Classic rock singer makes ‘heartbreaking’ decision about band’s future
A classic rock singer was forced to make a "heartbreaking" regarding the future of his band.
"I don't know what I want to do next," former REO Speedwagon frontman Kevin Cronin told Ultimate Classic Rock in a new interview.
"I'm really kind of a goal-oriented person, so the hard part is for the past 50 years, at the end of each tour, I'm used to already know what the next tour's going to be, or the next album or whatever," Cronin, who is currently on the road with the Kevin Cronin Band, told the outlet. "At the end of this tour it'll be the first time that I'm not in that situation, that I don't have a real, concrete goal that I'm working towards."
Cronin has been touring with the Kevin Cronin Band since REO Speedwagon officially broke up last year due to "irreconcilable differences" between Cronin and bassist Bruce Hall, Blabbermouth reported at the time.
Later in 2024, Cronin announced that he would be touring as the Kevin Cronin Band. The singer was joined by fellow REO Speedwagon alumni Dave Amato and Bryan Hitt. The band has shows scheduled throughout the rest of August. But after the tour wraps Aug. 24 in Milwaukee, Cronin said he realistically can't keep the group together.
"That is probably one of the most difficult parts about this whole thing," the singer told UCR. "My plan was always to keep the organization together...but there are challenges around that are just overwhelming and I couldn't promise the crew that I could afford to keep them."
Cronin continued, "At this point (the crew) had no choice but to make themselves available, and they have my total love and my total support. They're so great. They're my family. They're my brothers and sisters. Most of our crew has been with us 15, 20 years. Some of them already have great offers. It's heartbreaking for me, but at the same time I love them and I want what's best for them. I've told them all, 'If you need a reference, you've got my number.'"
Cronin said he may still be able to book a few shows with his backing band, but it's harder without the REO Speedwagon brand name and logo.
REO Speedwagon, fronted by Cronin since 1972, is best known for '70s and '80s rock hits like "Can't Fight This Feeling," "Take It On the Run," and "Keep on Loving You."
Cronin, 73, told UCR that he may continue performing solo but will also focus on finishing his memoir, which will now tentatively be titled "Roll With the Change: My Life Within and Without REO Speedwagon."
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