REO Speedwagon hits the brakes as rock band ends tour amid ‘irreconcilable differences’
Band “I can’t fight this feeling” and “Keep Loving You” announced On Monday, January 1, bassist Bruce Hall will retire from the band due to back problems and the recent departure of singer Kevin Cronin following emergency surgery. When the score is to have back surgery in novemberBassist and vocalist Matt Bissonnette, who has played with the David Lee Roth Band, Ringo Starr and the Roundheads and the Electric Light Orchestra, stepped in. Hall later said the tour was difficult because of that. problem with your position.
“Bruce (Hall) intends to be on the road now. If it were up to him alone, he would be back on tour… but it’s not just up to him,” the band said in a statement. statement posted on social media. “The consensus view was that he had not recovered enough to be able to perform at the level fans expected. Bruce respected that opinion and is grateful to Matt. (Bissonette) has been there to keep the car moving during the summer tour. Bruce never intended to retire or walk away from the band, fans and crew he has loved for nearly 50 years.”
In addition to Hall, 71, and Cronin, 72, the Grammy-nominated band currently includes original member and keyboardist Neil Doughty, 78, guitarist Dave Amato, 71, and drummer Brian Heath, 70. In the late 1960s, it was founded by Doughty – who announced his plans to retire 2023 – and drummer Alan Gratzer, who left the band in 1988.
They were first joined by vocalist and guitarist Joe Matt and bassist Mike Blair, but the band has had a revolving door of members over the past five decades. Cronin joined the group in 1972, and Hall joined in 1977 ahead of the band’s breakthrough album, 1978’s You Can Tune a Piano, But You Can’t Tuna Fish, and 1980’s best-selling Hi Infidelity.
REO Speedwagon’s statement also said Cronin “never intended to leave the band” or because “the fans and crew mean a lot to him as well.” Last week, Cronin announced he would have to undergo emergency surgery, but promised to “get up and dance” when his doctors gave him the all-clear. (“Until then, I’m 100% focused on recovery,” he wrote in the group on Saturday. website.)
But his promise seemed short-lived given his current situation, which included this comment:
“Due to this difficult situation, irreconcilable differences have arisen between Bruce and Kevin. Therefore, it is with a heavy heart that we announce that REO Speedwagon will cease touring on January 1, 2025,” the statement read. “Neil, Kevin and Bruce would like to thank their fans for their many years of support and for bringing such wonderful memories to the band that each of them will cherish forever.”
REO Speedwagon is scheduled to hit the road with shows this fall, kicking off on September 27th with a tour in Rancho Mirage and ending with a show on November 23rd in Lexington, KY. websiteIt is unclear whether anyone else will replace Cronin.
REO Speedwagon wrapped up their summer co-headlining tour last week following their tour with pop-rock band Train. had to withdraw from the final performances in Chula Vista on Sept. 10 and Phoenix on Sept. 11 due to Cronin’s illness. Cronin said Saturday that “2024 was equal parts fun and challenging, and even though I didn’t make it to the finish line, I loved the ride. The summer train tour with REO Speedwagon was a bold idea and an incredible success story.”
Train opened the final two shows of the tour with REO Speedwagon’s “Keep on Love You”; Yacht Rock Revue, gearing up for the final dates, covered REO’s “Roll With A Change” in their set.
