Legendary rockers Styx and Kevin Cronin, the iconic voice and writer behind REO Speedwagon's greatest hits, recently wrapped up hugely successful sold-out residencies at The Venetian Theatre. For the first time in their 50-plus-year career in Las Vegas, NV, Styx performed 1977's THE GRAND ILLUSION in its entirety, while REO Speedwagon performed 1980's HI INFIDELITY in its entirety.
Due to the overwhelming response from both residencies, Styx and The Kevin Cronin Band wanted to give a very special Valentine’s Day gift to their fans with the announcement that they’re bringing these special album shows for the first time, plus their hits, to the amphitheaters and arenas later this summer as part of their “Brotherhood of Rock” tour.
The “Brotherhood of Rock” tour, along with special guest Don Felder (a former lead guitarist of the Eagles), will kick off May 28 in Greenville, SC at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena. It wouldn’t be summer without a live celebration of some of the greatest Rock anthems of all time from each of these multi-Platinum albums, including “Come Sail Away,” “Keep On Loving You,” “Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man),” “Take It on the Run,” along with “Hotel California” and other classics by the Eagles.
Styx and Kevin Cronin (as part of REO Speedwagon) first toured together in 2000 and in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks, they came together to form the Rock to the Rescue 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, which still collects donations for local charities at every stop on Styx’s ongoing tour.
The official trailer for the “Brotherhood of Rock” tour can be seen here.
Styx and Kevin Cronin (as part of REO Speedwagon) first toured together in 2000 and in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks, they came together to form the Rock to the Rescue 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, which still collects donations for local charities at every stop on Styx’s on-going tour.
As Styx declares, “When people fall in love with a great album, they fall in love with it for life. To play that album in a LIVE concert stirs a unique set of emotions in each member of the audience and it's really a joy to experience! Styx saw that firsthand back in 2010 when we first played THE GRAND ILLUSION in its entirety, playing those songs in the exact sequence they appear on record. Now in 2025, after performing THE GRAND ILLUSION for five sold-out nights in Las Vegas, we are excited to bring this show to our summer tour. In addition, our touring mates, Kevin Cronin and the music of REO Speedwagon will feature a full performance of their mega successful HI INFIDELITY album and Don Felder will be performing the song he co-wrote, ‘Hotel California’ and other hits from his career. It’s going to be quite a celebration!”
Kevin Cronin said, “We had a blast performing ‘An Evening of HI INFIDELITY…and More’ for our three Las Vegas residencies in 2023/24 as REO Speedwagon. This year, that same band is called the Kevin Cronin Band. Dave Amato (lead guitar/vocals) and Bryan Hitt (drums) have been with me in REO for over 35 years. Derek Hilland (keyboards: Whitesnake, Rick Springfield) and Matt Bissonette (twelve years on bass with Elton John) came on board in 2023, and we have all been together ever since. In 2025, The Kevin Cronin Band will be performing the entire HI INFIDELITY album, including 'Keep on Loving You' and 'Take it on the Run.' Plus, hits such as 'Can’t Fight This Feeling,' 'Time for me to Fly,' and 'Roll with the Changes,' which I wrote, and sang on the REO Speedwagon records. And, we get to hear our brothers, Styx play their THE GRAND ILLUSION album and all their biggest hits every night too! It’s gonna be an ‘80s-style rock and roll jam…come on out and join the party!”
About Styx:
The seven men comprising Styx--James “JY” Young (lead vocals, guitars), Tommy Shaw (lead vocals, guitars), Chuck Panozzo (bass, vocals), Todd Sucherman (drums, percussion), Lawrence Gowan (lead vocals, keyboards), Will Evankovich (mandolin, guitars), Terry Gowan (bass, guitar, vocals)—have committed to rocking the Paradise together with audiences far and wide, and each one of them is committed to making the next show better than the last. Styx draws from over five decades of barn burning chart hits, joyous singalongs, and hard-driving deep cuts. Like a symphony that builds to a satisfying crescendo, a Styx set covers a wide range of stylistic cornerstones. From the progressively sweeping splendor that is “The Grand Illusion” to the hunker-down fortitude of all that is the “Blue Collar Man,” from the majestic spiritual love for a special “Lady” to the seething indictment of preening, primping pageantry for pageantry’s sake of “Miss America,” from an individual yearning for true connection as a “Man in the Wilderness” to a soul-deep quest to achieve what’s at the heart of one’s personal vision in “Crystal Ball,” from the regal reach-for-the-stars bravado of “Come Sail Away” to the grainy all-in gallop of that rugged “Renegade” who had it made, the band draws on an unlimited cache of ways to immerse one’s mind and body in their signature sound.
