REO SPEEDWAGON Hits Billboard Charts Following ‘Ozark’ Appearance

BLABBERMOUTH.NET

Following multi-platinum classic rock band REO SPEEDWAGON appearing in an episode of Netflix's award-winning drama "Ozark", the group finds four of its hits on Billboard's Hot Rock Songs chart, plus an album charting on Top Rock Albums, along with Rock Producers and Rock Songwriters chart positions. "Ozark"'s episode (Season 3, Episode 3) "Kevin Cronin Was Here" named for REO SPEEDWAGON's vocalist Kevin Cronin, featured a live performance of the band's "Time For Me To Fly", along with lead character Wendy (played by Emmy Award winner Laura Linney) singing along to the song in her car. Hitting the Billboard's Hot Rock Songs for the week of April 11 at No. 10 is the band's "Keep On Loving You", "Can't Fight This Feeling" at No. 13, "Time For Me To Fly" at No. 15, and "Take It On The Run" at No. 16. The band's 1988 compilation album "The Hits", which includes all four songs, enters Billboard's Top Rock Albums chart at No. 49. Due to solely penning "Keep On Loving You", "Can't Fight This Feeling" and "Time For Me To Fly", Cronin also tops Billboard's Rock Songwriters chart at No. 1. The late Gary Richrath, who wrote "Take It On The Run", debuts on Rock Songwriters at No. 8. Cronin and Richrath, co-producers of those four songs, tie at No. 8 on Billboard's Rock Producers chart. Cronin said: "Thanks to our friends at 'Ozark', my kids actually think I'm cool. Plus, REO has four songs in the Billboard Top 20, so my wife thinks I'm cool too! I am a lucky guy. REO SPEEDWAGON has the best fans in the world. Stay safe, and remember the courageous front-line workers." In other REO SPEEDWAGON news, Cronin will appear in a one-on-one conversation with Katie Daryl on AXS TV's Facebook Live series "At Home With..." on Monday, April 13 at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. Follow AXS TV on Facebook to watch. He will also appear in four episodes of AXS TV's "Top 10 Revealed" this season: "Songs Stuck At #2" (May 31), "Yacht Rock" (June 14), "70s Folk Songs" (June 28), and "Epic Songs Of '84" (July 12). In March, Cronin and REO guitarist Dave Amato were featured on AXS TV's "Eddie Money Tribute Concert" alongside Sammy Hagar, James Hetfield of METALLICA, Tommy Tutone, and more. On June 5 at 5:00 p.m. ET/2:00 p.m. PT, Cronin will guest DJ on SiriusXM's The Beatles Channel (channel 18), playing his favorite tracks and sharing a special BEATLES cover, "If I Fell", performed by THE CAMP CRONIN BAND (Laptop Version). Last week, he was featured as a guest on SiriusXM's Volume (channel 106) with "Trunk Nation"'s Eddie Trunk. Formed in 1967, signed in 1971, and fronted by 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". That landmark album spent 15 weeks in the No. 1 slot and has since earned the RIAA's coveted diamond award for surpassing sales of 10 million units in the United States. Today, REO SPEEDWAGON has sold more than 40 million albums around the globe, and Cronin and bandmates Bruce Hall (bass), Neal Doughty (keyboards), Dave Amato (guitar), and Bryan Hitt (drums) are still electrifying audiences worldwide in concert with hits and fan favorites such as "In Your Letter", "Can't Fight This Feeling", "Time For Me To Fly", "Roll With The Changes" the aforementioned "Keep On Loving You" and "Take It On The Run". Photo credit: Randee St. Nicholas