going to happen. During the peak of their success, the band was an almost permanent fixture on the Billboard Hot 100, racking up 13 Top 40 hits, two number 1s, and selling over 40 million records in total. Read REO Speedwagon's bio and find out more about REO Speedwagon's songs, albums, and chart history. Now Central Louisiana fans will have the chance to hear those songs and more live in concert when REO Speedwagon performs at 7:30 p.m. on March 16 at the Rapides Parish Coliseum. A dentist tells Wendy he wants REO to plays a dental convention on the Missouri Belle riverboat casino. Cronin: Ive written songs on both, honestly. I just couldnt get the courage up, to make that leap of vulnerability, to share with her that I had feelings for her that were more than friendship. Directed by Arnold Levine, the black-and-white footage was shot at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri at their show on May 13, 1978. So if the viewer remembers that this is a dental convention, that line is kind of funny. What are we doing here? I swear to you, all of a sudden from behind one of our road cases pops the ventriloquists dummy. I sat down and started playing those chordsthat was what the song came from. REO Speedwagon is an American hard rock band from Champaign, Illinois. So when the Hi Infidelity album came out and Keep On Loving You went to number one, then suddenly people started looking back and realized, Wait a minute, that was REOs 11th album, maybe I should check out their earlier albums because there might be some good songs on it after all (laughs). this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. "I had my eyes closed the whole time picturing my brother. It was a little unsettling; exciting but new. Notably, both Cant Fight This Feeling and Keep On Loving You reached number one on Billboards Hot 100 singles chart, and became two of the most popular rock ballads of the 1980s. "I have this Forrest Gump-ian way of touching something and it becomes a hit!" The cause of death has not yet been. Maybe it was just the timing of when it was released. So to me, my experience has been that my strongest songs are the ones where it all kind of happens at once. Is the lead singer of REO Speedwagon married? When we play Time for Me to Fly in concert, it's always one of those songs that gets a big response. I sat there on the floor of my bedroom, and I thought, Alright, what is this song all about? Why cant I name this songwhy cant I write the chorus for this song? The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. Then as many of my songs do, I write them and then I kind of learn about myself when Im finished with them. says the actress. Kevin Cronin, lead singer of REO Speedwagon performs at the Illinois Bicentennial party at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois, December 3, 2018. After all, hes been a mainstay in the world of rap music since the late 1980s. Cronin: I would hope that the point [of this story is], when youre writing a song, you have to stick with your gut. It's a different feeling, because I'm not used to it. Weiland died of an accidental overdose of alcohol and drugs, the Hennepin County (Minnesota). Band members read about that anecdote in PEOPLE and responded by contacting Floyd family attorney, Ben Crump, to say they'd like to give LaTonya a surprise. He was 65. All the songs I write, they spring from an initial burst of creativity that kind of gets the ball rolling. So thats going to be a lot of fun. Considering the band has toured with everyone from Def Leppard to Status Quo and Chicago, it promises to be unmissable. REO Speedwagon's 1971 debut album was with their original lead singer, Terry Luttrell. The MCUs tiniest heroes are kicking off its biggest phase yet, setting up the next several years of storytelling. Can't Fight This Feeling The subjects that we were writing about were what was going on in our lives, since we were all in the same boat in a lot of ways. Before we start the interview, here is some information about REO Speedwagons hit discography, and about the other members of the band, both past and present. Your email address will not be published. How do you think Ozark meant for the song to be seen? October 6, 1951 Birthplace Evanston , IL Age 71 years old Birth Sign Libra About American guitarist and lead singer for the rock band REO Speedwagon who wrote "Keep on Loving You" and "Can't Fight This Feeling." Before Fame He was first chosen as the second lead singer of REO Speedwagon at age twenty in 1971. I feel songs are kind of the same way. We thought it was all going to be right next to each other, like on the show. