When you were recording Hi Infidelity, did you and the band feel that this was your best album up to that point? 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 . 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). It was not a high point of my life. Michael Murphy (actor) (born 1938), American actor Mike Murphy (musician) (1946-2006), American drummer for the Bee Gees and Chicago Michael Bryan Murphy, lead singer of REO Speedwagon; Michael John Murphy, American folk musician; Mike L. Murphy (born 1975), American film maker and animator; Michael Murphy (singer) (born 1986), New Zealand Idol runner up Are you and the band working on a new studio album? Artists and entertainers. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. It's a time when many young people feel like they are finally becoming adults. Then theres gun violence. 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. About The Lead Singer Of REO Speedwagon "It's amazing when I walk out on stage and start playing one of the songs . I just really felt like it was a two-person job [this past year] more than ever. We thought it was all going to be right next to each other, like on the show. "It means so much," LaTonya said. 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. If you catch Linda at a wedding be sure to check out the dance floor. says the actress. The lead singer of REO Speedwagon is Kevin Cronin and Terry Luttrell respectively. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. What are we doing here? I swear to you, all of a sudden from behind one of our road cases pops the ventriloquists dummy. REO Speedwagon skyrocketed to fame in 1980 with their chart topping . Additionally, I've been playing music for the better part of 14 years. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. How did it come about? I try to stick with the inspiration, and keep as much of that initial burst of creativity in the song as I possibly can. [REO band member] Gary Richraththe late, great Gary Richrath who unfortunately passed away this past yearwas my partner in crime, so to speak. REO Speedwagon is an American hard rock band from Champaign, Illinois. Kevin Cronin of REO Speedwagon at the Poplar Creek Music Theater in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, September 10, 1982. They are Do you love animals? The career of Antonio Vivaldi defies music industry logic. Lead Singer of REO Speedwagon: 'Memba Him? When my children were born, I didnt name my children when my wife was pregnant. 2023 Oscars predictions: See who will win at the 95th Academy Awards. Send me email updates and offers from TMZ and its Affiliates. He was 65. My biggest inspiration in music is the Beatles, and Lennon & McCartney in my mind are the great songwriting duo in the history of the world, and I owe everything that I know about being in a band, writing a songI owe it all to the Beatles. 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. 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. We didnt set out to write a concept album, but the songs do hang together conceptually, because we were all going through similar things. 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.. But it would be fun to have some success as a co-writer. At that point, Cronin decided to dole out some tough love and stop enabling his son. I feel so sad. Required fields are marked *. So if the viewer remembers that this is a dental convention, that line is kind of funny. 9/28/2010 1:00 PM PT With '80s hits like " Keep On Loving You " and " Can't Fight This Feeling ," Kevin. In addition to being in the band Carcosa, he has also been in Galactic Pegasus and One More Slice. Guess what he looks like now! It gave me an outlet for expressing myself when I was very young and didnt know any other way to do it. Cant Fight This Feeling is definitely the song that when most people think of me as a songwriter, thats the first one that comes to their head. I wanted to put any extra time that I hadobviously the band tours and thats very important to all of us. When you write a song, you have no idea the journey that song may or may not take you on. In addition to REO's jaunty 1978 hit 'Time for Me . Foreigner: Lou Gramm Styx: Dennis DeYoung Journey: Steve Perry REO Speedwagon: Kevin Cronin" When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. The songs for that album had a certain cohesive nature to them. Grazing In The Grass by The Friends Of Distinction was the first big hit to use the phrase "dig it" in the lyric. 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. In 2007, REO Speedwagon released Find Your Own Way Home, their first new album in eleven years. I remember where I was when I wrote that song. Thanks to their appearance, REO songs "Keep On Loving You," "Can't Fight This Feeling," "Time for Me to Fly," and "Take It On the Run" have all re-entered Billboard's Hot Rock Songs chart. Kevin Cronin took over that role for their next effort, R.E.O./T.W.O. 'Heartland' Actor Robert Cormier Dead at 33 Lead Singer of REO Speedwagon: 'Memba Him? We are pleased to do a new interview with Cronin, about how he wrote his classic REO songs, and his creative songwriting process. "It's like a direct connection with my brother that was our song," LaTonya, 52, told PEOPLE afterward. It took me 10 days. Cronin: Well, I will tell youI was thinking about this todaythis year (2016) will be the year that I get back to knucklin down. From Austin Butler and Cate Blanchett to a potential Best Supporting Actress toss-up, see who EW thinks will win at the 2023 Oscars. DK: One of my favorite songs is Roll With The ChangesI think that song has inspired a lot of people. Cronin: I was kind of a late bloomer with the ladies. He was like, 'Oh my God, you're a true fan!' REO Speedwagon is back on the Billboard charts for songs that are many decades old. The opening line may be even more important than the title. 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. I couldnt do it the real way that human beings communicate (laughs). 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. 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. All the energy that came back to me was, You might want to think about doing this.. It shows how my manager calls me and asks if Im willing to launder money through our merchandise company for an extra hundred thousand dollars. Cronin: The first album that I made with them was an album called R.E.O./T.W.O., which was our second album. Basically, the only songs I can play on piano are those that I wrote (he laughs). Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? We started out as friends. 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. Thats another way of doing it. 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. Anyway, Smooth would chase them down. Its a blessing because Ive always got myself (laughs). The Hi Infidelity album was the one that broke things loose. Kevin Cronin -- lead singer of '80s rock group REO Speedwagon -- heard the words straight from his own son's mouth . Teens Crash Through Overpass In Stolen Car 2023 EHM PRODUCTIONS,INC. 