As STYX continues to travel all over North America on their ongoing headlining and co-headlining tours, the desire to make new music doesn’t stop and won’t anytime soon. Their 17th album, CRASH OF THE CROWN was released June 18, 2021. Forbes described the album as one in which “…its sweeping, dramatic and anthemic sound immediately recalls the band's classic works of the 1970s and early 1980s.” It’s the follow-up to THE MISSION (their first in 14 years at the time, which critics also had called “a masterpiece”) which was released June 16, 2017. It originally debuted on various Billboard charts, including: #6 Top Rock Albums, #11 Physical Albums, #11 Vinyl Albums, #13 Current Albums, and #14 Billboard Top Albums.
About Kevin Cronin:
For his first solo summer outing, iconic vocalist and hit songwriter Kevin Cronin’s band features the same multi-talented lineup that toured America in 2024 as REO Speedwagon. Cronin continues to be joined onstage by lead guitarist Dave Amato and drummer Bryan Hitt, who have played in REO Speedwagon since 1989. Additionally, Derek Hilland, who previously toured with Rick Springfield and Whitesnake, has been REO's keyboard player since January 2023. Matt Bissonette, who spent 12 years with Elton John through 2023, signed on as REO Speedwagon's touring bassist in November of that year.
Cronin began fronting REO Speedwagon in 1972, delivering a newly melodic sound, and setting the stage for the explosive HI INFIDELITY (1980). Fueled by massive hit singles “Keep On Loving You” and “Take It On the Run,” the RIAA Diamond Award-certified album (10 million in U.S. sales) remains a high-water mark for rock bands, with 15 weeks at #1. With REO, Cronin has record sales of over 40 million, including a string of nine consecutive platinum-plus albums. He has written number one hits such as "Keep on Loving You" and "Can't Fight This Feeling," plus "Roll With the Changes," "Time for Me to Fly," "Don't Let Him Go," and “In My Dreams.” Cronin also considers it his responsibility to share and shepherd the songs of his former bandmate, the late great Gary Richrath. Performing at Live Aid, back-to-back sold out shows at the Houston Astrodome and New Orleans Super-Dome in 1981, and five appearances at his favorite venue in the world, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, are among his many live performance highlights.
More recently, Kevin Cronin performed a duet with Dolly Parton on his number one hit "Keep on Loving You" for her ROCKSTAR album. Cronin is an active family man, health and fitness enthusiast, and author. He and Lisa, his wife of thirty-five years, and former music publisher at Geffen Music are “partners in everything.” Lisa is a loving mother, trusted advisor, and is presently working with him as he puts the final touches on his memoir, Roll With the Changes: My Life Within and Without REO Speedwagon. Kevin is excited to continue this musical adventure with his powerful band of brothers, Dave, Bryan, Derek, and Matt, for the 2025 “Brotherhood of Rock” tour.
About Don Felder:
No matter how you look at it, 2024 is shaping up to be the Year of the Fingers — Don “Fingers” Felder, that is. Felder, a true American rock and roll guitar hero, is very much looking forward to building upon his rich legacy as one of the most innovative riff-generating songwriters of the modern rock era while continuing his growth as a featured touring and recording solo artist.
Spending more and more time on the road as the frontman of his own tight-knit solo band made Felder realize he needed to put in the time to hone his own distinctive voice into a finely tuned instrument. “That’s just how I work,” Don explains. “A lead vocal has to fit the song — it has to fit the timbre and texture of the song. Otherwise, you’re a one-note samba.” Felder counts extended runs with Foreigner, Styx, Peter Frampton’s Guitar Circus, and REO Speedwagon as touring highlights.
What’s next for Fingers Felder? Extensive touring is most definitely already locked into place to get behind the majestic sounds and broad shoulders of AMERICAN ROCK ’N’ ROLL. In the meantime, let us continue to admire the essence of Don Felder, a man who continues to push boundaries and expand horizons. It’s the only way that he can travel down that road.
