By Steve Houk livingonmusic.com
Their music was everywhere over a ten year stretch in the 70’s to mid 80’s. You really couldnât flip on your favorite FM radio station and not hear something from them.
From early albums like Ridinâ The Storm Out (1973) and You Can Tune a Piano But You Canât Tune a Fish (1978), plus a hard rocking live album You Get What You Play For (1977) sandwiched in, all the way up to Hi Infidelity (1980), their breakthrough #1 record that to date has sold ten million copies and spawned one of the bandâs two number one hits (âKeep On Loving Youâ), REO Speedwagon carved a niche in rock and roll that even with a lull in overall fame has largely stood the test of time. In the middle of a whirlwind current tour of the US, longtime lead singer Kevin Cronin no doubt smiles when he thinks of how the band has kept at it and is still bringing in fans who stand and sing their songs loud and proud, and realizes REOâs staying power has a few different elements.
âItâs a lot of things that have kept us going,â said the affable Cronin as he was going out the door with his band to be a part of the big Kaaboo Festival near San Diego. Their current tour will then bring them to the Warner Theater on September 24th.
âI mean, obviously our songs have found a place in peopleâs hearts. You know, we donât take ourselves seriously, but we take what we do seriously. We work hard but we also have a lot of fun doing it. So I think thatâs really the balance. You know, you have to enjoy it. And we do.â
Cronin joined REO in 1972, a year after the band released its debut album, and then left during the recording of Ridinâ The Storm Out in 1973 because of some internal conflicts. He returned to the band in 1976 after singer Greg Volz decided to turn to Christian rock, overall a hugely fortuitous move for the bandâs burgeoning sound and style which Cronin would help mold and become a major part of. Sure, their high end fame took a bit of a nosedive as the 80âs waned, but because of the strength of their songs they would remain a touring band who can still draw to this day. Everyone knows bands can rarely sustain over forty years, yet REO has, and Cronin chalks it up to hard work, luck and, again, loving what you do.
âThere wasnât really an alternative to playing music, this is what we do,â said Cronin. âIâm very fortunate that it did last this long. I think that obviously in order for a music career to last as long as ours did, it takes a lot of work, and it also takes a good deal of good fortune. We love what we do and when you love what you do, then you just keep at it.â
REO Speedwagon began their journey in 1971 as a true rock and roll band with rollicking songs and big guitar solos coming from the late Gary Richrath, but always had a sense for the power ballad, especially with the release of Hi Infidelity. Serendipity would surround the band, as it turned out that a true combination of the two styles they had already largely honed would propel REO to bigtime success.
âIt was just kind of a natural evolution of things for us, you know?â said Cronin. âThe band started out as a hard rocking bar band, that was really fun. But I always had written songs that were a little more kind of folksy in a way, and so in 1980, they collided and the result was songs like âKeep on Loving You,â which turned out to be a kind of love song, and âI Canât Fight This Feeling.â But they also had this heavy guitar part and this powerful rythym section. So yeah, that combination just really clicked. And that was the big moment for us.â
That crowning moment of which Cronin speaks, Hi Infidelity, turns 40 in two years, and Cronin and his bandmates are already planning to celebrate the albumâs anniversary, all while Cronin works hard on a memoir about the band and his experiences.
âYeah, weâre really looking forward to 2021 and weâre working hard on it, thatâs the 40th anniversary of Hi Infidelity so thatâs going to be a big year for us, weâre already planning the tour for that year. And Iâm thinking that the book should be finished by then. So weâre going to blow it out in 2021, for sure, but we are already doing that on this tour, too.â
For Cronin, as well as band co-founder and drummer Neal Doughty and longtime guitarist Bruce Hall â along with guitarist Dave Amato who joined the band in 1989 and drummer Bryan Hitt who came on board in 1990 â the incredible journey of REO Speedwagon continues. The band is still filling seats and rocking hard on their almost 50-plus year ride, and even at this stage, they want to stay on top of their game all as they enjoy this miraculous run that continues to take people back in time with their memorable music. They may be an older model truck like their namesake, but their rock and roll engine is running just fine, thank you.
âYou keep trying to be a little bit better today than you were yesterday,â Cronin mused. âAnd you know, at the same time keeping a sense of humor about stuff. And weâve been very, very fortunate.”
REO Speedwagon performs with special guest Charlie Farren on Tuesday September 24th at the Warner Theater 513 13th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004. For tickets, click here.