18-06-2025
Legendary Classic Rock Band Reunites for Farewell Concert, Minus Key Member
Legendary Classic Rock Band Reunites for Farewell Concert, Minus Key Member originally appeared on Parade.
Current and former members of the iconic classic rock band REO Speedwagon gathered at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois on Saturday, June 14, 2025, for a special career retrospective concert that also served as a farewell to their dedicated fans after they stopped touring in 2024.
Key members of the band throughout the years reunited for the event, including keyboardist and co-founder Neal Doughty, co-founding drummer Alan Gratzer, early vocalist Mike Murphy, longtime bassist Bruce Hall, early lead vocalist Terry Lutrell, and early guitarist Steve Scorfina. Noticeably missing was Kevin Cronin, who was the band's lead vocalist from 1972 until 2024, when the band announced they would stop touring due to "irreconcilable differences."
Despite the absence, the band hosted a legendary night for fans, playing some of their most popular tracks, like "Keep on Loving You," "Roll With the Changes," and "Time for Me to Fly," according to Ultimate Classic Rock. They also played some deeper cuts that the most long-term, committed followers would appreciate.
The experience was more than just a reunion concert; the band shared stories and added context about their songs throughout the evening, and invited up members of other bands members founded through the years. They also honored two late members: guitarist and songwriter Gary Richrath and bassist Gregg Philbin.
One special moment included the band presenting Richrath's son, Eric, with a commemorative plaque. "I'm not going to sit up here and babble," he said upon receiving the touching gift. "We've got a lot of music to get to. I think in this moment, my dad would probably say, 'Let's get back to the rock,' so let's do that." He then joined the band playing guitar while they performed "Ridin' the Storm Out."
Other surprise guests included Hall's kids, Sara and Timmy, and country trio Levon, who brought incredible harmonized vocals to fill in some of the gaps. The band toured extensively with REO Speedwagon over the years, so they were a friendly face for longtime fans.
Some band members, like Gratzer, hadn't performed REO Speedwagon's songs on stage in nearly four decades, but the performance went off without a hitch. "I've been very happily retired," he joked with fans on stage.
Hall previously spoke of the performance as a way for the band to get "closure" after coming to an abrupt and unexpected end, saying that they wanted "to say goodbye to the fans and thank you for all of the years."
However, he admitted at the farewell concert that it was bittersweet. "In all reality, this is REO's last show," he said. "As hard as it's all been for everybody, including me, don't forget that love will cure you."
"I'm counting on that," he added. "It should hopefully make a difference in somebody close that you know, because I miss you too. I think these songs belong to all of us and it's fun playing them."
Legendary Classic Rock Band Reunites for Farewell Concert, Minus Key Member first appeared on Parade on Jun 15, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
