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? Chauvin, 44, has pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of George seen on bystander video as Chauvin pressed his knee to George's neck for nearly nine minutes while George lay handcuffed on the ground during his arrest for allegedly spending a counterfeit $20 bill. He was there with me.". But Ive written some of our biggest hits on the piano. 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. I learned something from thisthat if you pay attention to the song, the song will tell you what it needs. 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. The opening line may be even more important than the title. The title line is, Cant you see, Ill always be a music man. It basically talked about my story in a song. Hearing Time for Me to Fly in that show, there may well be people who heard that song for the first time and went, Oh, that's cool. "It means so much," LaTonya said. 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. Songwriting and music has always been my savior in that way. Paul Natkin/WireImage. They were told they could either bail him out or Paris would spend the next 4 days in jail. These days, though, its a different story. 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. 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. 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. 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). 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). Kevin Cronin is a member of REO Speedwagon, one of the most popular rock bands of the 1980s. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. The. 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. In our episode, my line is, Hey, are there any dentists in the crowd tonight?" Who do you think is listening: old fans who were reminded of REO by the show, or young listeners just discovering the band? 4 CD Lot! What inspired you to write this song? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The Guns N' Roses rhythm guitarist in the early '90s, Gilby talks about the band's implosion and the side projects it spawned. What was it that inspired you to write it? 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. If they made a home-version of the LHC, I'd have 2. Gary Richrath, a former guitarist for the classic rock band REO Speedwagon who also co-wrote the group's hit song . Cronin: I think so. Search instead in. I used to listen to the Beatles Rubber Soul albumI know that album inside and out. Gary Richrath, songwriter and lead guitarist for REO Speedwagon for decades, has died, the band announced on its Facebook page Sunday. Are you and the band working on a new studio album? Last year, we called our tour the Family First Tour. 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.. Zelenskyy on Anniversary of Russian War. After realizing his lifestyle was starting to overshadow his work and family life, he made a 180-degree turn. A monthly update on our latest interviews, stories and added songs. Cronin: Well for me, songwriting has been kind of a solitary journey. Because I had a couple lines, they gave me the script, and it didn't dawn on me at first, but then I noticed the name of the episode was Kevin Cronin Was Here. I thought that was just a working title. Now, hes hoping to repeat the success of that classic track, albeit on the printed page. He was 65. At that time, my [twin] sons were 19 and my daughter was 22. 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. This album contains four US top hits and has sold more than 10 million copies! 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. George Floyd's Sister Says Trial Reminds Her of Suffering He Endured: 'He Felt Every Ounce of Pain'. All the energy that came back to me was, You might want to think about doing this.. We are pleased to do a new interview with Cronin, about how he wrote his classic REO songs, and his creative songwriting process. Search instead in. DK: Keep On Loving You from Hi Infidelity is a great song. We did a tour of Mexico. 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. Dont second guess it. [I think] co-writing is a lot of funit definitely makes the process of songwriting more enjoyable because youre not sitting there by yourself. Richrath was born in October 1949, according to public records. 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. Busted After Ariana Found Sexual Texts to Raquel. Luke Bolen: Musician in Bradenton, Florida. Showing Editorial results for reo speedwagon. Please subscribe. DK: Thats a great story about how you wrote Cant Fight This Feeling. Thank you. 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.. It was the first song where I thought, Wow, I kind of like this song (laughs). Whether you're young or old, everyone loves a good song about memories and good times. By subscribing, I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, 2023 EHM PRODUCTIONS,INC. 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. YouTube Video link: REO Speedwagon band was one of the top groups in the 20th century. Cronin: Ive written songs on both, honestly. 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. Lead Singer of REO Speedwagon: 'Memba Him? In 2007, REO Speedwagon released Find Your Own Way Home, their first new album in eleven years. 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. Roll With The Changes was personally about me moving from Chicago to L.A.I was quite literally rolling with the changes. The career of Antonio Vivaldi defies music industry logic. It just has this huge history to it. LaTonya Floyd, at right, with sister Zsa Zsa Floyd at their brother George's funeral June 9, 2020. Night Ranger original guitarist formed in 1980. I think the opening scene is more a literal translation of what the song is about. 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. A dentist tells Wendy he wants REO to plays a dental convention on the Missouri Belle riverboat casino. "Pretty In Pink" by Psychedelic Furs was released in 1981. Speedwagon ), or simply REO, is an American rock band from Champaign, Illinois. ", "How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You" by Marvin Gaye was inspired by Jackie Gleason's saying, "How Sweet It Is!". Had I seen [that script] But that was episode one. Then on the day that Eric and I were supposed to co-write, I literally woke up that morning and I felt like I had the flu. Erik Stein confirmed on Monday that Richrath passed away but offered no details about the cause of death. So I wanted to drive. I never really took any piano lessonsI just messed around with it and figured it out for myself. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. How a gym teacher, a janitor, and a junkie became part of some very famous band names. My wife is an amazing person. So we wrote that into the script. Get recommendations for other artists you'll love. 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. 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. 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. For the good ones, the inspiration is usually a pretty big piece of the song. 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.. In the REO Speedwagon band, there are two lead singers, and one is Kevin Cronin and Terry Luttrell. There was this girl in Chicago who Im still in touch with to this daywere still friends. 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). Classic Rock at the best online prices at eBay! In early 1968, Terry Luttrell became lead singer, and Bob Crownover joined as the guitar player, replacing Matt. Friday's prayer vigil with its call for justice on George's behalf "was beautiful," LaTonya said. Cronin: The first album that I made with them was an album called R.E.O./T.W.O., which was our second album. I can tell when a song is too much craftsmanship and not enough inspiration. Kevin Cronin is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and occasional pianist for the American rock band REO Speedwagon. I felt like I had a fever and my stomach hurt. Then as many of my songs do, I write them and then I kind of learn about myself when Im finished with them. Kevin Cronin, lead singer of REO Speedwagon performs at the Illinois Bicentennial party at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois, December 3, 2018. Cronin: I was kind of a late bloomer with the ladies. Trivia So my manager, Tom Consolo, set up a writing session with Eric Carmen, who was the lead singer of the Raspberries. I was in a tough position. I literally woke up in the middle of the night and I had these three, simple piano chords going through my head. I told the writer, You know, thats not what I would normally say. What Ive been saying for I don't know how many years is, Hey Cincinnati, check yourselves out. And then our light guy puts the spots on the audience. After releasing one album (1972s R.E.O./T.W.O,), he left the band during the recording of 1973s Ridin the Storm Out over creative differences. How did it come about? . 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. So I called up and cancelled the songwriting session. I've also got a horrible habit of needing the absolute newest technological wonder, whether it's stable or not. This is bullst.". But this year I think I need to start tapping into the creative side of my being, because otherwise it starts exploding (laughs) in other ways. Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. How do you think Ozark meant for the song to be seen? Foreigner: Lou Gramm Styx: Dennis DeYoung Journey: Steve Perry REO Speedwagon: Kevin Cronin" 'Heartland' Actor Robert Cormier Dead at 33 Lead Singer of REO Speedwagon: 'Memba Him? REO Speedwagon's 1971 debut album was with their original lead singer, Terry Luttrell. Anyway, Smooth would chase them down. Cronin: That song, coincidentally, was number one 35 years ago from right now. 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.