(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 . It just has this huge history to it. DK: When you write, do you usually create the melody or the lyrics first? Cronin, like the rest of the band, earned a reputation as a party animal. 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. 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 also presented LaTonya with the plaque commemorating the Billboard chart-topping single's 1981 platinum status for sales of more than 1 million copies. Zelenskyy on Anniversary of Russian War. Tickets start at . Its a blessing because Ive always got myself (laughs). From Austin Butler and Cate Blanchett to a potential Best Supporting Actress toss-up, see who EW thinks will win at the 2023 Oscars. "I had my eyes closed the whole time picturing my brother. Sold in excess of 17 million records worldwide. Up until then, the songwriting was credited to the whole bandthat they all wrote the songs togetherbut I think the truth was that it was mostly Gary who would spark (the songs creation) and then the band would get together and jam and finish it. In our episode, my line is, Hey, are there any dentists in the crowd tonight?" 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. 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. Its kind of a blessing and a curse. 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. YouTube Video link: REO Speedwagon band was one of the top groups in the 20th century. What are we doing here? I swear to you, all of a sudden from behind one of our road cases pops the ventriloquists dummy. Friday's prayer vigil with its call for justice on George's behalf "was beautiful," LaTonya said. says the actress. 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. If they made a home-version of the LHC, I'd have 2. 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. 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". Lead Singer of REO Speedwagon: 'Memba Him? Cronin was born on October 6, 1951, in the Chicago suburb of Evanston. As my father always used to say, you only get one chance to make a first impression, and in songwriting thats ityour opening line. There was no way we would get together because she was with my friend. "When the call came in for us to appear in, REO Speedwagon's Kevin Cronin on the band's surprising. How Marvel went big with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. He guards that guitar with his life., The COVID lockdowns havent exactly been pleasant, but through adversity, comes opportunity, and in Cronins case, hes relished the chance to reconnect with his family. Gary Richrath, a former guitarist for the classic rock band REO Speedwagon who also co-wrote the group's hit song . REO Speedwagon's official music video for 'Take It On The Run'. Cronin: I think so. I kind of operate under the brand name of REO Speedwagon. So that was the song that kind of got it going. What inspired you to write this song? These are ten things you didnt, Read More 10 Things You Didnt Know about Andrew BaenaContinue, Angel Vivaldi is a New Jersey-based progressive metal guitarist, composer, producer, environmentalist, and philanthropist. 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 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.. Grazing In The Grass by The Friends Of Distinction was the first big hit to use the phrase "dig it" in the lyric. LaTonya Floyd, at right, with sister Zsa Zsa Floyd at their brother George's funeral June 9, 2020. 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. Basically, the only songs I can play on piano are those that I wrote (he laughs). 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. Pam Grier reflects on her most iconic roles, from Coffy to Jackie Brown. So when theres chaos in your personal life, then you look to the band for that security. 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. Erik Stein confirmed on Monday that Richrath passed away but offered no details about the cause of death. Kevin Cronin of REO Speedwagon at the Poplar Creek Music Theater in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, September 10, 1982. REO Speedwagon has released a number of successful albums, including 1980s Hi Infidelity,which sold 10 million copies in the United States. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. With Cant Fight This Feeling, I did not know what the name of that song was. DK: So what were you thinking about, when you wrote Cant Fight This Feeling? Additionally, I've been playing music for the better part of 14 years. Maybe it was just the timing of when it was released. I was writing [the words] on this brown paper bag as I was rolling down the road. Search instead in. 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. It was the first song where I thought, Wow, I kind of like this song (laughs). DK: More recently, REO has released the album Find Your Own Way Home in 2007 and REOs Christmas album in 2009. 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. His initial period with the band proved brief. Learn how your comment data is processed. You know, I went through some fictional years there in the past! Kevin Cronin -- lead singer of '80s rock group REO Speedwagon -- heard the words straight from his own son's mouth . Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. So my manager, Tom Consolo, set up a writing session with Eric Carmen, who was the lead singer of the Raspberries. For our episode, they had me on stage delivering a couple of lines. Among other things, the memoir promises to lift the lid on Cronins troubled relationship with bandmate Gary Richrath, who died from complications following surgery in 2016. 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. He needed the money to buy the group's back catalogue. Derek Chauvin's Use of Force Was 'In No Way, Shape or Form' Proper, Police Chief Testifies. Luke Bolen: Musician in Bradenton, Florida. I sat down and started playing those chordsthat was what the song came from. