Kevin Cronin Says REO Speedwagon Breakup Wasn’t His Idea: “I Just Got Outvoted”

REO Speedwagon broke up this year due to “irreconcilable differences” (and were of course included in our annual in memoriam video). It wasn’t Kevin Cronin’s idea. Ahead of the band’s final show, which will take place Dec. 21 at the Venetian in Las Vegas, the REO frontman spoke to Billboard about his future career plans, mentioning that he never intended to jump off the Speedwagon.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I ever see this coming,” Cronin told Billboard. “I didn’t want to end REO Speedwagon. This is sad, and I would do anything in my power to continue (as) REO Speedwagon. I never quit the band; I never will quit the band. I just got outvoted and… have to stop calling it REO Speedwagon at the end of this year.” He added, “The simple answer is that REO Speedwagon at this point is a three-person partnership…and I have one vote. So if I get outvoted then I have to accept that, whether I like it or not. I’ll be honest with you — I don’t like it. But I have to accept it…I would do everything in my power to be able to continue with REO Speedwagon but, when a vote is taken, you have to live with the results.”

Those who outvoted Cronin were bassist Bruce Hall and keyboardist Neal Doughty. Doughty, REO’s sole remaining founding member, retired from touring in 2023. Hall took a leave of absence in November of that year for back surgery; Matt Bissonette has filled in since then. Hall and Doughty retained ownership interest in REO along with Cronin and decided to pull the plug — which makes some kind of sense, since neither one of them is touring as part of REO right now.

Cronin will make his solo debut on Jan. 25 in Thackerville, OK and will be part of next summer’s Brotherhood Of Rock tour with Styx and former Eagles guitarist Don Felder.