Who's The Lead Singer For Reo Speedwagon

You know that moment at a party when someone throws on “Can’t Fight This Feeling” and suddenly everyone over forty is belting it out like they’re at a karaoke bar in heaven? Yeah, that’s the magic of REO Speedwagon. But let’s be real: we’ve all been in that conversation where someone squints and asks, “Who’s the lead singer?” It’s a fair question, because the band has had more vocalists than your local coffee shop has seasonal lattes.

Let me cut to the chase: the iconic, official lead singer for REO Speedwagon is Kevin Cronin. He’s the guy with the big, earnest voice, the slightly shaggy hair—like a golden retriever who just ran through a field of 1980s earnestness—and the ability to make “Keep On Loving You” sound like a desperate plea from a guy who just ran out of gas in the middle of a romance. But here’s the twist: Kevin wasn’t always the frontman. It’s a story as convoluted as your cousin’s third marriage.

The Early Days: A Revolving Door of Rock

Back in the early 1970s, REO Speedwagon was a scrappy band from Champaign, Illinois, named after a truck. Their first lead singer was Terry Luttrell, who sounded like a smooth, sophisticated dude. Think of him as the nice guy who shows up to a barbecue with a fancy cheese plate. He sang on their debut album in 1971, but then he left to pursue other projects. It was like the band’s first breakup—sad, but nobody remembers the details.

Then came Mike Murphy, who stepped in for a hot minute. Mike was the friend who borrows your car and returns it with a new dent. He sang on a couple of albums in the early seventies, but the band wasn’t clicking. The magic was missing. You know that feeling when you’re playing board games with nice people, but there’s zero chemistry? That was REO with Mike Murphy.

Enter Kevin Cronin (and His Guitar)

In 1972, a young kid named Kevin Cronin joined the band as a guitarist and backup singer. He had this raw, earnest energy—like a golden retriever puppy who just discovered a tennis ball. But the band’s record label didn’t think he was a strong enough singer, so they fired him in 1973. Imagine being told you’re not good enough to sing in a band that will later define an era. Ouch. It’s like getting rejected from a prom committee that ends up planning the greatest party ever.

Who Is the Lead Singer of REO Speedwagon | Audiolover

So Kevin left, and the band hired Kevin Cronin? No, wait—they actually hired a guy named Kevin Cronin again in 1976? Yes, you read that right. After a failed experiment with a different singer named Kevin D. Cronin? No, that’s the same guy. They realized their mistake and begged him to come back. It’s the rock-and-roll equivalent of breaking up with someone, realizing they were the only one who could make a decent salad, and then marrying them five years later.

The Classic Lineup: Cronin and the Guys

When Kevin returned in 1976, he brought a new energy and a voice that was perfect for the band’s evolving sound—a mix of arena rock, power ballads, and Midwest earnestness. He became the lead singer for the albums that made them household names, like Hi Infidelity (1980), which sold over 10 million copies. That’s the one with “Keep On Loving You” and “Take It on the Run.” If you don’t know those songs, you might be a sentient toaster.

And here’s the funny part: Kevin Cronin, the lead singer, is still the lead singer today. He’s been in the band for almost 50 years (with that brief, awkward sabbatical). You can catch him on tour, still wailing about love and taking things on the run. He looks like that one uncle who still wears a leather jacket to family reunions and insists on grilling burgers in the rain.

REO Speedwagon lead vocalist finds inspiration during small town tour stops

Why This Matters at Your Next BBQ

So why should you care who the lead singer is? Because it’s the kind of trivia that makes you the hero of a pub quiz or the savior of a dinner party argument. When someone says, “REO Speedwagon? Isn’t that the band with two lead singers?” you can calmly say, “No, Kevin Cronin is the guy. But there was a period in the mid-70s where things got weird.” Trust me, you’ll get nods of respect.

It’s also a reminder that persistence pays off. Kevin Cronin was fired, came back, and became a legend. He’s the musical version of that guy who kept showing up to the gym and eventually got abs. So next time you’re in the car and “Keep On Loving You” comes on the classic rock station, smile. You now know the guy behind the voice—a guy who fought his way back into a band, just to sing about fighting his feelings. That’s a story worth cracking a cold one to.

And if you ever meet Kevin Cronin in person? Just say, “Thanks for not quitting.” He’ll probably laugh. He might even start singing.