EACC presents iconic rockers REO Speedwagon

FORREST CITY — East Arkansas Community College will present rock band REO Speedwagon on Friday, May 3rd at 7:30 p.m. at the EACC Fine Arts Center in Forrest City. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Monday, March 18th at 10:00 a.m.

Formed in 1967, signed in 1971, and fronted by iconic vocalist Kevin Cronin since 1972, REO Speedwagon’s unrelenting drive, as well as non-stop touring and recording jump-started the burgeoning rock movement in the Midwest. Platinum albums and radio staples soon followed, setting the stage for the release of the band’s explosive Hi Infidelity in 1980, which contained the massive hit singles “Keep On Loving You” and “Take It On the Run.” The landmark album spent 15 weeks in the No. 1 slot and has since earned the RIAA’s coveted 10X Diamond Award for surpassing sales of 10 million units in the United States.

From 1977 to 1989, REO Speedwagon released nine consecutive albums all certified Platinum or higher. To date, REO Speedwagon has sold more than 40 million albums around the globe, and Cronin and bandmates Bruce Hall, Dave Amato, Bryan Hitt, Derek Hilland, and most recent addition Matt Bissonette, are electrifying audiences worldwide in concert with hits and fan-favorites

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such as “Ridin’ the Storm Out,” “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” “Time For Me To Fly,” “Roll With The Changes,” “Keep On Loving You,” “Take It On the Run,” and many, many more.

More recently, REO has been featured in Season Three of the hit Netflix series, Ozark, with an episode entitled: “Kevin Cronin Was Here.”

Cronin sang a duet with Dolly Parton on his number-one hit, “Keep on Loving You” for her star-studded Rockstar album, which featured a who’s who of rock luminaries including Sir Paul McCartney, Elton John, and Sting, to mention just a few. Cronin performed on the 2022 season finale of American Idol, is a regular guest with the Jim Irsay Collection band, and is currently putting the finishing touches on his memoir, “Roll With The Changes… my life within and without REO Speedwagon.”

REO Speedwagon launched their first Las Vegas residency in November of 2023, the sold-out “An Evening of Hi Infidelity… and More!,” with return engagements scheduled for May and October 2024.

The band is also active in numerous charitable endeavors including the Larry Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Music Drives Us, and Moffitt Cancer Center.

Tickets for REO Speedwagon’s performance are $44 and will be available online at EACC.edu, by calling 870633-4480, ext. 352, or in person at the EACC Fine Arts Center Ticket Office. The EACC Fine Arts Center is located at 1700 Newcastle Road in Forrest City, just off Interstate 40.