Is the lead singer of REO Speedwagon married? So if the viewer remembers that this is a dental convention, that line is kind of funny. But it certainly did come together. I had just stopped at a truck stop in New MexicoI had a brown paper bag that was sitting on the seat next to me, when the thoughts of the lyrics started coming to me. 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. 12 best REO Speedwagon songs 1. REO Speedwagon singer's kids to thank for 'Ozark' cameo - Page Six How much is REO Speedwagon worth? Kevin Cronin and Gary Richrath of REO Speedwagon at the Poplar Creek Music Theater in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, August 24, 1980. 4 CD Lot! But the whole thing about the dentists, that happened in episode one. 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? "Gregg . Grazing In The Grass by The Friends Of Distinction was the first big hit to use the phrase "dig it" in the lyric. When Gary (Richrath) heard that song, it signaled to him that I had some ability as a songwriter. We are pleased to do a new interview with Cronin, about how he wrote his classic REO songs, and his creative songwriting process. Welcome to the Quantum Realm. For our episode, they had me on stage delivering a couple of lines. 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Which instrument do you prefer to write songs on? So my dental line kinda bombed. I gotta tell ya, I see the name REO Speedwagon all the time, but I don't often see my own name there. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google. 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). Honestly, when I finished that song, I was really youngI was 18 or 19 when I wrote that song. 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? Last year, we called our tour the Family First Tour. "It was so inspirational.". 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). 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. There was this girl in Chicago who Im still in touch with to this daywere still friends. REO Speedwagon is back on the Billboard charts for songs that are many decades old. DK: Thats a great story about how you wrote Cant Fight This Feeling. Thank you. 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. We thought it was all going to be right next to each other, like on the show. "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.' ". 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. 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. I couldnt figure it out, and as a result, I had a really hard time finishing that song. Collect, curate and comment on your files. I kind of operate under the brand name of REO Speedwagon. However, there, Read More 10 Things You Didnt Know about DJ PaulContinue, Your email address will not be published. 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. Teens Crash Through Overpass In Stolen Car 2023 EHM PRODUCTIONS,INC. DK: When you write, do you usually create the melody or the lyrics first? The cause of death has not yet been. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? 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. Cronin managed to reach $350,000 before being eliminated after forgetting the lyrics to Donna Summers Last Dance.. 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. 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. 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. Additionally, I've been playing music for the better part of 14 years. George Floyd's Sister Says Trial Reminds Her of Suffering He Endured: 'He Felt Every Ounce of Pain'. 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. When I rejoined, the band had moved from Champaign, Illinois to Los Angeles. 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. REO Speedwagon performing on Feb. 5, 1981 in Chicago, Il. 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. 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. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. I had the verses already written. To hear people say things like this is amazing, said Bruce Hall, bass guitarist and lead and harmony vocalist for REO Speedwagon. She's thinking about what her life would be like without [Marty/Jason Bateman]. 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. List of REO Speedwagon members - Wikiwand I'm self-taught on. Paul Natkin/WireImage. Trivia I am an avid Mac-user, nerd, musician, freelancer, and gamer. He left education after graduating from Chicagos Brother Rice High School, having already become convinced that his future lay in music, not business. 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. 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. So I wanted to drive. She doesn't hold back. Lead Singer of REO Speedwagon: 'Memba Him? Five years later, it inspired a movie of the same name starring Molly Ringwald, Andrew McCarthy and Jon Cryer. The first time I was introduced to her, when I saw herit was that love at first sight feeling. Its an example of the power of television. A monthly update on our latest interviews, stories and added songs. Thats my titlethats what this song is about. Read REO Speedwagon's bio and find out more about REO Speedwagon's songs, albums, and chart history. 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. DK: Keep On Loving You from Hi Infidelity is a great song. At that time, my [twin] sons were 19 and my daughter was 22. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. I just havent had a great deal of success with it (laughs). List of REO Speedwagon members | Heavy Metal Wiki | Fandom It just so happens that the album came out when I was in junior high school. Luke Bolen: Musician in Bradenton, Florida. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. I didnt put a whole lot of time and energy into the creative part of what I do. Cronin: Well, I will tell youI was thinking about this todaythis year (2016) will be the year that I get back to knucklin down. Dont second guess it. 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. 2023 Billboard Media, LLC. 