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. I didnt just want to jump on an airplaneit was too big of a move for me. The album contained four Top 40 hits: Keep On Loving You and Dont Let Him Go (written by Cronin), plus Take It On The Run and In Your Letter (written by lead guitarist Gary Richrath, who left REO in 1989 and sadly passed away in 2015). It was basically Garys responsibility to write the songs, and I think he realized thatyou know what they saythat you have your whole life to write your first album but only a year to write your second albnm. Here is the Q&A interview with Kevin Cronin: DK: When did you join REO Speedwagon, andhow did you developa key role as the bands singer & songwriter? Richrath last played with the band in 2013, when the band performed a benefit concert in Bloomington, Illinois, to raise money for tornado victims. The first line of "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone" is "It was the 3rd of September," which is the day lead singer Dennis Edwards' father died. You know, I went through some fictional years there in the past! Theyre all home (and becoming) young adults. REO Speedwagon (originally stylized as R.E.O. He refused to bail him out, something he credits with putting Paris, whos now sober, on the road to recovery The songs on the album were written about the experience, which Cronin has described as the darkest, yet most fulfilling, chapter of my life.. He was like, 'Oh my God, you're a true fan!' Maybe you have and maybe you havent, at least not yet. I felt like I had a fever and my stomach hurt. DK: Besides some of your big hits, what are some of your songs that are your favorites? Cronin: That song, coincidentally, was number one 35 years ago from right now. "It was just amazing," she said. In the episodes opening sequence, Time for Me to Fly is used, then its on the car radio and Laura Linneys character Wendy is singing along. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. So I sat there and looked at my lyric notebook and if you think about it, the opening line of the song is I cant fight this feeling any longer. That was likeBingo! I'm self-taught on. Turning 17 is a big deal. Now, hes hoping to repeat the success of that classic track, albeit on the printed page. Dont second guess it. About The Lead Singer Of REO Speedwagon We started out as friends. George Floyd's Sister Says Trial Reminds Her of Suffering He Endured: 'He Felt Every Ounce of Pain'. REO Speedwagon performing on Feb. 5, 1981 in Chicago, Il. Midway through the song, the words disappeared from the screen and the singer had to rely on memory to get through the rest. Who do you think is listening: old fans who were reminded of REO by the show, or young listeners just discovering the band? Gary Richrath, a former guitarist for the classic rock band REO Speedwagon who also co-wrote the groups hit song Take It on the Run, died Sunday, according to a publicist for the band. "We laughed, we joked it was like we knew each other forever. Well, it turns out that the casino is on one lake and the Blue Cat on another. After the stage performance, we sang, 'I Can't Fight This Feeling' and a couple of his other songs. DK: These days, so much of the songwriting process is co-writing, particularly in Nashville. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. And sure enough, it ended up working out. written by REO Speedwagon January 22, 2016, As the lead singer & songwriterof the multi-platinum rock band REO Speedwagon, Kevin Cronin has been the bands guiding force since joining the group in the mid-1970s. He was a member of the band when it released its self-titled debut in 1971 and was with REO Speedwagon until 1989. REO Speedwagon skyrocketed to fame in 1980 with their chart topping . Send me email updates and offers from TMZ and its Affiliates. Collect, curate and comment on your files. But then once I got done with the craftsmanship part of it, I thought HeyI think I could hear this song on the radiopeople might want to listen to it. Its funny, when youre just starting out as a songwriterwhen youre trying to figure things out and see what your path is and where youre headingas I reminisce and think about it, it seems I have these sweet memories of that time. How Marvel went big with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Formed in 1967, the group originally included drummer and backing vocalist Alan Gratzer, guitarist and lead vocalist Joe Matt, bassist and lead vocalist Mike Blair, and keyboardist Neal Doughty. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. Tell me about being on set to film your scene. Last year, we called our tour the Family First Tour. DK: I know you play both guitar and piano onstage. I think the main reason that I got the gig, was that REO had released one album, and they were working on songs for their second album for Epic Records. What inspired you to write this song? Michael Bryan Murphy took his place, and remained with the band until Cronin stepped back up to the mic in January 1976. Kevin Cronin and Gary Richrath of REO Speedwagon at the Poplar Creek Music Theater in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, August 24, 1980. