Sure, you can call the members of REO Speedwagon rock stars. But if you
have to label them, here's the more accurate term they prefer: Working
musicians.
Formed in 1967, signed in 1971 and fronted by iconic vocalist Kevin
Cronin since 1972, REO Speedwagon has - for decades - been a confounding
blend of consistency and change.
They rode in station wagons, going from tiny gigs to even tinier gigs,
just to get the REO name out in the early days. Later they rode the top
of the charts with a RIAA certified 22 million albums sold in the U.S.
and 40 million around the globe, with a string of gold and platinum
records and international hit singles. The 9-times certified Hi
Infidelity remains a high-water mark for rock bands.
Make all the "Ridin' The Storm Out" or "Roll With The Changes" cracks
you want, but that's exactly what the band has done. REO Speedwagon has
that Midwest work ethic.
The band has gone onstage and in the studio and done the work, year
after year - dozens of albums, hundreds (or thousands?) of concerts,
infinite radio spins. The eyes have always been on the future and on the
road - not a year has gone by where REO Speedwagon didn't perform live,
thrilling fans with hits like "Keep On Loving You" and "Can't Fight This
Feeling."
And yes, they do roll with the changes. With the modern-day music
industry disintegrating, the band members recorded Find Your Own Way
Home in 2007 and put it out themselves through Walmart - and personally
drove to radio stations across the country to get it heard. Ultimately
the album (yes, REO Speedwagon still makes albums, not a bunch of songs)
had more success than it would ever see with a record company. Whatever
the band members need to do to connect with fans, they do it.
"We're still doing it and still going strong," Cronin says.
Cronin (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards) has always cast an eye to the
future, along with band-mates Bruce Hall (bass), Neal Doughty
(keyboards), Dave Amato (lead guitar) and Bryan Hitt (drums). It wasn't
a surprise to Cronin to see the industry run aground.
"I think maybe the music industry needed to fall a little bit because it
was getting bloated and there were just too many people putting out CDs
with one or two good songs on them and eventually that's gonna
backfire," Cronin says.
What never backfires is a great live show. In 2009 REO Speedwagon hits
the road on the Can't Stop Rockin' Tour with STYX and 38 Special, three
of the hardest working bands in America. Sponsored by VH1 and Rock Band,
the tour is a recession-buster night of rock 'n' roll, offering the best
value this year, with some tickets as low as $13.50.
What do people want to hear these days? Hope. Passion. A reason to do
the things we do. And songwriter Cronin is a longtime fan of hope.
"I am an optimistic person," Cronin says. "In every song I have ever
written, no matter the depth of darkness from which it was conceived,
there has always been a message of hope. My own songs often serve to
remind me that in the toughest of times, hope must remain undying."
To that end REO and STYX have teamed up on a new single, "Can't Stop
Rockin'," co-written by Cronin and STYX's Tommy Shaw.
When the talk turns to benefit concerts the names that come to mind are
George Harrison, U2 and Bob Geldof. REO has quietly done its share, sans
self-serving promotional tours, from appearing at the Live Aid concert
in 1985, to a benefit for port authority workers after 9/11 and recent
MusiCares shows, along with a "Ridin' The Storm Out" benefit concert
that raised more than a half-million dollars for Iowa flood relief in
2008.
In what little downtime he has, Cronin stays busy with appearances on
shows like Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher and his own writing on
his blog at KevinCronin.com. He recently appeared on FOX-TV's Don't
Forget the Lyrics!
It's a busy life, but it always has been for the band. Formed loosely in
the late '60s at college in Champaign, IL, REO (famously named after a
fire engine) and its fans quickly realized there was much more going on
here than your average frat-party band.
By the early '70s the band's unrelenting drive, non-stop touring and
recording jump-started the burgeoning rock movement in the Midwest. It
carved a path eventually followed by STYX, Kansas, Cheap Trick and more.
Platinum albums and freeform FM radio staples such as "Ridin' The Storm
Out" followed, setting the stage for 1980's explosive Hi Infidelity.
The band's younger fans might not realize the sheer impact Hi Infidelity
had on music and the culture of rock 'n' roll. Its 9 million in sales
was fueled by huge hit singles in "Keep On Loving You" and "Take It On
the Run." High Infidelity spent months in the #1 slot, a feat simply
unattainable in music today. The strong run continued with hits like
"Can't Fight This Feeling" up through the new "Can't Stop Rockin'."
