Kevin Cronin has detailed the events that led to REO Speedwagon’s eventual breakup.
During a recent appearance on Billy Corgan‘s The Magnificent Others podcast, Cronin noted how things began to change during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I started kind of reassessing some things. And I started wanting to reach further,” the singer explained. “I was wanting a little more. And not necessarily outside the band. I wanted to lift the band in some way.”
Cronin started seeing a vocal coach and began working on his craft like never before.
READ MORE: Top 10 REO Speedwagon Songs
“I really started putting in 10,000 hours on my voice,” the frontman recalled. “So when the band got back together after the pandemic, I was psyched. And some of the guys in the band shared that excitement and some of the guys didn’t. And so it became a little bit of a, like, wait a minute, what’s going on here? You know? And so there was a little bit of a chasm opening within the band.”
Still, it wasn’t until 2023 that thing really started to come apart.
Kevin Cronin Insists He Has ‘No Ill Feelings’ Towards Bruce Hall
“I had been working on a presentation for the band, for a Las Vegas residency, which has to be different than what you do on tour,” Cronin explained. “So the idea was to perform the entire Hi Infidelity record all the way through with a massive audio visual presentation.”
When bassist Bruce Hall injured his back before the residency’s start, it threw a wrench in REO Speedwagon’s plans.
“When Bruce hurt himself, it was a week before we were supposed to open in Vegas,” Cronin recalled. “And I put a year of work into this and people buy tickets from all over the world to come in for a residency. And so I didn’t want to lose the residency. And I said, ‘Bruce, you’ve got to go home, take care of yourself.’”
Even without Hall, Cronin was insistent that the residency would continue as planned. “I just was, if there’s a way to salvage this thing, I’m going to salvage it.”
READ MORE: How REO Speedwagon Started a New Chapter With ‘Hi Infidelity’
Cronin recruited Elton John’s bassist Matt Bissonette to fill in during the residency. The singer felt a “new energy” within the band during these shows, but it also splintered the relationship with Hall.
“I love Bruce and I think he might feel like I was out to get him,” Cronin conceded. “I’ve heard that from people, that there’s a feeling there and it’s just not the case at all. I hold no ill feelings toward him.”
Though Cronin felt it was his job to “keep REO Speedwagon moving forward,” the rift with Hall was too much to handle. “It just became an impossible situation.”
What’s Happening With REO Speedwagon Now?
REO Speedwagon officially ceased touring on Jan. 1, 2025. Cronin has continued to perform the group’s hits with his solo band, and the classic REO lineup (minus the late Gary Richrath), reunited in September 2025 for a special performance alongside the University of Illinois Marching Illini. Still, there are no plans for an official REO Speedwagon reunion.
“I thought that REO Speedwagon would ride into the barn [together],” Cronin admitted, reflecting upon the group’s history. “We would all retire at the same time as friends, the crew would be with us… It just didn’t, it didn’t work out that way.”
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Gallery Credit: Nick DeRiso
