One of rock music’s most legendary bands took the stage together for the final time Saturday night in Las Vegas.
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 stop traveling as of January 1, 2025,” they reported.
“Neal, Kevin and Bruce thank their fans for all their years of loyal support and for giving the band back such wonderful memories that will stay with each of them forever.”
During his final show at the Venetian Theatre, vocalist Kevin Cronin, 73, told the audience: “My chance meeting with Gary Richrath back in 1972 took me from the clubs of Chicago’s folk scene to the best places in the world. : Red Rocks in Colorado. The Los Angeles Forum.
‘The Budokan Arena in Tokyo. Madison Square Garden. Chicago stadium. The Houston Astrodome. The New Orleans Superdome on consecutive nights. Here at the Venetian Theatre, doing this incredible show with you.”
REO Speedwagon will no longer sway. After 57 years together, the band broke up and played their final show in Las Vegas on Saturday night (pictured in Scottsdale, AZ on December 15).
The rocker continued by thanking the families and crew, before addressing his bandmates.
“I want to pay tribute to the co-founders and only real original members of REO Speedwagon, Alan Gratzer and Neil Doughty,” he said.
He went on to acknowledge “the other original members of the band, Gregg Philbin and Terry Latrell, and of course my close partner in crime, in art, in everything, the late great Gary Richrath,” as well as new 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 album, joining another group, Starcastle, and was replaced by Cronin for their second album REO/TWO.
Cronin quit while recording his 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 was certified platinum.
During his final show, vocalist Kevin Cronin, 73, thanked his bandmates with whom he had worked for nearly six decades.
Cronin (center) joined the group as vocalist in 1972. The band had great success in the 1980s with hits such as Keep On Lovin’ You and Take It On The Run (pictured, 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, which increased their exposure to 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 album spent 15 weeks atop the Billboard 200 chart and sold more than 10 million copies.
Their 1984 album, Wheels Are Turnin’, introduced fans to the chart-topping hit Can’t Fight This Feelingm along with the 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 Christmas album, Not So Silent Night… Christmas with REO Speedwagon, in 2009 (pictured May 2007). )
It was internal conflicts between Cronin and guitarist Bruce Hall that led to the “irreconcilable differences” that resulted in the band’s breakup (Photographed 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 kicking off in May 2025 (pictured in Scottsdale, AZ on December 15).
Internal turmoil 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 past hits, repackaging the albums with updated artwork and designs.
The band continued to tour performing their classic hits and released their own self-financed album, Find Your Way Home in 2007 and a Christmas album, Not So Silent Night… Christmas with REO Speedwagon, in 2009.
Infighting between the band member continued, and most determined it was time to call it a day, with disagreements between Hall, who had been sidelined by back surgery, and Cronin, resulting in the singing of the band swan.
After nearly six decades on the road, REO Speedwagon will no longer be performing as a group, but Cronin isn’t done performing. He will join Styx and former Eagles guitarist Don Felder on the Brotherhood Of Rock tour beginning in May 2025.