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- The Beatles - Rubber Soul (1965) “This was the first album I ever owned. It was a Christmas present, left under the tree for me when I was 13 or 14. I got the US version of the album, which opens with I’ve Just Seen A Face.
- The Byrds - Mr. Tambourine Man (1965) “I had my first real electric guitar at the time. A Gibson ES-335 Sunburst. But when I heard this album, I immediately sold it, to get a Rickenbacker 12-string.
- Moby Grape - Moby Grape (1967) “When I was in my first band, we had a guitarist who would constantly search through record stores to find exciting new sounds.
- Crosby, Stills & Nash - Crosby, Stills & Nash (1969) “Three of my favourite bands form this period were The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield and The Hollies.
May 3, 2022 · Kevin Cronin is celebrating 50 years of ridin' the storm out with REO Speedwagon this year — an anniversary the frontman tells UCR crept up on him. "That was an anniversary that didn't even...
- Kevin Cronin
- Music Man (from REO/T.W.O, 1972) “This is the song that got me in the band. I had put up flyers in every record store in Chicago, advertising the Musicians Referral Service.
- Ridin’ The Storm Out (from Ridin’ The Storm Out, 1973) “This song is about the time Gary and I went to Colorado. We decided to go for a hike in the Rocky Mountains, as it was a nice day.
- Keep Pushin’ (from R.E.O, 1976) “This was the song that got me back in the band. Towards the end of the sessions for Ridin’… I quit or was fired, depending on who you want to believe.
- Time For Me To Fly (from You Can Tune A Piano, But You Can’t Tuna Fish, 1978) “I had a demo version of this song on the same tape as the demo for Keep Pushin’.
- He’S Been Playing Guitar Since He Was A Kid
- He Joined REO Speedwagon in 1971
- He appeared on Don’T Forget The Lyrics!
- He’S Planning Something Big For 2022
- Ozark Helped Rejuvenate His Career
- He’S Writing An Autobiography
- His Favorite Guitar Is A ‘52 Telecaster
- He’S Grown Closer to His Family During The Pandemic
- He’S Clean Living
- His Son Inspired Find Your Own Way Home
Cronin was born on October 6, 1951, in the Chicago suburb of Evanston. He discovered his love for music at an early age, and spent most of his time outside of school honing his guitar skills. He left education after graduating from Chicago’s Brother Rice High School, having already become convinced that his future lay in music, not business.
Cronin’s decision to forgo a college education for music paid off – by the age of 20, he’d been recruited by REO Speedwagon as a replacement to original lead vocalist, Terry Luttrell. His initial period with the band proved brief. After releasing one album (1972’s “R.E.O./T.W.O,”), he left the band during the recording of 1973’s “Ridin’ the Storm O...
In 2008, Cronin took a break from the recording studio to appear as a celebrity contestant on “Don’t 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. Midway through the song, the words disappeared from the screen...
Next year is set to be a big one for Cronin and the rest of REO Speedwagon. The last time they toured together was 2018, but now they’re promising a comeback to the stage with a multi-act “major tour.” So far, Cronin is keeping mum on who the other acts will be, tellingUltimate Classic Rock, “The two other bands will remain nameless for the moment ...
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. The episode also featured one of the band’s most popular tunes, “Time for Me to Fly.” It’s fair to say they hadn’t troubled the charts for some years, but the show seemed to ...
According to legend, Cronin thrashed out the lyrics to REO Speedwagon’s “Roll With the Changes” on the back of a trash bag. Now, he’s hoping to repeat the success of that classic track, albeit on the printed page. Having “accidentally” begun writing his autobiography during REO Speedwagon’s 2016 tour with Status Quo, the enforced hiatus from tourin...
Cronin is known to play Ovations on tour, and even has his own signature guitar from the brand. But if there’s one guitar he never leaves home without, it’s his trusty ‘52 Fender Telecaster. Speaking to Guitar Worldabout his favorite piece of kit, he said: “People tell me it’s too valuable to take on tour, but I love playing that guitar so much tha...
The COVID lockdowns haven’t exactly been pleasant, but through adversity, comes opportunity, and in Cronin’s case, he’s relished the chance to reconnect with his family. 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. As a result, he’s spent mor...
When REO Speedwagon were at the peak of their popularity in the 1980s, their tours were known to get pretty wild. Cronin, like the rest of the band, earned a reputation as a party animal. These days, though, it’s a different story. After realizing his lifestyle was starting to overshadow his work and family life, he made a 180-degree turn. Now, he’...
In 2007, REO Speedwagon released “Find Your Own Way Home,” their first new album in eleven years. Cronin had been inspired to write the album after his son, Paris, fell into drug addiction. 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 po...
Kevin Patrick Cronin Jr. (born October 6, 1951) is an American musician who is the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the rock band REO Speedwagon. The band had several hits on the Billboard Hot 100 throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including two chart-toppers written by Cronin: "Keep On Loving You" (1980) and "Can't Fight This Feeling" (1984).
Mar 5, 2018 · Kevin Cronin first played with REO Speedwagon in 1972, and became a permanent member of the group in 1976. Beyond singing those aforementioned radio staples, Cronin also wrote or co-wrote (and co-produced) those songs.
Oct 21, 2013 · We managed to grab a few minutes with singer Kevin Cronin recently to talk about the new release, and he spent some time reflecting on the success of ‘Hi Infidelity’ and the misconceptions that...
