The band is actually mentioned two episodes before you appear. When you write a song, you have no idea the journey that song may or may not take you on. "It's like a direct connection with my brother that was our song," LaTonya, 52, told PEOPLE afterward. 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. Artists and entertainers. Cronins decision to forgo a college education for music paid off by the age of 20, hed been recruited by REO Speedwagon as a replacement to original lead vocalist, Terry Luttrell. One day, I was really frustrated because we had an album that was due, and we really needed that song that was going to pick up where Keep On Loving You left off, and we didnt have it. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. REO Speedwagon's official music video for 'Take It On The Run'. 2023 Getty Images. Im finding myself waking up in the middle of the night with ideas, and writing them down and recording them. How a gym teacher, a janitor, and a junkie became part of some very famous band names. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. The bandwe were all kind of going through some chaos in our personal lives. They perform about 100 dates a year. [1] I was really focused on my wife, my children and my homemy children are all in high school now. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. There was no way we would get together because she was with my friend. So to me, my experience has been that my strongest songs are the ones where it all kind of happens at once. I didnt just want to jump on an airplaneit was too big of a move for me. 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. REOSpeedwagonPlans HiInfidelty30thAnniversary Reissue, Tour. I had written some songs before that were okaythey were passable. And sure enough, it ended up working out. 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". Scott Weiland, lead singer of Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver, died December 3 at age 48. Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. I thought that if I co-wrote it with someone, I had a feeling it would lose something that was really necessary for the song to happen. In the REO Speedwagon band, there are two lead singers, and one is Kevin Cronin and Terry Luttrell. Had I seen [that script] But that was episode one. It's been a pretty amazing journey. Derek Chauvin's Use of Force Was 'In No Way, Shape or Form' Proper, Police Chief Testifies. 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. When you talk about (the line) I once had a girl, or should I say, she once had me, the opening line from Norwegian Wood, which is arguably the greatest opening line in the history of songwriting. But it would be fun to have some success as a co-writer. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Recording-history.org is a participant in the Amazon.com Services LLC Associates Program. They sent me the script. 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. 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? Kevin Cronin, lead singer of REO Speedwagon, and LaTonya Floyd, sister of George Floyd, sing "Keep on Loving You" together at The Community of Faith Church in Houston for a prayer vigil . Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. It's a time when many young people feel like they are finally becoming adults. They might not be bothering the charts quite as much these days, but they still know how to pull in the crowds at their live sets. What inspired you to write this song? Sold in excess of 17 million records worldwide. 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. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. DK: Thats a great story about how you wrote Cant Fight This Feeling. Thank you. It gave me an outlet for expressing myself when I was very young and didnt know any other way to do it. This is bullst.". The songs for that album had a certain cohesive nature to them. Get TMZ breaking news sent right to your browser! It just has this huge history to it. What are we doing here? I swear to you, all of a sudden from behind one of our road cases pops the ventriloquists dummy. What was it that inspired you to write it? Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for REO Speedwagon CD Lot! So it was literally time for him to fly. 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Then theres gun violence. I just havent had a great deal of success with it (laughs). REO Speedwagon (originally stylized as R.E.O. 2023 Oscars predictions: See who will win at the 95th Academy Awards. The Guns N' Roses rhythm guitarist in the early '90s, Gilby talks about the band's implosion and the side projects it spawned. But Ive written some of our biggest hits on the piano. So I think that really helped for the album, that it felt like all the songs belonged together. I felt like I had a fever and my stomach hurt. So well seethis year should be interesting. Well, then you're going to love this blog post! 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. I told the writer, You know, thats not what I would normally say. What Ive been saying for I don't know how many years is, Hey Cincinnati, check yourselves out. And then our light guy puts the spots on the audience. When my children were born, I didnt name my children when my wife was pregnant. Search instead in. 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. And then if Im lucky enough to capture that, then the actual craftsmanship comes into play. I didn't know what to make of it. Gary Richrath, a former guitarist for the classic rock band REO Speedwagon who also co-wrote the group's hit song . Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Was "Ring Of Fire" really used to sell hemorrhoid cream? The. Richrath last played with the band in 2013, when the band performed a benefit concert in Bloomington, Illinois, to raise money for tornado victims. If you catch Linda at a wedding be sure to check out the dance floor. I can tell when a song is too much craftsmanship and not enough inspiration. He refers to the band as The Wagon, when fans actually call you REO. 