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Cronin: We talked about Music Manthat song has a very special place for me because it kind of got me the gig. In addition to REO's jaunty 1978 hit Time for Me to Fly being used during a drug cartel kidnapping sequence, the group also makes a cameo, playing a concert at the casino and entering into a money laundering arrangement with Marty (Jason Bateman). Want to know what everyone in the music business is talking about. Kevin Cronin, lead singer of REO Speedwagon performs at the Illinois Bicentennial party at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois, December 3, 2018. Whether you're young or old, everyone loves a good song about memories and good times. Artists and entertainers. But with [Music Man] I thought, Hmmmthis song had structure to it, it has a nice feel to it, there were some nice rhymes in it. George Floyd (center) with LaTonya Floyd and her stepson Treyshawn Barker. I just really felt like it was a two-person job [this past year] more than ever. Se do you feel more comfortable writing the song by yourself, or do you also love the process of co-writing? So we wrote that into the script. Well, that got dropped. 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. He was a member of the band when it released its self-titled debut in 1971 and was with REO Speedwagon until 1989. It was one of those albums which was definitely top-heavy with songs that people, to this daythey come to our concerts and we play at least five or six songs from Hi Infidelity every night. "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.' Dont second guess it. And my immediate reaction was, Wait a minute, all the other characters are fictional, except for us. I'm strictly nonfiction at this point in my life. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Recording-history.org is a participant in the Amazon.com Services LLC Associates Program. I kind of want to hear some more about that. To a lesser extent perhaps, [its like] when Journeys Dont Stop Believin got played on the Sopranos final episode and that just breathed new life into that song. Having accidentally begun writing his autobiography during REO Speedwagons 2016 tour with Status Quo, the enforced hiatus from touring bought about by the pandemic has made him get serious about it. The first was a Hey, everybody, how you doing? thing. 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 . "It was just amazing," she said. Theyre one of my favorite bands of all time, and I thought it was, Read More The Top 10 Ice Nine Kills Songs From The Silver ScreamContinue, Have you heard of American rap artist 2KBABY? When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. I had written some songs before that were okaythey were passable. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. DK: I know you play both guitar and piano onstage. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Kevin Cronin took over that role for their next effort, R.E.O./T.W.O. I didnt put a whole lot of time and energy into the creative part of what I do. When Mike Blair left the band in the summer of 1968, Gregg Philbin replaced . My wife is an amazing person. When I rejoined, the band had moved from Champaign, Illinois to Los Angeles. 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. Who is the lead singer in REO Speedwagon? 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. But the whole thing about the dentists, that happened in episode one. It just so happens that the album came out when I was in junior high school. I wrote Keep On Loving You, Cant Fight This Feeling and Roll With The Changes on the piano. But at the end of the episode, Marty gets dragged out of our concert and you don't know what happens to him until the next episode, where he's in Mexico. 'Heartland' Actor Robert Cormier Dead at 33 Lead Singer of REO Speedwagon: 'Memba Him? DK: One of my favorite songs is Roll With The ChangesI think that song has inspired a lot of people. Showing Editorial results for kevin cronin of reo speedwagon. The first time I was introduced to her, when I saw herit was that love at first sight feeling. 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. When my children were born, I didnt name my children when my wife was pregnant. But I was looking at the discography of your hits, and I noticed that you wrote your biggest hits by yourself. Theyre all home (and becoming) young adults. Charlie discusses the songs that made him a Southern Rock icon, and settles the Devil vs. Johnny argument once and for all. "We laughed, we joked it was like we knew each other forever. 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. We did a tour of Mexico. Kevin Cronin Of REO Speedwagon Talks About His Classic Hits And His Songwriting written by REO Speedwagon January 22, 2016 As the lead singer & songwriter of the multi-platinum rock band REO Speedwagon, Kevin Cronin has been the band's guiding force since joining the group in the mid-1970s. We thought it was all going to be right next to each other, like on the show. [I think] co-writing is a lot of funit definitely makes the process of songwriting more enjoyable because youre not sitting there by yourself. I just havent had a great deal of success with it (laughs). REO Speedwagon has recorded 16 studio albums which have sold a total of more than 40 million units. I remember thinking to myselfWowCant Fight This Feelingwhat a horrible, f**king song title. REO Speedwagon lead singer Kevin Cronin turns to his kids for advice when deciding on new projects including the band's recent cameo on Netflix's "Ozark.". You have an entire episode of Ozark named after you (Kevin Cronin Was Here) and you and the band perform Time for Me to Fly in it. I was really focused on my wife, my children and my homemy children are all in high school now. Richrath was born in October 1949, according to public records. "Pretty In Pink" by Psychedelic Furs was released in 1981. But for me, I usually write the song first and then I find the title in the song. We wanted to see the Blue Cat [Lodge; the set is a shuttered bar on Lake Allatoona] and the strip club, Lickety Splitz. Since starting his career at the age of 19 as the house drummer on Saturday Night Live, hes graduated into, Read More 10 Things You Didnt Know about Steve JordanContinue, If youre a fan of rap music, you might be quite familiar with the name DJ Paul. I never really took any piano lessonsI just messed around with it and figured it out for myself. But if theres one guitar he never leaves home without, its his trusty 52 Fender Telecaster. It took a long time, and I wrote that song before I finally got the guts to tell her. