If I can inspire any young songwriter with anything that Im saying today, thats probably the most important thing that Ive learned over the years. So if the viewer remembers that this is a dental convention, that line is kind of funny. Send me email updates and offers from TMZ and its Affiliates. Gary Richrath, a former guitarist for the classic rock band REO Speedwagon who also co-wrote the groups hit song Take It on the Run, died Sunday, according to a publicist for the band. "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.' I remember where I was when I wrote that song. Richrath last played with the band in 2013, when the band performed a benefit concert in Bloomington, Illinois, to raise money for tornado victims. I didnt just want to jump on an airplaneit was too big of a move for me. The song kind of came first. I feel so sad. So it was literally time for him to fly. As we all know, those memories are Who is the lead singer in REO Speedwagon? It was not a high point of my life. No. achieved significant commercial success during the 1980s. It was just that I needed to really identify where the heart and soul of this piece that I was working on was. He was a member of the band when it released its self-titled debut in 1971 and was with REO Speedwagon until 1989. Before we start the interview, here is some information about REO Speedwagons hit discography, and about the other members of the band, both past and present. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. George Floyd's Sister Says Trial Reminds Her of Suffering He Endured: 'He Felt Every Ounce of Pain'. "I have this Forrest Gump-ian way of touching something and it becomes a hit!" Who do you think is listening: old fans who were reminded of REO by the show, or young listeners just discovering the band? DK: Which album was it, where you started to write a good amount of the songs for the group? In addition, his songs Roll With The Changes and Keep The Fire Burning have had an enduring impact, becoming rock anthems which convey positive and uplifting lyric themes. She was actually going out with one of my buddies. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. Foreigner: Lou Gramm Styx: Dennis DeYoung Journey: Steve Perry REO Speedwagon: Kevin Cronin" For example, In 2011, He worked on Universal Language with producer Will, Read More 10 Things You Didnt Know about Angel VivaldiContinue, Ice Nine Kills is a metal band that hails from from about an hour from where I grew up: Boston, MA. But I was probably over halfway finished with Cant Fight This Feeling, and I felt that it was something special. Showing Editorial results for reo speedwagon. Find out more about their lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist as we reveal 10 things you didnt know about Kevin Cronin. It's a time when many young people feel like they are finally becoming adults. When youre writing a song, you have no idea where that songs going to end upyou dont know whats going to happen. "It was just amazing," she said. My longtime friend and collaborator Gary Richrath passed away earlier today. He refers to the band as The Wagon, when fans actually call you REO. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Recording-history.org is a participant in the Amazon.com Services LLC Associates Program. Cronin: That song, coincidentally, was number one 35 years ago from right now. This is bullst.". Last year, we called our tour the Family First Tour. Cronin was born on October 6, 1951, in the Chicago suburb of Evanston. 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. There was this girl in Chicago who Im still in touch with to this daywere still friends. Trivia In addition to REO's jaunty 1978 hit 'Time for Me . "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.' ". It was a little unsettling; exciting but new. So that was the song that kind of got it going. Was "Ring Of Fire" really used to sell hemorrhoid cream? For our episode, they had me on stage delivering a couple of lines. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. He was 65. Charlie discusses the songs that made him a Southern Rock icon, and settles the Devil vs. Johnny argument once and for all. "When Gregg left the band in 1977, he took with him the prog-leaning extended instrumental section aspect of the REO sound," Cronin wrote. Gary was both a unique guitarist and songwriter, and the embodiment of the tough guy with a heart of gold. 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. It took a long time, and I wrote that song before I finally got the guts to tell her. REO Speedwagon's official music video for 'Take It On The Run'. So I was quite literally and figuratively rolling with the changes (laughs). She covers numerous genres of music but her favorites are Pop, Rock, Heavy Metal, Rap, and even the classics. Gary Richrath, a former guitarist for the classic rock band REO Speedwagon who also co-wrote the group's hit song . REO Speedwagon's official music video for 'Take It On The Run'. I wrote Keep On Loving You, Cant Fight This Feeling and Roll With The Changes on the piano. You know, I went through some fictional years there in the past! Biggest hit "Sister Christian" (1984) took the band to . 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. All the energy that came back to me was, You might want to think about doing this.. "If I want to see if . REO Speedwagon's Kevin Cronin -- Heard It From My Son Bleeps Her Midway through the song, the words disappeared from the screen and the singer had to rely on memory to get through the rest. [But] they sent me the first two seasons of the show and I got on the tour bus, got in my bunk and binge-watched. "We laughed, we joked it was like we knew each other forever. 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. We were all psyched up. But my friend, Sammy Hagar, his brand name is Sammy Hagar. 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. 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. 