"If I want to see if . I never really took any piano lessonsI just messed around with it and figured it out for myself. 10 Things You Didn't Know about Kevin Cronin - Chaospin Roll With The Changes by REO Speedwagon - Songfacts When youre writing a song, you have no idea where that songs going to end upyou dont know whats going to happen. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. "It means so much," LaTonya said. 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. In addition to REO's jaunty 1978 hit 'Time for Me . My biggest successes are songs that I write myself. 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). When LaTonya Floyd last spoke to her brother, George Floyd, days before he died last May with a police officer's knee pinned to his neck, the two sang REO Speedwagon's hit "Keep on Loving You" over the phone to each other, she told PEOPLE. But then looking back on it, and now seeing the impact that Cant Fight This Feeling has had on my life, the life of everyone in the REO Speedwagon family, the lives of people whom Ive never met all over the worldpeople have played that song at their weddings. The Guns N' Roses rhythm guitarist in the early '90s, Gilby talks about the band's implosion and the side projects it spawned. It just has this huge history to it. 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. I remember thinking to myselfWowCant Fight This Feelingwhat a horrible, f**king song title. The title line is, Cant you see, Ill always be a music man. It basically talked about my story in a song. 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. 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. So it was literally time for him to fly. 1 of 13. Richrath co-wrote some of the bands songs, including Take It on the Run, which became a Top 5 pop hit on the Billboard charts. Then when our family sat down to watch Season 3 and I saw they actually kept that name for the episode, it was a kick. The album contained four Top 40 hits: Keep On Loving You and Dont Let Him Go (written by Cronin), plus Take It On The Run and In Your Letter (written by lead guitarist Gary Richrath, who left REO in 1989 and sadly passed away in 2015). 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. Kevin Cronin is a member of REO Speedwagon, one of the most popular rock bands of the 1980s. With '80s hits like "Keep On Loving You" and "Can't Fight This Feeling," Kevin Cronin became famous as the lead singer of REO Speedwagon. But my friend, Sammy Hagar, his brand name is Sammy Hagar. He left education after graduating from Chicagos Brother Rice High School, having already become convinced that his future lay in music, not business. REO Speedwagon - Take It on the Run (Video Version) - YouTube REO Speedwagon tour 2023: Where to buy tickets, schedule, prices As my father always used to say, you only get one chance to make a first impression, and in songwriting thats ityour opening line. I named my children after they were born and I looked at them, and I saw their little bodies, and they kind of told me what their names should be to some degree. It must have been 1989 after [late guitarist/songwriter] Gary Richrath and I parted ways and the band was at kind of a low point. Well, it turns out that the casino is on one lake and the Blue Cat on another. Bradley Gillis - Lead Guitarist - Night Ranger | LinkedIn REO Speedwagon lead singer Kevin Cronin turns to his kids for advice when deciding on new projects including the band's recent cameo on Netflix's "Ozark.". As time went on, and my buddy broke up with her, we still remained friends. It was number one (on the Hot 100 chart) for I think three weeks, which back in the 80s was quite an accomplishment. "It was so inspirational.". Because of all the traveling wed done, and the work wed been doing over the years, we all just arrived at this place where we really needed each other as brothers for mutual support. Dont second guess it. They were told they could either bail him out or Paris would spend the next 4 days in jail. Was "Ring Of Fire" really used to sell hemorrhoid cream? Click to listen to REO Speedwagon on Spotify: http://smarturl.it/REOspot?IQid=RUN Show more REO Speedwagon - Event. DK: A couple years later REO released Hi Infidelity, which became your biggest album. 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). There was this girl in Chicago who Im still in touch with to this daywere still friends. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. The song was remixed for the re-release to have more Pop appeal. Had I seen [that script] But that was episode one. Then I thoughtyou know what, so be it, then thats how it has to be, because thats what this songs name is. 2023 Billboard Media, LLC. Luke Bolen - Musician in Bradenton FL - BandMix.com DK: Which album was it, where you started to write a good amount of the songs for the group? Free shipping for many products! How do you think Ozark meant for the song to be seen? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Richrath released a solo album, Only the Strong Survive,in 1992. Im trained on the guitarI took guitar lessons for years when I was a kid. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. Usually for me, the title is the last thing that happens. Pam Grier reflects on her most iconic roles, from, Paul McCartney was in too much 'emotional pain' to keep the Beatles going after John Lennon left. Robert Smith doesn't license Cure songs for commercials, but he made an exception in 2004 when he let Hewlett-Packard use "Pictures Of You." Gary Richrath, Former Guitarist with REO Speedwagon, Dies at 65 - Billboard Kevin Cronin took over that role for their next effort, R.E.O./T.W.O. Cronin is known to play Ovations on tour, and even has his own signature guitar from the brand. Classic Rock at the best online prices at eBay! I couldnt figure it out, and as a result, I had a really hard time finishing that song. I was kind of a late bloomermusic was my vehicle. Billboard is a part of Penske Media Corporation. But I was looking at the discography of your hits, and I noticed that you wrote your biggest hits by yourself. It's been a pretty amazing journey. It was not a high point of my life. 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. The entire REO Family mourns his death and shares in the grief of his family, friends, and fans. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Im thankful for that and proud of that as well. I had written some songs before that were okaythey were passable. We thought it was all going to be right next to each other, like on the show. DK: Thats a great story about how you wrote Cant Fight This Feeling. Thank you. Formed in 1966, the band cultivated a following during the 1970s and achieved significant commercial success throughout the 1980s. In the original script there was a shot of a banner that has a big REO Speedwagon logo and says "Welcome to the Missouri Dental Association Convention." Now, hes all about healthy eating and working out. The career of Antonio Vivaldi defies music industry logic. So when theres chaos in your personal life, then you look to the band for that security. This album contains four US top hits and has sold more than 10 million copies! George Floyd's Sister Says Trial Reminds Her of Suffering He Endured: 'He Felt Every Ounce of Pain'. Additionally, I've been playing music for the better part of 14 years. REO Speedwagon skyrocketed to fame in 1980 with their chart topping . Se do you feel more comfortable writing the song by yourself, or do you also love the process of co-writing? But it certainly did come together. 