Classic Rock Singer Kevin Cronin Makes a ‘Heartbreaking’ Announcement After Over 50 Years of Performing
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Facing an Uncertain Future
After more than five decades in music, Kevin Cronin, former frontman of REO Speedwagon, has made an emotional admission.
“I don’t know what I want to do next,” Cronin told Ultimate Classic Rock in a recent interview.
Following REO Speedwagon’s official breakup last year, Cronin has been touring with the Kevin Cronin Band, a lineup that still includes longtime collaborators guitarist Dave Amato and drummer Bryan Hitt, both with him since 1989. They have continued playing REO’s classic hits, giving fans a familiar sound even without the original name.
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The End of the Current Lineup
The band has been on the road with Styx and Don Felder as part of the Brotherhood of Rock Tour, which included a July 14 performance at the Empower FCU Amphitheater at Lakeview in Syracuse. But with the tour ending August 24 in Milwaukee, Cronin revealed that keeping his current crew together will not be possible.
“That is probably one of the most difficult parts about this whole thing,” he explained. “My plan was always to keep the organization together… but there are challenges around that are just overwhelming and I couldn’t promise the crew that I could afford to keep them…”
“It’s heartbreaking for me, but at the same time I love them and I want what’s best for them. I’ve told them all, ‘If you need a reference, you’ve got my number.’”
Life After REO Speedwagon
While Cronin hopes to book occasional shows with his current band, he admits it’s harder without the REO Speedwagon name and logo. The group’s split came after “irreconcilable differences” between Cronin and bassist Bruce Hall. Tensions grew when former members reunited without him for a “retrospective” performance in June in their hometown of Champaign, Illinois, featuring founding drummer Alan Gratzer.
REO Speedwagon, with Cronin as lead vocalist since 1972, produced some of the most memorable rock hits of the ‘70s and ‘80s, including “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” “Take It On the Run,” and “Keep on Loving You.”
Looking Ahead
At 73, Cronin says he may still perform solo and will turn his attention toward completing his memoir, now tentatively titled Roll With the Change: My Life Within and Without REO Speedwagon.
