The band is actually mentioned two episodes before you appear. He was like, 'Oh my God, you're a true fan!' It took a long time, and I wrote that song before I finally got the guts to tell her. 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. All the energy that came back to me was, You might want to think about doing this.. 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 left education after graduating from Chicagos Brother Rice High School, having already become convinced that his future lay in music, not business. 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. 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. I've also got a horrible habit of needing the absolute newest technological wonder, whether it's stable or not. REO Speedwagon's 1971 debut album was with their original lead singer, Terry Luttrell. "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.' ". Its like the stars lining up. Zelenskyy on Anniversary of Russian War. 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. It was not a high point of my life. Theres no bigger influence for me. Cronin: I think so. Im thankful for that and proud of that as well. Kevin Cronin -- lead singer of '80s rock group REO Speedwagon -- heard the words straight from his own son's mouth . 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. Are you and the band working on a new studio album? As time went on, and my buddy broke up with her, we still remained friends. After realizing his lifestyle was starting to overshadow his work and family life, he made a 180-degree turn. REO Speedwagon has released a number of successful albums, including 1980s Hi Infidelity,which sold 10 million copies in the United States. Now, hes all about healthy eating and working out. Afterwards, she spent time with Cronin, his daughter and his manager. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. 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 . In addition, his songs Roll With The Changes and Keep The Fire Burning have had an enduring impact, becoming rock anthems which convey positive and uplifting lyric themes. Who is the lead singer in REO Speedwagon? With Cant Fight This Feeling, I did not know what the name of that song was. Songwriting and music has always been my savior in that way. For the good ones, the inspiration is usually a pretty big piece of the song. We started out as friends. Whether you're young or old, everyone loves a good song about memories and good times. REO Speedwagon, Boz Scaggs Latest To Sue Sony Music Over Digital Downloads, I feel so sad. Its funnyeven though it was 35 years ago, it still feels like it was just yesterday to me, because I remember writing it so vividly. When you start second guessing yourself, thats when you get lost. Cronin had been inspired to write the album after his son, Paris, fell into drug addiction. I remember that I sat down on the floor of my bedroom, and I was literally almost in tears. Bay Area. Now I kind of see how it feels when your own name is up there. DK: These days, so much of the songwriting process is co-writing, particularly in Nashville. So I wanted to drive. I literally woke up in the middle of the night and I had these three, simple piano chords going through my head. Richrath last played with the band in 2013, when the band performed a benefit concert in Bloomington, Illinois, to raise money for tornado victims. I think it's a combination of both. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. 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. 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. Derek Chauvin's Attorney Asks Minnesota Appeals Court to Void Guilty Verdict in George Floyd's Killing, Ex-Cop Sentenced Who Kneeled on George Floyd's Back During Killing Sentenced to 3.5 Years, 2 Years After George Floyd Was Murdered by a Police Officer, His Sister Still 'Feels His Spirit', A Year After Derek Chauvin's Conviction, George Floyd's Sister Says Brother 'Truly Did Change the World', 3 Former Minneapolis Police Officers Convicted of Violating George Floyd's Civil Rights, Former Minneapolis Police Officer Thomas Lane Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter in George Floyd's Killing, Former Minneapolis Police Officer Thomas Lane Gets 2.5 Years for His Role in the Killing of George Floyd, Derek Chauvin Sentenced to 21 Years in Federal Prison for Violating George Floyd's Civil Rights, Final 2 Officers Convicted in George Floyd's Death Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison, George Floyd's Sisters Miss Him 'Every Day' as Family Prepares for Officer's Murder Trial, George Floyd's Sister Smiled Watching Derek Chauvin Being Handcuffed: "He's Paying", Disturbing Video of George Floyd's Death Takes Center Stage as Murder Trial of Ex-Officer Begins, trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin for George Floyd's murder. But it certainly did come together. So he knew that they needed some help in the songwriting department. 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). Who do you think is listening: old fans who were reminded of REO by the show, or young listeners just discovering the band? Gary was both a unique guitarist and songwriter, and the embodiment of the tough guy with a heart of gold. What was it that inspired you to write it? And sure enough, it ended up working out. 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). 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. Last year, we called our tour the Family First Tour. So the songs come in all different shapes and forms. REO Speedwagon's official music video for 'Take It On The Run'. The. So I was quite literally and figuratively rolling with the changes (laughs). The band made a music video for this song in 1978, three years before MTV went on the air. Please subscribe. Kevin Cronin, lead singer of REO Speedwagon performs at the Illinois Bicentennial party at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois, December 3, 2018. 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 had written some songs before that were okaythey were passable. Collect, curate and comment on your files. . I remember where I was when I wrote that song. These days, though, its a different story. George Floyd (center) with LaTonya Floyd and her stepson Treyshawn Barker. When my children were born, I didnt name my children when my wife was pregnant. I used to listen to the Beatles Rubber Soul albumI know that album inside and out. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. And then if Im lucky enough to capture that, then the actual craftsmanship comes into play. Busted After Ariana Found Sexual Texts to Raquel. So my dental line kinda bombed. "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.' I kind of operate under the brand name of REO Speedwagon. ", LaTonya added, "My dream has come true to meet REO Speedwagon. 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. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. 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. I didnt put a whole lot of time and energy into the creative part of what I do. Luke Bolen - Musician in Bradenton FL - BandMix.com 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. I just havent had a great deal of success with it (laughs). Cronin: That song, coincidentally, was number one 35 years ago from right now. So it all kind of came true. 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. I wrote Time For Me To Fly on the guitarmost of my songs I write on the acoustic guitar. 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. At that time, my [twin] sons were 19 and my daughter was 22. In addition to REO's jaunty 1978 hit 'Time for Me . Charlie discusses the songs that made him a Southern Rock icon, and settles the Devil vs. Johnny argument once and for all. Scott Weiland, lead singer of Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver, died December 3 at age 48. "We laughed, we joked it was like we knew each other forever. I didn't know what to make of it. How a gym teacher, a janitor, and a junkie became part of some very famous band names. When REO Speedwagon were at the peak of their popularity in the 1980s, their tours were known to get pretty wild. I try to stick with the inspiration, and keep as much of that initial burst of creativity in the song as I possibly can. 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. achieved significant commercial success during the 1980s. Cronin: Well, I will tell youI was thinking about this todaythis year (2016) will be the year that I get back to knucklin down. 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. I was in a tough position. 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. Classic Rock at the best online prices at eBay! So if the viewer remembers that this is a dental convention, that line is kind of funny. Next year is set to be a big one for Cronin and the rest of REO Speedwagon. Derek Chauvin's Use of Force Was 'In No Way, Shape or Form' Proper, Police Chief Testifies. Cronin: Yeah, I think so. But I was probably over halfway finished with Cant Fight This Feeling, and I felt that it was something special. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Gregg Philbin, REO Speedwagon Legend, Has Died