9/28/2010 1:00 PM PT With '80s hits like " Keep On Loving You " and " Can't Fight This Feeling ," Kevin. But Ive written some of our biggest hits on the piano. Midway through the song, the words disappeared from the screen and the singer had to rely on memory to get through the rest. The Third Day frontman talks about some of the classic songs he wrote with the band, and what changed for his solo country album. He was like, 'Oh my God, you're a true fan!' 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 . She began at a small local paper covering up and coming bands. Gary Richrath, a former guitarist for the classic rock band REO Speedwagon who also co-wrote the group's hit song . And the journey continues. When REO Speedwagon were at the peak of their popularity in the 1980s, their tours were known to get pretty wild. 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. The neck fits my left hand perfectly, and it sounds exactly how I think an electric guitar should sound. 2023 Getty Images. 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. We recorded it in Nashville, and the song of mine that [probably] got me the gig was called Music Man. It was never a huge hit, but its still in the REO setlist and it was basically my fantasy of how my life would turn out. 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. Theyre one of my favorite bands of all time, and I thought it was, Read More The Top 10 Ice Nine Kills Songs From The Silver ScreamContinue, Have you heard of American rap artist 2KBABY? When Gary (Richrath) heard that song, it signaled to him that I had some ability as a songwriter. I felt like I had a fever and my stomach hurt. Notably, these five band members have been together since 1989. REO Speedwagon's 1971 debut album was with their original lead singer, Terry Luttrell. I saw both seasons, all the way through, and I was like, Im ready to go. It's a time when many young people feel like they are finally becoming adults. REO Speedwagon - Wikipedia REO Speedwagon has released a number of successful albums, including 1980s Hi Infidelity,which sold 10 million copies in the United States. Cronin: Yeah, I think so. Id just started to write a couple little silly songs. 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. 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. 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. Erik Stein confirmed on Monday that Richrath passed away but offered no details about the cause of death. Time for Me to Fly has taken me on an amazing musical journey that started when I wrote it in 1970. So when I finished Cant Fight This Feeling, I realized that yeah, Ive gotta make this move. Ive gotta do what Im saying in this songIve got to make this happen. 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. It's a different feeling, because I'm not used to it. Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Youre with another person, youre bouncing ideas around and I enjoy that. 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). Gary Richrath of REO Speedwagon dies | CNN Currently seeking: Band to Join, Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar and more.Hi my name is Luke Bolen! My longtime friend and collaborator Gary Richrath passed away earlier today. In our episode, my line is, Hey, are there any dentists in the crowd tonight?" Cronins decision to forgo a college education for music paid off by the age of 20, hed been recruited by REO Speedwagon as a replacement to original lead vocalist, Terry Luttrell. List of REO Speedwagon members - Wikiwand I wrote Time For Me To Fly on the guitarmost of my songs I write on the acoustic guitar. "Gregg . 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. Honestly, when I finished that song, I was really youngI was 18 or 19 when I wrote that song. But I was probably over halfway finished with Cant Fight This Feeling, and I felt that it was something special. Where Are They Now: REO Speedwagon - American Profile 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. How did it come about? (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. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. Im finding myself waking up in the middle of the night with ideas, and writing them down and recording them. Then as many of my songs do, I write them and then I kind of learn about myself when Im finished with them. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. 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. Derek Chauvin's Use of Force Was 'In No Way, Shape or Form' Proper, Police Chief Testifies. Back in the day of the album, that was very important. 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. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. DK: When you write, do you usually create the melody or the lyrics first? Cronin: I cant say that we felt that. Its a blessing because Ive always got myself (laughs). 2023 Getty Images. When you start second guessing yourself, thats when you get lost. Cronin: Ive written songs on both, honestly. 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. Cronin had been inspired to write the album after his son, Paris, fell into drug addiction. Or maybe it was a little thing to make me feel at home? What was it that inspired you to write it? When they wrote those songs, they were just trying to write good . REO Speedwagon Presents Platinum Record to George Floyd's Sister I remember that I sat down on the floor of my bedroom, and I was literally almost in tears. 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.. Anyway, Smooth would chase them down. REO Speedwagon (originally stylized as R.E.O. The May 25 incident, watched worldwide as that video went viral, sparked mass protests across the country and around the globe over police brutality and racial injustice. He was 65. When you talk about (the line) I once had a girl, or should I say, she once had me, the opening line from Norwegian Wood, which is arguably the greatest opening line in the history of songwriting. REOSpeedwagonPlans HiInfidelty30thAnniversary Reissue, Tour. 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. Have you ever played a dental convention or equally oddball gig? Bay Area. With Cant Fight This Feeling, I did not know what the name of that song was. 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? 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. Click to listen to REO Speedwagon on Spotify: http://smarturl.it/REOspot?IQid=RUNAs featured on The Essential REO Speedwagon. "When Gregg left the band in 1977, he took with him the prog-leaning extended instrumental section aspect of the REO sound," Cronin wrote. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. So when I came to Los Angeles I really wanted to feel the journey. [1] The first time I was introduced to her, when I saw herit was that love at first sight feeling. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. When fans of the Netflix show Ozark tuned in to its third season, they were treated to a surprise appearance from Cronin and the rest of REO Speedwagon during episode three.