Today it's all about what it has always been - taking good care of the
band's legacy while keeping the focus on the future. That may be even
more important these days, Cronin believes.
"The world is going through a weird phase, and everybody needs music now
more than ever. We all need to join our friends, pool our resources,
combine our energies, because there is power in people coming together,"
he says.
Mark Goodman Special Guest Host
Mark Goodman has been in the music biz for 30 years. He started in radio
in his hometown of Philadelphia at WMMR. In 1978 he became music
director of the station. Then in 1980 he moved to NYC to work at WPLJ
the number one rock station in New York.
It was 1981 when Mark left WPLJ to join the as yet unknown music video
channel called MTV. As one of the 5 original VJs Mark interviewed
everyone from Paul McCartney to Sting to Bruce Springsteen. He also
hosted several special shows for the channel including “The Week In
Rock”, "120 Minutes” and the first show ever syndicated to broadcast by
MTV “The Top 20 Video Countdown.”
In the late 80’s Mark began an acting career that saw him working in
film, and TV. Goodman appeared in several films including “Man Trouble”
the worst film Jack Nicholson ever made and “Don’t Be a Menace To
Society When You’re Drinking Your Juice In The Hood” with the Wayans
brothers as well as Police Academy 6 (yes there were 6!). On TV Mark
could be seen in such shows as “ Married With Children, The Practice,
Superman and others.
In 1989 Mark returned to radio in LA at the legendary but short lived
“The Edge”. Over the next 10 years he worked at stations including KROQ,
KMPC-AM and Star 98.7 in Los Angeles as well as Q101 and WLS-FM in
Chicago.
Through the 90’s Mark worked hosting several different TV shows and
music specials. One show ”Fit TV” is still running on cable. Mark
receives no royalties from the show but is pleased he is still helping
people learn how to eat right, exercise more and be open to alternative
methods of healing and stress reduction. He is trying to utilize these
things in his own life with varying degrees of success.
In 1999 Mark became SVP of Music Programming for Soundbreak.com. He
developed the format, hired and trained the air staff, and developed all
the special programming which became available for syndication to other
sites including British Telecom Open World, As Seen In (Aaron Spelling’s
site), and Newgrounds.
After the dot com crash Mark continued his search for the new musical
underground. Oddly it presented itself from outer space in the form of
satellite radio. Mark was offered a position on Sirius Satellite Radio
on their (what else) Big 80’s channel. Since starting there in 2004 Mark
has added full time shows on Classic Rewind (late 70’s through early
90’s rock) and The Spectrum (a lively mix of rock, pop and indy for
grownups…which Mark is still considering becoming).
Concurrent with that Goodman’s understanding of the power of combining
music and visuals made Mark’s next step in the music business almost a
given. Music supervision...putting music in films and TV shows. While he
had music supervised several pilots for Fox it was the Touchstone/ABC TV
show “Desperate Housewives” which offered Mark his greatest challenge.
Mark was tapped as music supervisor to help launch the series.
Developments lately though have allowed Mark to agree with his old pal
Jon Bonjovi who asks “Who says you can’t go home?” Lately he is back
home (sort of) on VH1 and VH1 Classic doing interviews and hosting
special programs while continuing to broadcast 7 days a week on Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Doug Davidson Special Guest
Doug Davidson created the role of Paul Williams in 1978 on the Emmy
Award winning show THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS. With over 3,000 shows to
his credit on the number one rated daytime drama, Davidson personally
has ranked in the top ten of the TVQ ratings for a decade. Davidson has
even acquired the TVQ rating #1 which has marked him as the top daytime
performer (including both men and women) based on talent, familiarity
and likability. A higher position in daytime television can not be
earned. Davidson has also been honored on the SOAP OPERA AWARDS
telecasts being the recipient of four nominations and winning all awards
he has been nominated for, the latest being voted BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
in Jan 1997.
