After six decades in rock and roll, REO Speedwagon remains one of the most durable acts in American arena rock. And according to frontman Kevin Cronin, the band’s long legacy still feels personal.

Cronin sat down for a wide-ranging conversation on the Rock & Roll High School podcast, hosted by two-time Grammy-winning producer and longtime music executive Pete Ganbarg. The interview arrives as the band marks its 60th anniversary and reflects on the success of its blockbuster 1980 album Hi Infidelity, a record that helped define the sound of arena rock in the early MTV era.

Formed in Illinois in 1967, REO Speedwagon built its reputation through relentless touring before breaking through commercially in the late 1970s and early ’80s. With Cronin as the band’s voice and primary songwriter, the group produced a run of hits that still dominate classic rock playlists today, including “Keep On Loving You,” “Take It on the Run,” “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” “Roll with the Changes,” and “Time for Me to Fly.”

Their defining moment came with Hi Infidelity, which spent 15 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart and helped propel the band from Midwest touring veterans to global arena headliners.

Looking back at the band’s longevity, Cronin said the milestone anniversary carries both pride and gratitude.

“I feel proud of and blessed by the fact that REO Speedwagon has become an American institution… they know that REO delivers. I’m really proud of the fact that if you come to a REO Speedwagon show, your expectations will be exceeded. That’s always been my intention”

The anniversary has also prompted reflection on the band’s complicated internal history. Like many long-running rock groups, REO Speedwagon has weathered lineup changes and disagreements over the years. Cronin acknowledged recent tensions with members of the original lineup but said a recent gathering showed that their shared past still carries weight.

“I’m not sure exactly how things are going to shake out…We did prove that our history and all that we shared and the friendship between us kinda over-rided the issues that we’ve been having… it exceeded my expectations. We kind of fell into the roles that we all had back in the day and we didn’t really get hung up on what’s happened over the past couple of years, the problems that have arisen and everybody got along fine. I take that as a win.”

The conversation also revealed a surprising collaboration that fans have not yet heard. Cronin said he recently revisited one of the band’s most beloved songs with a stripped-down arrangement and invited country icon Dolly Parton to join him.

“I did another version… a piano oriented, a little down tempo so the melody and the lyric really comes out. We called Dolly to see if she wanted to make it into a duet. She said yes. I’ve got a version of “Time For Me To Fly” that is a duet with Dolly and me that we haven’t released.”

If released, the duet would unite two artists who each represent major chapters in American music. Parton has spent decades bridging country, pop, and rock audiences, while REO Speedwagon helped define the melodic, emotionally direct style of arena rock that dominated radio in the late twentieth century.

The interview is part of the fifth season of the Rock & Roll High School podcast, which chronicles contemporary music history through conversations with the artists who shaped it. Hosted by Ganbarg, the series grew out of a teaching program he developed during his tenure as president of A&R at Atlantic Records, where he spent 16 years educating young creative staff about the roots of modern music.

The podcast now features extended interviews with influential performers and industry figures. Previous guests have included Graham Nash, Nile Rodgers, Kenny Loggins, Chaka Khan, Peter Frampton, and Bryan Adams.

Season five continues with conversations featuring artists such as Al Jardine of The Beach Boys, Harry Wayne “KC” Casey of KC and the Sunshine Band, John Oates of Hall & Oates, and Colin Hay of Men at Work.

For Cronin, the milestone anniversary is not just about looking back at a catalog of hits. It is also about continuing the tradition that built the band’s reputation in the first place: connecting with audiences night after night.

After 60 years, that commitment remains unchanged.

New episodes will launch every Thursday and are available to stream everywhere at https://lnk.to/rrhspodcast or https://www.rockschoolpodcast.com.

Author: Andrew Braithwaite

Andrew is the founder and chief editor of Music Talkers. He's also a keen music enthusiast and plays the guitar.