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. Required fields are marked *. It must have been 1989 after [late guitarist/songwriter] Gary Richrath and I parted ways and the band was at kind of a low point. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Recording-history.org is a participant in the Amazon.com Services LLC Associates Program. Se do you feel more comfortable writing the song by yourself, or do you also love the process of co-writing? The memoir (which is tentatively titled Roll With the Changes: My Life Within and Without REO Speedwagon) is now in its final stages -according to Cronin, it should be finished in time for a 2022 release. By subscribing, I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, 2023 EHM PRODUCTIONS,INC. The songs for that album had a certain cohesive nature to them. But I remember when I just struggling to figure it out and the journey that a song takes is so remarkable and thinking back as a young songwriter, I remember that Keep Pushin was the first song that I actually wrote that I thought Yeah, I could hear this on the radio. If it came on the radio, I dont think I would turn the channel (laughs). According to legend, Cronin thrashed out the lyrics to REO Speedwagons Roll With the Changes on the back of a trash bag. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. So when theres chaos in your personal life, then you look to the band for that security. They sent me the script. Billboard is a part of Penske Media Corporation. As forbes.com reports, the end result was that thousands of viewers flocked out to buy or stream the bands back catalog, leading to a major resurgence on a number of Billboard charts. I had written some songs before that were okaythey were passable. Or maybe it was a little thing to make me feel at home? Click to listen to REO Speedwagon on Spotify: http://smarturl.it/REOspot?IQid=RUN Show more REO Speedwagon - Event. Well, that got dropped. But my friend, Sammy Hagar, his brand name is Sammy Hagar. Even our (REO) song Take It On The Run which Gary Richrath wrote, Heard it from a friend, who heard it from a friend, who heard it from another youve been messin aroundwhen I heard that line that Gary wrote, I said this song is amazing. I was determined to do everything I could possibly do to get that song finished and help Gary in any way, so we could record that song, because that opening line just killed me. After trying to help him via interventions and stints in rehab, the family hit rock bottom when they received a phone call to say Paris had been arrested for possession. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. With Cant Fight This Feeling, I did not know what the name of that song was. The episode also featured one of the bands most popular tunes, Time for Me to Fly. Its fair to say they hadnt troubled the charts for some years, but the show seemed to remind people of just how good they could be. Ive sat down with peopleIve written with some great writers in Nashville, and for whatever reason, none of those songs have really panned out. Theres something going on emotionally for me, usually some kind of a feeling that I either dont understand yet, or I understand and havent figured out how to express it yet. Had I seen [that script] But that was episode one. I remember that I sat down on the floor of my bedroom, and I was literally almost in tears. Although Philbin left the band just before they reached the heights of their commercial success, lead singer Kevin Cronin wrote that no one should forget his contribution to REO Speedwagon's sound. REO Speedwagon's official music video for 'Take It On The Run'. It took me 10 days. Teens Crash Through Overpass In Stolen Car 2023 EHM PRODUCTIONS,INC. For our episode, they had me on stage delivering a couple of lines. The song was remixed for the re-release to have more Pop appeal. ", "How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You" by Marvin Gaye was inspired by Jackie Gleason's saying, "How Sweet It Is!". When you were recording Hi Infidelity, did you and the band feel that this was your best album up to that point? Click to buy the track or album via iTunes: http://smarturl.it/REOEssiTunes?IQid=RUNGoogle Play: http://smarturl.it/REORunPlay?IQid=RUNAmazon: http://smarturl.it/REOEssAmz?IQid=RUNMore from REO SpeedwagonKeep On Loving You: https://youtu.be/wJzNZ1c5C9cCan't Fight This Feeling: https://youtu.be/zpOULjyy-n8Here With Me: https://youtu.be/m8yKgLKJFjQMore great classic rock videos here: http://smarturl.it/ClassicRocks?IQid=RUNFollow REO SpeedwagonWebsite: http://www.speedwagon.