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. In addition to being in the band Carcosa, he has also been in Galactic Pegasus and One More Slice. Weiland died of an accidental overdose of alcohol and drugs, the Hennepin County (Minnesota). Next year is set to be a big one for Cronin and the rest of REO Speedwagon. She began at a small local paper covering up and coming bands. Honestly, when I finished that song, I was really youngI was 18 or 19 when I wrote that song. 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. In 2007, REO Speedwagon released Find Your Own Way Home, their first new album in eleven years. REO Speedwagon has recorded 16 studio albums which have sold a total of more than 40 million units. How do you think Ozark meant for the song to be seen? The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. (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 . 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. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? 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). 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. Chauvin, 44, has pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of George seen on bystander video as Chauvin pressed his knee to George's neck for nearly nine minutes while George lay handcuffed on the ground during his arrest for allegedly spending a counterfeit $20 bill. I learned most of what I know about being in a rock band from Gary Richrath, REO Speedwagons lead singer, Kevin Cronin, wrote on the bands website and Facebook page. When I rejoined, the band had moved from Champaign, Illinois to Los Angeles. REO Speedwagon's official music video for 'Take It On The Run'. and still couldn't believe it -- but it is one of the funniest celeb. YouTube Video link: REO Speedwagon band was one of the top groups in the 20th century. Visit Billboard Pro for music business news, Kodak Black Ordered Into Rehab By Florida Judge, Kodak Black Arrest Warrant Issued in Florida Over Failed Drug Test, Brad Paisley Drops Song Featuring Ukrainian Pres. Its a blessing because Ive always got myself (laughs). 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. 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). 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). Foreigner: Lou Gramm Styx: Dennis DeYoung Journey: Steve Perry REO Speedwagon: Kevin Cronin" Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. With '80s hits like "Keep On Loving You" and "Can't Fight This Feeling," Kevin Cronin became famous as the lead singer of REO Speedwagon. Warning: This article contains spoilers forOzarkseason 3. The last time they toured together was 2018, but now theyre promising a comeback to the stage with a multi-act major tour. So far, Cronin is keeping mum on who the other acts will be, telling Ultimate Classic Rock, The two other bands will remain nameless for the moment but suffice to say, theyre really both great friends of ours. Andrew Baena was born on July 18, 1992, in Canada. Youre with another person, youre bouncing ideas around and I enjoy that. Kevin Cronin took over that role for their next effort, R.E.O./T.W.O. By subscribing, I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, 2023 EHM PRODUCTIONS,INC. Maybe you have and maybe you havent, at least not yet. Afterwards, she spent time with Cronin, his daughter and his manager. A monthly update on our latest interviews, stories and added songs. We did have a feeling that there was something special going on. So we wrote that into the script. When you feel the inspiration for a song, then you have to actually craft it. Speedwagon ), or simply REO, is an American rock band from Champaign, Illinois. He discovered his love for music at an early age, and spent most of his time outside of school honing his guitar skills. "It was just amazing," she said. I was talking to someone today about how the opening line of a song is so important to me. It was kind of shocking in a way. I was an unknown, unproven commodity as far as performingGary never really saw me play anywherehe just came up to my apartment and we got out a couple acoustic guitars, and I played some of my songs. Search instead in. "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.' REO Speedwagon performing on Feb. 5, 1981 in Chicago, Il. When Mike Blair left the band in the summer of 1968, Gregg Philbin replaced . Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. I try to stick with the inspiration, and keep as much of that initial burst of creativity in the song as I possibly can. Free shipping for many products! Now, hes hoping to repeat the success of that classic track, albeit on the printed page. Time for Me to Fly has taken me on an amazing musical journey that started when I wrote it in 1970. Formed in 1967, the group originally included guitarist and lead vocalist Joe Matt, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Blair, keyboardist Neal Doughty and drummer Alan Gratzer. Because I had a couple lines, they gave me the script, and it didn't dawn on me at first, but then I noticed the name of the episode was Kevin Cronin Was Here. I thought that was just a working title. The neck fits my left hand perfectly, and it sounds exactly how I think an electric guitar should sound. In fact, the group's best-selling album is Hi Infidelity. DK: When you write, do you usually create the melody or the lyrics first? All the energy that came back to me was, You might want to think about doing this.. Dont second guess it. "If I want to see if . The song was remixed for the re-release to have more Pop appeal. So it all kind of came true. So my manager, Tom Consolo, set up a writing session with Eric Carmen, who was the lead singer of the Raspberries. We wanted to see the Blue Cat [Lodge; the set is a shuttered bar on Lake Allatoona] and the strip club, Lickety Splitz. Theyre all home (and becoming) young adults. Do you love music? "We laughed, we joked it was like we knew each other forever. They also have pleaded not guilty. "When the call came in for us to appear in, REO Speedwagon's Kevin Cronin on the band's surprising. