Kevin Cronin took to Facebook to openly talk about his band’s recent issues.
Initially, the singer talked about how hard it was for them to play a show in the extreme weather in New Orleans. A snowstorm shut down the city and canceled flights. Crew members took long drives to reach the venue. The band switched airlines and took a last-minute private plane to get there.
“I’m so grateful to the whole team,” Cronin continued in the rest of his post. “Lead guitarist Dave Amato and drummer Bryan Hitt (who have been with me in REO Speedwagon for thirty-five years), Matt Bissonette (twelve years on bass with Elton John), the newly-coiffed Derek Hilland (former keyboardist Foreigner, Rick Springfield, Whitesnake), and I have toured together non-stop since November of 2023.”
“We played eighty-five shows last year, sharing our music with over 500k people. Moving forward, Kevin Cronin Band will carry on the REO tradition of high-energy performance, Eighties-style positive party vibes, and a setlist filled with the hit songs that the late great Gary Richrath and I wrote and produced, and which REO fans have taken into their hearts and souls,” the vocalist shared.
He added, “We look forward to seeing you this summer, as we emphasize the songs of Hi Infidelity, all the other REO hits, plus a new song I wrote with my pal Richard Marx called ‘All Because of You.’ The Kevin Cronin Band will join our long-time friends and tour mates, Styx, for a major amphitheater tour beginning in Spring 2025. Come out and join the party!”
REO Speedwagon played their last show on December 22. They performed 15 songs, including hits from the 1980s like ‘Keep On Loving You.’ They ended with ‘Can’t Fight This Feeling’ and ‘Roll With the Changes.’
Since REO Speedwagon retired, fans have asked the band members to talk and end things properly. Cronin recently replied to these requests on Facebook. “Wish you would meet with Bruce Hall of REO Speedwagon and talk things out. This isn’t the right way to retire REO. The fans deserve better,” a user commented on one of Cronin’s posts.
Kevin replied, “I agree that the fans deserve the nothing but the best effort from any artist they buy a ticket to see. That is what I have always striven for with REO Speedwagon. As to a farewell tour … I am simply not ready to say farewell, and I can’t control the retirement schedules of others. I have spoken to this question several times, so I would respectfully ask that you take these sentiments elsewhere.”
The final shows happened with tension, as ‘irreconcilable differences’ between Cronin and bassist Bruce Hall caused Hall to miss the performances.