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. Back in the day of the album, that was very important. 2023 Getty Images. Maybe you have and maybe you havent, at least not yet. Hes a real sweet guy and hes written some big hit ballads, and we were supposed to co-write. Richrath last played with the band in 2013, when the band performed a benefit concert in Bloomington, Illinois, to raise money for tornado victims. REOSpeedwagonPlans HiInfidelty30thAnniversary Reissue, Tour. It's been a pretty amazing journey. I didn't know what to make of it. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, REO Speedwagon scored numerous hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including two chart-topping singles written by Cronin: "Keep on Loving You" (1981) and "Can't Fight This Feeling" (1982). Songwriting and music has always been my savior in that way. Kevin Cronin is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and occasional pianist for the American rock band REO Speedwagon. Cronin managed to reach $350,000 before being eliminated after forgetting the lyrics to Donna Summers Last Dance.. Weiland died of an accidental overdose of alcohol and drugs, the Hennepin County (Minnesota). Ozark, a dark, violent drama about family both the crime and blood variety is not the kind of show where youd expect to hear the light classic rock stylings of REO Speedwagon. If you catch Linda at a wedding be sure to check out the dance floor. The 10 Best Ty Dolla Sign Songs of All-Time, The 10 Best Lupe Fiasco Songs of All-Time, The 10 Best 4 Non Blondes Songs of All-Time, The 10 Best Marina and the Diamonds Songs of All-Time, The 10 Best Ruben Blades Songs of All-Time. All the energy that came back to me was, You might want to think about doing this.. I feel so sad. She's thinking about what her life would be like without [Marty/Jason Bateman]. They also have pleaded not guilty. 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. We started out as friends. The opening line may be even more important than the title. It was monumental.". 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.. I couldnt do it the real way that human beings communicate (laughs). Formed in 1966, the band cultivated a following during the 1970s and achieved significant commercial success throughout the 1980s. These days, though, its a different story. Even though it wasnt a hit, its a REO fan favorite. But I think it served its purpose because people at the record company heard it, REO Speedwagon fans heard itif they didnt hear it on the radio they heard us playing it live. About The Lead Singer Of REO Speedwagon Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. He left education after graduating from Chicagos Brother Rice High School, having already become convinced that his future lay in music, not business. I was talking to someone today about how the opening line of a song is so important to me. As time went on, and my buddy broke up with her, we still remained friends. 2023 Billboard Media, LLC. When we play those songs, you can just feel the energy in the room light up. I wrote Time For Me To Fly on the guitarmost of my songs I write on the acoustic guitar. He refers to the band as The Wagon, when fans actually call you REO. Does anyone call you The Wagon? But Ive written some of our biggest hits on the piano. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. These words do not come close to expressing the depth of emotions I am feeling at this time.. Cronin is known to play Ovations on tour, and even has his own signature guitar from the brand. I was kind of a late bloomermusic was my vehicle. I am an avid Mac-user, nerd, musician, freelancer, and gamer. Because of all the traveling wed done, and the work wed been doing over the years, we all just arrived at this place where we really needed each other as brothers for mutual support. I could have very easily followed that fear that I had about that title and thought Oh Man, I better not call it this, because of some commercial concern. Michael Bryan Murphy took his place, and remained with the band until Cronin stepped back up to the mic in January 1976. Sure enough, its proven itself right so many times for me, that I have to really believe its a truth that I can count on. DK: A couple years later REO released Hi Infidelity, which became your biggest album. Then when our family sat down to watch Season 3 and I saw they actually kept that name for the episode, it was a kick. In the REO Speedwagon band, there are two lead singers, and one is Kevin Cronin and Terry Luttrell. . Notably, these five band members have been together since 1989. 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. Linda has been writing professionally since November 2012. And then if Im lucky enough to capture that, then the actual craftsmanship comes into play. REO Speedwagon's official music video for 'Take It On The Run'. 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. REO Speedwagon performing on Feb. 5, 1981 in Chicago, Il. In fact, the group's best-selling album is Hi Infidelity. Yes! 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. After the stage performance, we sang, 'I Can't Fight This Feeling' and a couple of his other songs. If someone swipes it, that would be total bad karma for them. REO Speedwagon performing on Feb. 5, 1981 in Chicago, Il. We didnt set out to write a concept album, but the songs do hang together conceptually, because we were all going through similar things. 2023 Oscars predictions: See who will win at the 95th Academy Awards. Have you ever played a dental convention or equally oddball gig? Kevin Cronin is a member of REO Speedwagon, one of the most popular rock bands of the 1980s. When you write a song, you have no idea the journey that song may or may not take you on.