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/REOSpeedwagonOfficialTwitter: https://twitter.com/kcreospeedwagonInstagram: https://instagram.com/reospeedwagonofficial/Subscribe to REO Speedwagon on YouTube: http://smarturl.it/REOsub?IQid=RUN---------Lyrics:Heard it from a friend whoHeard it from a friend whoHeard it from another you been messin' aroundThey say you got a boy friendYou're out late every weekendThey're talkin' about you and it's bringin' me downBut I know the neighborhoodAnd talk is cheap when the story is goodAnd the tales grow taller on down the lineBut I'm telling you, babeThat I don't think it's true, babeAnd even if it is keep this in mindYou take it on the run babyIf that's the way you want it babyThen I don't want you aroundI don't believe itNot for a minuteYou're under the gun so you take it on the run I try to stick with the inspiration, and keep as much of that initial burst of creativity in the song as I possibly can. When you feel the inspiration for a song, then you have to actually craft it. 2023 Billboard Media, LLC. Pam Grier reflects on her most iconic roles, from, Paul McCartney was in too much 'emotional pain' to keep the Beatles going after John Lennon left. Cronin, like the rest of the band, earned a reputation as a party animal. Kevin Patrick Cronin (born October 6, 1951) is an American singer and songwriter, who is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and pianist for the rock band REO Speedwagon. The current lineup of REO Speedwagon consists of Cronin, original member Neal Doughty (keyboards), Bruce Hall (bass), Dave Amato (lead guitar) and Bryan Hitt (drums). We did a tour of Mexico. Are you and the band working on a new studio album? DK: One of my favorite songs is Roll With The ChangesI think that song has inspired a lot of people. As we all know, those memories are Who is the lead singer in REO Speedwagon? This song, even though it wasnt finished yet, meant so much to me and it was such a big part of who I am, that I just knew that I wanted to finish this song myself. The band REO Speedwagon, which originated in Champaign, Illinois, in 1967, consists of original member Neal Doughty, 67; Kevin Cronin and Bruce Hall, who joined in the 1970s; and Dave Amato and Brian Hitt, who came aboard in 1989. My biggest successes are songs that I write myself. DK: Keep On Loving You from Hi Infidelity is a great song. Artists and entertainers. Id just started to write a couple little silly songs. Who knows what came first, the chicken or the egg there. When Gary (Richrath) heard that song, it signaled to him that I had some ability as a songwriter. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. Get recommendations for other artists you'll love. But if theres one guitar he never leaves home without, its his trusty 52 Fender Telecaster. Three other now-former officers on the scene face related charges in George's death, and will be tried later this summer. But it certainly did come together. He has written many classic hit songs for REO, including Cant Fight This Feeling, Keep On Loving You, Roll With The Changes, Keep The Fire Burnin, Time For Me To Fly, Dont Let Him Go, That Aint Love, Keep Pushin and In My Dreams.. It's a time when many young people feel like they are finally becoming adults. 12 best REO Speedwagon songs 1. I was in a tough position. So when I finished Cant Fight This Feeling, I realized that yeah, Ive gotta make this move. Ive gotta do what Im saying in this songIve got to make this happen. DK: A couple years later REO released Hi Infidelity, which became your biggest album. If someone swipes it, that would be total bad karma for them. I was kind of a late bloomermusic was my vehicle. But I was probably over halfway finished with Cant Fight This Feeling, and I felt that it was something special. But for me, I usually write the song first and then I find the title in the song. (1972), but it was rough sledding, and while they were making their third album, Ridin' the Storm Out (1973), he left over conflict with guitarist Gary Richrath and other creative tensions . In early 1968, Terry Luttrell became lead singer, and Bob Crownover joined as the guitar player, replacing Matt. So I called up and cancelled the songwriting session. Meanwhile, their 1988 compilation album, The Hits, entered the Top Rock Albums chart at 49. Another one like that is Keep Pushin, which I wrote a little after Music Man. That was another one where I felt likeit was soulfulI wrote it right from the heart. Thats another way of doing it. Tickets start at . Then theres gun violence. On Friday, as the trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin for George Floyd's murder continued in Minneapolis, REO lead singer Kevin Cronin joined LaTonya and others for a vigil honoring George, 46, at The Community of Faith Church in Houston, where Cronin and LaTonya stood on stage and sang the song together. My longtime friend and collaborator Gary Richrath passed away earlier today. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. So I think that really helped for the album, that it felt like all the songs belonged together. Friday's prayer vigil with its call for justice on George's behalf "was beautiful," LaTonya said. So the songs come in all different shapes and forms. DK: I think Keep Pushin is one of the great songs from REOs early years, and maybe if it was released later in the mid-80s when the band was so hot, it could have been another big hit. The song kind of came first. I just havent had a great deal of success with it (laughs). When I rejoined, the band had moved from Champaign, Illinois to Los Angeles. Here it is, 50 years later, and it's still out there appealing to people; bringing up emotions, making people smile. It just so happens that the album came out when I was in junior high school. It was really my songs that got me the gig. I've also got a horrible habit of needing the absolute newest technological wonder, whether it's stable or not. DK: Thats a great story about how you wrote Cant Fight This Feeling. Thank you. Kevin Cronin took over that role for their next effort, R.E.O./T.W.O. Yet Im thinking this song is so important to me and I think its got the potential to be a real special song in the world, but this title is going to kill it. Cronin, 68, spoke to EW by phone about how his band ended up in the show, what it was like being on set, and also revealed one of the weirdest gigs REO Speedwagon ever played. It took a long time, and I wrote that song before I finally got the guts to tell her. I remember where I was when I wrote that song. He was 65. But I was looking at the discography of your hits, and I noticed that you wrote your biggest hits by yourself. Cronin: I cant say that we felt that. Kevin Cronin, lead singer of REO Speedwagon performs at the Illinois Bicentennial party at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois, December 3, 2018. Afterwards, she spent time with Cronin, his daughter and his manager. Time for Me to Fly has taken me on an amazing musical journey that started when I wrote it in 1970. How a gym teacher, a janitor, and a junkie became part of some very famous band names. Do you love music? Who is the lead singer in REO Speedwagon? All of his kids have left home, but when his daughter started working remotely and his sons colleges closed, all three moved back into the family home. The bands most famous album, Hi Infidelity, which was released in 1980, has sold 10 million copies and became the best-selling rock album of 1981. However, there, Read More 10 Things You Didnt Know about DJ PaulContinue, Your email address will not be published. Lead Singer of REO Speedwagon: 'Memba Him? [I think] co-writing is a lot of funit definitely makes the process of songwriting more enjoyable because youre not sitting there by yourself. John Waite was the lead singer for the Babys and Bad English but most likely you know him from his smash single "Missing You." Most recently, he dropped his tenth studio album "Rough & Tumble". It's been a pretty amazing journey. Hearing Time for Me to Fly in that show, there may well be people who heard that song for the first time and went, Oh, that's cool. But the whole thing about the dentists, that happened in episode one. Speaking to Guitar World about his favorite piece of kit, he said: People tell me its too valuable to take on tour, but I love playing that guitar so much that I dont care. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for REO Speedwagon CD Lot! "The lead singer of REO Speedwagon, Kevin he's a rock-n-roll Hall of Famer he said, 'How about that LaTonya, your first live performance, and you've got a platinum record already.' We recorded it in Nashville, and the song of mine that [probably] got me the gig was called Music Man. It was never a huge hit, but its still in the REO setlist and it was basically my fantasy of how my life would turn out. But, spoiler alert: REO plays a major role in one Season 3 episode, which also happens to be named after the band's lead singer, Kevin Cronin. He goes, [Spanish accent] This is bullst. His initial period with the band proved brief. At that time, my [twin] sons were 19 and my daughter was 22. Its an example of the power of television. 2023 Getty Images. You have entered an incorrect email address! and still couldn't believe it -- but it is one of the funniest celeb.