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. Click to listen to REO Speedwagon on Spotify: http://smarturl.it/REOspot?IQid=RUNAs featured on The Essential REO Speedwagon. It was monumental.". Additionally, I've been playing music for the better part of 14 years. All Rights Reserved. Who is the lead singer in REO Speedwagon? Formed in 1967, the group originally included drummer and backing vocalist Alan Gratzer, guitarist and lead vocalist Joe Matt, bassist and lead vocalist Mike Blair, and keyboardist Neal Doughty. A dentist tells Wendy he wants REO to plays a dental convention on the Missouri Belle riverboat casino. Basically, the only songs I can play on piano are those that I wrote (he laughs). Back in the day of the album, that was very important. Its an example of the power of television. Collect, curate and comment on your files. He was 65. These are ten things you didnt, Read More 10 Things You Didnt Know about Andrew BaenaContinue, Angel Vivaldi is a New Jersey-based progressive metal guitarist, composer, producer, environmentalist, and philanthropist. 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. Some of the greatest songs ever have been written by songwriting partnerships. What are we doing here? I swear to you, all of a sudden from behind one of our road cases pops the ventriloquists dummy. What was it that inspired you to write it? So it all kind of came true. Roll With The Changes was personally about me moving from Chicago to L.A.I was quite literally rolling with the changes. 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. Had I seen [that script] But that was episode one. 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. Kevin Cronin is a member of REO Speedwagon, one of the most popular rock bands of the 1980s. Can't Fight This Feeling When you start second guessing yourself, thats when you get lost. Cronin is known to play Ovations on tour, and even has his own signature guitar from the brand. Have you ever played a dental convention or equally oddball gig? This album contains four US top hits and has sold more than 10 million copies! Now, hes all about healthy eating and working out. The cause of death has not yet been. Lead Singer of REO Speedwagon: 'Memba Him? - TMZ I am an avid Mac-user, nerd, musician, freelancer, and gamer. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Download the TMZ App on the Apple App Store, Download the TMZ App on the Google Play Store. My biggest successes are songs that I write myself. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 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. We started out as friends. Kevin Cronin and Gary Richrath of REO Speedwagon at the Poplar Creek Music Theater in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, August 24, 1980. REO Speedwagon's 1971 debut album was with their original lead singer, Terry Luttrell. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. Id just started to write a couple little silly songs. 1 of 13. How do you think Ozark meant for the song to be seen? We didnt set out to write a concept album, but the songs do hang together conceptually, because we were all going through similar things. For the good ones, the inspiration is usually a pretty big piece of the song. Ask me about my collection of M:TG cards! So he knew that they needed some help in the songwriting department. 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. After trying to help him via interventions and stints in rehab, the family hit rock bottom when they received a phone call to say Paris had been arrested for possession. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. Grazing In The Grass by The Friends Of Distinction was the first big hit to use the phrase "dig it" in the lyric. 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. I gotta tell ya, I see the name REO Speedwagon all the time, but I don't often see my own name there. Kevin Cronin Of REO Speedwagon Talks About His Classic Hits And His I can always pick up a guitar or sit down at the piano. Is the lead singer of REO Speedwagon married? So well seethis year should be interesting. The first was a Hey, everybody, how you doing? thing. REO Speedwagon's 1971 debut album was with their original lead singer, Terry Luttrell. Honestly, when I finished that song, I was really youngI was 18 or 19 when I wrote that song. 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. REO Speedwagon hometown, lineup, biography | Last.fm How Marvel went big with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. 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. written by REO Speedwagon January 22, 2016, As the lead singer & songwriterof the multi-platinum rock band REO Speedwagon, Kevin Cronin has been the bands guiding force since joining the group in the mid-1970s. Cronin, 68, spoke to EW by phone about how his band ended up in the show, what it was like being on set, and also revealed one of the weirdest gigs REO Speedwagon ever played. DK: These days, so much of the songwriting process is co-writing, particularly in Nashville. Busted After Ariana Found Sexual Texts to Raquel. These days, though, its a different story. Kevin Cronin is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and occasional pianist for the American rock band REO Speedwagon. DK: Thats a great story about how you wrote Cant Fight This Feeling. Thank you. The career of Antonio Vivaldi defies music industry logic. Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Kevin Cronin of REO Speedwagon at the Poplar Creek Music Theater in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, September 10, 1982. Speedwagon ), or simply REO, is an American rock band from Champaign, Illinois. They also have pleaded not guilty. Erik Stein confirmed on Monday that Richrath passed away but offered no details about the cause of death. It's been a pretty amazing journey. 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. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. The first time I was introduced to her, when I saw herit was that love at first sight feeling. Songwriting and music has always been my savior in that way. 2023 Getty Images. REOSpeedwagonPlans HiInfidelty30thAnniversary Reissue, Tour. Are you and the band working on a new studio album? this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. 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.

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