This legendary rock band is done after 57 years together, find out why
One of rock music’s most legendary bands took the stage together in Las Vegas on Saturday evening.
This comes months after REO Speedwagon decided to call it quits after 57 years together, citing “irreconcilable differences.”
The band, who lost guitarist Gary Richrath in 2015, shared the sad news with their fans on their website in September.
“It is with great sadness that we announce that REO Speedwagon will cease touring effective January 1, 2025,” they said.
“Neal, Kevin and Bruce thank their fans for all their years of loyal support and for giving back to the band such wonderful memories that will stay with each of them forever.”
During their final show at the Venetian Theater, singer Kevin Cronin, 73, told the audience: ‘My chance meeting with Gary Richrath in 1972 took me from the clubs of Chicago’s folk scene to the greatest venues in the world – Red Rocks in Colorado. The Los Angeles Forum.
‘The Budokan Arena in Tokyo. Madison Square Garden. The Chicago Stadium. The Houston Astrodome. The New Orleans Superdome on consecutive nights. Here, in the Venetian Theater, we are doing this great show with you.’
REO Speedwagon won’t rock together anymore. After 57 years together, the band called it quits and performed their final show in Las Vegas on Saturday evening (pictured in Scottsdale, Arizona, December 15)
The rocker then thanked families and crew before turning to his bandmates.
“I would like to pay tribute to the co-founders and one and only original members of REO Speedwagon, Alan Gratzer and Neil Doughty,” he said.
He went on to recognize “the other original members of the band, Gregg Philbin and Terry Latrell, and of course my closest partner in crime, in art, in everything, the late great Gary Richrath,” as well as newer members Mike Murphy, Bruce Hall, Dave Amato and Brian Hit.
Gratzer, a drummer, and Doughty, a pianist, met when they were both students at the University of Chicago in Champaign, Illinois in 1967.
After various incarnations over the years, Gratzer, Doughty, Terry Luttrell, Gregg Philbin and Gary Richrath signed with Epic Records and released their first album, REO Speedwagon, in 1971.
Luttrell left the band after the first disc and joined another group, Starcastle, and was replaced by Cronin for their second album REO/TWO
Cronin quit during the recording of their third album, 1973’s Ridin’ the Storm Out, due to internal conflicts, but returned in 1976.
The rockers released their first live album, Live: You Get What You Play For, in 1977, which went platinum.
During their final show, singer Kevin Cronin, 73, thanked his bandmates with whom he had worked for nearly six decades.
Cronin (center) joined the group as a singer in 1972. The band had great success in the 1980s with hits such as Keep On Lovin’ You and Take It On The Run (photo left with Bruce Hall, Gary Richrath, Alan Gratzer and Neal Doughty in Detroit in December 1985)
Philbin left that same year and was replaced by Bruce Hall.
In 1980, the band released Hi Infidelity, increasing their fame in the pop market with the hits Keep On Lovin’ You, Take It On The Run, In Your Letter and Don’t Let Him Go.
The record topped the Billboard 200 chart for 15 weeks and sold more than 10 million copies.
Their 1984 album, Wheels Are Turnin’ introduced fans to the chart-topping Can’t Fight This Feelingm, along with hit singles I Do Wanna Know and One Lonely Night.
After losing their contract with Epic Records in the 1990s, the band released their own self-financed album Find Your Way Home in 2007 and a holiday album, Not So Silent Night… Christmas with REO Speedwagon ( pictured in May 2007). )
It was internal conflict between Cronin and guitarist Bruce Hall that led to the ‘irreconcilable differences’ that resulted in the band’s breakup (pictured in Chicago in February 1981)
Cronin will continue to share the band’s music with the world. He will join Styx and former Eagles guitarist Don Felder on the Brotherhood Of Rock tour starting in May 2025 (pictured in Scottsdale, AZ on December 15)
Internal unrest and poor record sales in the 1990s hurt the band’s success and they lost their contract with Epic Records, but the company capitalized on the success of previous hits by repackaging the albums with updated artwork and design.
The band had continued to tour performing their classic hits, releasing their own self-financed album, Find Your Way Home, in 2007 and a holiday album, Not So Silent Night… Christmas with REO Speedwagon in 2009.
The internal battle between the band member continued and the majority decided it was time to end it, with disagreements between Hall, who had been sidelined by back surgery, and Cronin resulting in the band’s swan song.
After nearly six decades on tour, REO Speedwagon no longer performs as a group, but Cronin isn’t done performing yet. He will join Styx and former Eagles guitarist Don Felder on the Brotherhood Of Rock tour starting in May 2025.