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Bruce Hall<\/a>\u00a0says he and\u00a0Kevin Cronin<\/a> have agreed to put aside their recent feud and perform together as REO Speedwagon<\/a>\u00a0for a special occasion later this month.<\/p>\n “REO Speedwagon is coming back to campus, the place where it all began, to lead this year\u2019s Illinois Homecoming Parade as our grand marshals on Friday, Sept. 26,” Hall wrote on the Facebook post embedded below. “The band members will also participate in game day as the pregame Siren Sounders and will take the field with Barry Houser and the Marching Illini to collaborate on a one-of-a-kind REO-themed halftime show that will feature a medley of the band\u2019s hit songs.”<\/p>\n Hall later confirmed that in addition to Cronin, keyboardist Neal Doughty and drummer Alan Gratzer – both founding members of the group – will appear at the show. The latter duo met while attending the University of Illinois in the mid-’60s<\/a>, making the upcoming event an important homecoming for the group.<\/p>\n Cronin has not confirmed or commented on Hall’s announcement as of press time.<\/p>\n Read More: 2024’s Biggest Rock Breakups, Retirements and Lineup Changes<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n In September of 2025, REO Speedwagon announced that they would cease touring, as Hall and Cronin were unable to agree on plans for Hall to return to the road following a leave of absence for back surgery.<\/p>\n “The consensus feeling is that I don’t have good enough posture to perform at a level expected by our fans,” Hall said at the time<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI saw the X-ray [of Hall’s back] and I’m like, dude, \u2018I don’t see how you’re going to be ready by March 1st, June 1st,\u2019\u201d Cronin later explained.<\/a> \u201cI said, \u2018If I were you, man, I would just sit out the year.\u2019 And he didn’t take very kindly to that.\u201d<\/p>\n After the breakup, Cronin began touring under his own name, using the exact same lineup that had been performing as REO Speedwagon during Hall’s absence. The Kevin Cronin Band opened for Styx<\/a> on the Brotherhood of Rock tour this summer, but last month the singer revealed that he would be forced to dismantle the group’s longtime touring crew.<\/p>\n “It’s not easy going out as the Kevin Cronin Band, I will tell you,” he told UCR<\/a>. “You can’t overestimate the power of the name REO Speedwagon and that ubiquitous, winged logo. They mean a lot to people. I can sit here and say that the Kevin Cronin band is doing the same thing until I’m blue in the face, but when people see the Kevin Cronin Band, there’s a question — ‘I wonder what this is gonna be?’ — whereas if you see REO Speedwagon and the winged logo on the bill, it’s ‘I know what that is.'”<\/p>\n REO Speedwagon’s catalog and career have been marked by dizzying highs and big setbacks.\u00a0Here’s a ranked look back.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Nick DeRiso<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhy the Kevin Cronin Band’s Touring Days Were Short-Lived<\/h3>\n
REO Speedwagon Albums Ranked<\/h2>\n