1980 ‘Sublime Ballad' With Iconic Guitar Riff Became One of the Greatest in Rock History
'Tis the season for cruising with the top down and blasting one of the greatest power ballads in rock history on repeat. But next time you cue up REO Speedwagon's "Keep On Loving You," consider this: The sublime hit was a double-edged sword, both shooting the Midwestern rockers to superstardom, but also costing them some of their most devoted fans.
That's right, the same loyal following the gritty rock band built throughout the 1970s with Ridin' the Storm Out (1973), Lost in a Dream (1974), and You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish (1978) didn't exactly keep on loving the softer ballad-driven turn that helped make REO Speedwagon a household name.
"In the 1970s, we were the Midwest rock band everyone was rooting for in America," frontman Kevin Cronin told Classic Rock for the outlet's first issue ofAOR Magazine. "We were the ones who drove around in a banged-up van, and people were on our side and wanted to see us succeed. Then in 1981 we had a huge album withHi Infidelity, and you'd have thought all those fans who'd been willing us to get the breakthrough would have been delighted for us. Not a bit."
Released in November 1980, Hi Infidelity was a massive success. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and produced four major hits, including "Take It on the Run," "In Your Letter," and "Don't Let Him Go." Released as the lead single, "Keep On Loving You" was REO's first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Still, die-hard fans bailed on the band.
"We got a major backlash over here," Cronin said. "People turned on us. It was as if they resented their big secret band suddenly being the property of the mainstream."
Written by Cronin on his piano about his own tumultuous relationship, "Keep On Loving You" features an iconic guitar solo from Gary Richrath, another outspoken rock purist who absolutely hated the idea of recording a power ballad at first.
"We were in S.I.R. Rehearsal Studios in Los Angeles working on the material for Hi Infidelity and I kept pushing this song and getting nowhere," Cronin shared. "In the end, Gary got so fed up that he plugged his Les Paul into two Marshall amps and delivered the nastiest solo he could in the song. I'm sure he wanted to piss me off, but the opposite happened. His solo made it come alive. It worked! And the rest is history."
Perennial underdogs no longer, REO Speedwagon have sold more than 40 million records worldwide and produced 13 Top 40 hits in the U.S. alone. Despite the band officially calling it quits in January 2025, the guys still rock on, with some members reuniting for surprise concerts here and there.
"The audience also appreciate what we're about," Cronin said. "I honestly believe that those who might have deserted us when we had all those big hits have now ‘forgiven' us."
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This story was originally published April 24, 2026 at 7:14 AM.