Davidson is also known to audiences when he hosted the nighttime version
of THE PRICE IS RIGHT for Paramount Pictures 94 Season. For the past two
years Davidson has been the host for the TOURNAMENT OF ROSES PARADE LIVE
for CBS. He has been the host of CBS's COMING UP ROSES NEW YEAR'S
SPECIAL (for six consecutive years running) and also Ceremonies for the
state wide telecast THE MISS CALIFORNIA PAGEANT and recently co-hosted
LIVE with Stephanie Edwards, as well as the JENNY JONES SHOW in the
past. Davison's hosting abilities enabled cable TV's THE KENNY ROGER'S
CEREBRAL PALSY TELETHON to surpass all financial goals, making it three
record breaking years when Doug Davidson was hosting.
Although Davidson's daytime schedule is demanding, he was able to star
with Paul Reiser in the feature film MR. WRITE and co-star in Judith
Krantz's mini-series I'LL TAKE MANHATTAN, Davidson slipped away to guest
on an episode of DIAGNOSIS MURDER with Dick Van Dyke and taped a special
piece for the OLYMPICS on CBS. He has appeared on Fox's MOW L.A. JOHNS.
Doug Davidson's popularity and success has earned him over 700 national
magazine covers and newspapers and guest appearances on CBS THIS
MORNING, PHIL DONAHUE, KTLA MORNING SHOW, MAURY POVICH, GERALDO, VICKI,
ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT, THE PAT SAJACK SHOW, MIKE AND MATY, DONNY AND
MARIE, MARILU, HOUR MAGAZINE, MERV GRIFFIN, amongst others. Davidson's
countless appearances all over the United States and Canada has proven
how strong viewership in daytime T.V. really is. In Markville, Canada,
thirty thousand people besieged a shopping mall just to get a single
glimpse of the blonde, blue-eyed, six foot actor who appears weekly as
detective Paul Williams.
Supporting charitable causes, Davidson has been featured on more FAMILY
FEUDS than anyone (with the exception of the show's host). Davidson has
appeared on such show as THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE , WIN LOSE OR DRAW, TIC
TAC DOUGH, and CARD SHARKS, raising money for charities having to do
with children, animals, and saving our earth. Davidson's dedication to
youth is evident through his strong association with the YMCA. He has
worked as Youth Director on Catalina Island , Davidson and his wife
actress Cindy Fisher, have served as National Honorary Chairperson's for
WE-TIP, a non-profit anonymous tip line that aids in crime stopping.
Once a marine biology major at Occidental College, Davidson still enjoys
SCUBA diving and the outdoors. He has camped all over Europe,
water-skied the Colorado River, and remains a 1st degree brown belt in
Karate. Davidson commutes to Hollywood from his 5 1/2 acre secluded
property in a beach community outside of Los Angeles. At home, he loves
to spend time with his daughter Calyssa, and his son, Caden and their
old English Sheepdog Gertrude.
Eric Martsolf Special Guest
Mr. Martsolf graduated from Dickinson College in
Carlisle Pennsylvania with a BA in Political Science
with honors, emphasizing in mass media politics and
constitutional law. His time away form his studies was
spent performing in unlimited capacities-choirs, operas,
musicals, barbershop quartets, and even a rock band
which was proclaimed Harrisburg’s best new band. The
last decade of Mr. Martsolf’s career is nothing short of
a testament to his versatility as an actor, successfully
completing over 1500 theatrical performances and 2000+
television episodes. These profound numbers stem from
his 4 year comic portrayal of the Pharaoh in Andrew
Lloyd Webber’s Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor
Dreamcoat, in which he consistently drew in acclaimed
reviews from the harshest of nationwide critics, calling
him a “mix of Elvis and Stallone-a blend of charisma,
muscular framework, and talent to be reckoned with.” Mr.
Martsolf is most widely recognized for his six year
popular portrayal of Ethan Winthrop on NBC’s Passions,
where in which he claimed numerous accolades from peers
and fans alike. He additionally drew in the largest
numbers in Directv’s original programming history while
hosting “Passions Live”, the first live call in show for
any daytime genre. His comedic adeptness was critically
commended in 2007 for his portrayal of L’il Abner
alongside Fred Willard for LA’s Reprise series under the
artistic direction of Jason Alexander. He currently
portrays the role of Brady Black on NBC’s historic
sudser “Days of our Lives.” Mr. Martsolf is the proud
father of twin sons Chase and Mason, and husband to Lisa
Martsolf.