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. We pull up to the last gig of the tour and there on the marquee, in English, it says, REO Speedwagon plus ventriloquist act. We go into the venue, and not only were we sharing the bill, but we were sharing the dressing room with the ventriloquist act. We're all sitting there going, God, this is bullst. I know there are many writers who come up with the title and then write the song around the title. A monthly update on our latest interviews, stories and added songs. Its an example of the power of television. The neck fits my left hand perfectly, and it sounds exactly how I think an electric guitar should sound. Cronin: I cant say that we felt that. The Third Day frontman talks about some of the classic songs he wrote with the band, and what changed for his solo country album. 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). Search instead in. So my manager, Tom Consolo, set up a writing session with Eric Carmen, who was the lead singer of the Raspberries. Notably, these five band members have been together since 1989. Stevie Wonder wrote the Rufus funk classic "Tell Me Something Good. This album contains four US top hits and has sold more than 10 million copies! However, there, Read More 10 Things You Didnt Know about DJ PaulContinue, Your email address will not be published. My longtime friend and collaborator Gary Richrath passed away earlier today. In early 1968, Terry Luttrell became lead singer, and Bob Crownover joined as the guitar player, replacing Matt. Songwriting and music has always been my savior in that way. If I can inspire any young songwriter with anything that Im saying today, thats probably the most important thing that Ive learned over the years. The song was remixed for the re-release to have more Pop appeal. Cronin: That song, coincidentally, was number one 35 years ago from right now. I couldnt figure it out, and as a result, I had a really hard time finishing that song. 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 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. Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. ", LaTonya added, "My dream has come true to meet REO Speedwagon. I had the verses already written. "It was just amazing," she said. Do you love music? 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. Erik Stein confirmed on Monday that Richrath passed away but offered no details about the cause of death. Well, that got dropped. So when theres chaos in your personal life, then you look to the band for that security. When MTV launched in 1981, they played the video, as REO Speedwagon were huge at the time, with a string of hits from their, Bands Named After Real People (Who Aren't In The Band). https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/reospeedwagon/cantfightthisfeeling.html, https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/reospeedwagon/keeponlovingyou.html, https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/reospeedwagon/takeitontherun.html, https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/reospeedwagon/rollwiththechanges.html, https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/reospeedwagon/timeformetofly.html, https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/reospeedwagon/dontlethimgo.html, https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/reospeedwagon/keepthefireburnin.html, https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/reospeedwagon/inmydreams.html, https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/reospeedwagon/onelonelynight.html, https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/reospeedwagon/inyourletter.html, https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/reospeedwagon/keeppushin.html, https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/reospeedwagon/backontheroadagain.html, Rock Music: 49 Different Types and Their Characteristics, Loverboy Greatest Hits: The 17 Best Songs of All Time, 42 Songs About the Experience of Being 17, 48+ Songs About Good Times and Memories to Look Back On. Kevin Cronin is a member of REO Speedwagon, one of the most popular rock bands of the 1980s. So the songs come in all different shapes and forms. I didnt just want to jump on an airplaneit was too big of a move for me. 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. Well, it turns out that the casino is on one lake and the Blue Cat on another. DK: Besides some of your big hits, what are some of your songs that are your favorites? Midway through the song, the words disappeared from the screen and the singer had to rely on memory to get through the rest. Get recommendations for other artists you'll love. But I was looking at the discography of your hits, and I noticed that you wrote your biggest hits by yourself. 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. 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. What inspired you to write this song? YouTube Video link: REO Speedwagon band was one of the top groups in the 20th century. I've been singing since kindergarten. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. 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. But Ive written some of our biggest hits on the piano. Maybe you have and maybe you havent, at least not yet. DK: I know you play both guitar and piano onstage. 2023 Getty Images. The band is actually mentioned two episodes before you appear. Joined my first band in 2008 (a Metallica cover band) and. REO Speedwagon is an American hard rock band from Champaign, Illinois. According to legend, Cronin thrashed out the lyrics to REO Speedwagons Roll With the Changes on the back of a trash bag. After all, hes been a mainstay in the world of rap music since the late 1980s. Read REO Speedwagon's bio and find out more about REO Speedwagon's songs, albums, and chart history. I was writing [the words] on this brown paper bag as I was rolling down the road. Im finding myself waking up in the middle of the night with ideas, and writing them down and recording them. 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. 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. Cronin: Well for me, songwriting has been kind of a solitary journey. Now, hes all about healthy eating and working out. 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. Cronin: I think so. It was really my songs that got me the gig. 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! When youre writing a song, you have no idea where that songs going to end upyou dont know whats going to happen. 1 of 13. When fans of the Netflix show Ozark tuned in to its third season, they were treated to a surprise appearance from Cronin and the rest of REO Speedwagon during episode three. 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. It just so happens that the album came out when I was in junior high school. I try to keep it that way, because I think theres a certain purityI try to keep the craftsmanship to a minimum. "We laughed, we joked it was like we knew each other forever.