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. Who is the lead singer in REO Speedwagon? And there were some radio stations in the Midwest that were playing those songs. DK: These days, so much of the songwriting process is co-writing, particularly in Nashville. So the earlier songs were given a second chance as a result of the Hi Infidelity album. George Floyd (center) with LaTonya Floyd and her stepson Treyshawn Barker. I've also got a horrible habit of needing the absolute newest technological wonder, whether it's stable or not. I can always pick up a guitar or sit down at the piano. He goes, [Spanish accent] This is bullst. Hes a real sweet guy and hes written some big hit ballads, and we were supposed to co-write. In 2007, REO Speedwagon released Find Your Own Way Home, their first new album in eleven years. Back in the day of the album, that was very important. Cronin: I think so. Showing Editorial results for kevin cronin of reo speedwagon. 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. "It was just amazing," she said. Friday's prayer vigil with its call for justice on George's behalf "was beautiful," LaTonya said. 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. [1] [I think] co-writing is a lot of funit definitely makes the process of songwriting more enjoyable because youre not sitting there by yourself. Weiland died of an accidental overdose of alcohol and drugs, the Hennepin County (Minnesota). By subscribing, I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, 2023 EHM PRODUCTIONS,INC. They perform about 100 dates a year. 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. Cronin: I would hope that the point [of this story is], when youre writing a song, you have to stick with your gut. Whether you're young or old, everyone loves a good song about memories and good times. He might still occasionally enjoy the odd glass of wine at dinner, but he makes sure to drink it by the glass rather than the bottle. (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_GB/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); Hi friends, kc here. Cronin: I cant say that we felt that. But I was looking at the discography of your hits, and I noticed that you wrote your biggest hits by yourself. "It means so much," LaTonya said. "It's like a direct connection with my brother that was our song," LaTonya, 52, told PEOPLE afterward. After realizing his lifestyle was starting to overshadow his work and family life, he made a 180-degree turn. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Midway through the song, the words disappeared from the screen and the singer had to rely on memory to get through the rest. Currently seeking: Band to Join, Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar and more.Hi my name is Luke Bolen! "AOR poll part 2: Which lead singer's voice do you like best? Busted After Ariana Found Sexual Texts to Raquel. Cronin, like the rest of the band, earned a reputation as a party animal. It gave me an outlet for expressing myself when I was very young and didnt know any other way to do it. Theres no bigger influence for me. As time went on, and my buddy broke up with her, we still remained friends. It was just that I needed to really identify where the heart and soul of this piece that I was working on was. Notably, these five band members have been together since 1989. I've been singing since kindergarten. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Scott Weiland, lead singer of Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver, died December 3 at age 48. We were all psyched up. I never really took any piano lessonsI just messed around with it and figured it out for myself. REO Speedwagon's 1971 debut album was with their original lead singer, Terry Luttrell. Guess what he looks like now! Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. But if theres one guitar he never leaves home without, its his trusty 52 Fender Telecaster. I know there are many writers who come up with the title and then write the song around the title. REO Speedwagon - Take It on the Run (Video Version) - YouTube He was 65. Learn how your comment data is processed. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. Who was the original lead singer of REO Speedwagon? So well seethis year should be interesting. DK: Besides some of your big hits, what are some of your songs that are your favorites? It took me 10 days. If they made a home-version of the LHC, I'd have 2. 'Heartland' Actor Robert Cormier Dead at 33 Lead Singer of REO Speedwagon: 'Memba Him? All the songs I write, they spring from an initial burst of creativity that kind of gets the ball rolling. It took a long time, and I wrote that song before I finally got the guts to tell her. So I think that really helped for the album, that it felt like all the songs belonged together. So we wrote that into the script. You know, I went through some fictional years there in the past! We started out as friends. Some of the greatest songs ever have been written by songwriting partnerships. Pam Grier reflects on her most iconic roles, from Coffy to Jackie Brown. Linda has been writing professionally since November 2012. He was like, 'Oh my God, you're a true fan!' Ive sat down with peopleIve written with some great writers in Nashville, and for whatever reason, none of those songs have really panned out. For the good ones, the inspiration is usually a pretty big piece of the song. His initial period with the band proved brief. 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. 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 Search instead in. I remember thinking to myselfWowCant Fight This Feelingwhat a horrible, f**king song title. Gary Richrath of REO Speedwagon dies | CNN Gary was both a unique guitarist and songwriter, and the embodiment of the tough guy with a heart of gold. 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. Cronin: I was kind of a late bloomer with the ladies. So the songs come in all different shapes and forms. Luckily, I had the sense to stick with my gut and sure enough, Cant Fight This Feeling ends up being the most popular song Ive ever written.