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Download the TMZ App on the Apple App Store, Download the TMZ App on the Google Play Store. Cronin managed to reach $350,000 before being eliminated after forgetting the lyrics to Donna Summers Last Dance.. REO Speedwagon is an American hard rock band from Champaign, Illinois. REO Speedwagon Even after more than 40 years of success, Kevin Cronin, lead singer of arena rock specialists REO Speedwagon, never takes the band's status for granted. Since rejoining the band, Cronin has penned the bulk of their most successful songs, including Keep the Fire Burnin', I Do Wanna Know, Keep on Loving You, Cant Fight This Feeling, In My Dreams, and Dont Let Him Go. It was not a high point of my life. 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. Turning 17 is a big deal. But the records that came before it, the songs that our fans already knew about, like Keep Pushin and Roll With The Changes and Time For Me To Fly which hadnt really been hits, but our fans knew about them. 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. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Usually for me, the title is the last thing that happens. When they wrote those songs, they were just trying to write good . Meanwhile, their 1988 compilation album, The Hits, entered the Top Rock Albums chart at 49. Kevin Cronin is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and occasional pianist for the American rock band REO Speedwagon. 10 Things You Didnt Know about Andrew Baena, 10 Things You Didnt Know about Angel Vivaldi, The Top 10 Ice Nine Kills Songs From The Silver Scream, 10 Things You Didnt Know about Steve Jordan. Robert Smith doesn't license Cure songs for commercials, but he made an exception in 2004 when he let Hewlett-Packard use "Pictures Of You." I had the verses already written. But my friend, Sammy Hagar, his brand name is Sammy Hagar. Your email address will not be published. Cronin: We talked about Music Manthat song has a very special place for me because it kind of got me the gig. 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. This album contains four US top hits and has sold more than 10 million copies! DK: A few years later, you followed up with another big ballad, Cant Fight This Feeling. Is this song perhaps the most popular song youve written? With Cant Fight This Feeling, I did not know what the name of that song was. I never really took any piano lessonsI just messed around with it and figured it out for myself. Cronin, like the rest of the band, earned a reputation as a party animal. 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? Kevin Cronin is a member of REO Speedwagon, one of the most popular rock bands of the 1980s. It was really my songs that got me the gig. achieved significant commercial success during the 1980s. Back in the day of the album, that was very important. That said, there is little doubt that you will be hearing a great deal more about, Read More 10 Things You Didnt Know about 2KBABYContinue, Few drummers have managed to achieve the reputation that Steve Jordon enjoys in the industry. And when I had that realization, I went down to my piano room and I wrote the B section and the chorus in about 15 minutes. I learned something from thisthat if you pay attention to the song, the song will tell you what it needs. After all, hes been a mainstay in the world of rap music since the late 1980s. So that was special. Zelenskyy on Anniversary of Russian War. Cronin was born on October 6, 1951, in the Chicago suburb of Evanston. 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.. Its like the stars lining up. Gary, Posted by REO Speedwagon onSunday, 13 September 2015, Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox, A daily briefing on what matters in the music industry. Chauvin's defense in his trial, which began March 29 with prosecution testimony, is due to start next week. 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. He needed the money to buy the group's back catalogue. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. 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. But the whole thing about the dentists, that happened in episode one. Cronin: I first joined the band in 1972. DK: One of my favorite songs is Roll With The ChangesI think that song has inspired a lot of people. Well, that got dropped. I sat down and started playing those chordsthat was what the song came from. His initial period with the band proved brief. Cronin: The first album that I made with them was an album called R.E.O./T.W.O., which was our second album. It was just that I needed to really identify where the heart and soul of this piece that I was working on was. Cronin: Well, I will tell youI was thinking about this todaythis year (2016) will be the year that I get back to knucklin down. Even though it wasnt a hit, its a REO fan favorite. 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. It was number one (on the Hot 100 chart) for I think three weeks, which back in the 80s was quite an accomplishment. Tickets start at . Night Ranger original guitarist formed in 1980. From Austin Butler and Cate Blanchett to a potential Best Supporting Actress toss-up, see who EW thinks will win at the 2023 Oscars. Thats another way of doing it. "Gregg . I remember thinking to myselfWowCant Fight This Feelingwhat a horrible, f**king song title. 9/28/2010 1:00 PM PT With '80s hits like " Keep On Loving You " and " Can't Fight This Feeling ," Kevin.