REO Speedwagon bringing hits to Cedar Rapids’ McGrath Amphitheatre on July 3

It's been 40-years since REO Speedwagon dominated the charts with hits from its platinum-plus monster album, "Hi Infidelity."

But fans can expect the band to dip all the way back to those beginnings in concert Saturday night at the McGrath Amphitheatre in Cedar Rapids.

The hits from "Hi Infidelity" have been staples in REO Speedwagon's set over the years.

The power ballad "Keep on Loving You" was the band’s first single to break the Top 50 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, reaching the number-one position in March of 1981. The urgent "Take It on the Run" peaked at number 5. The hook-laden "In Your Letter" reached number 20 and the intense "Don't Let Him Go" topped out at number 24.

“Hi Infidelity” stayed on the charts for 65 weeks. It was in the Top 10 for a staggering 32 weeks, including 15 weeks when it was on top of the Billboard charts.

"It's incredible how well things worked out when I look back at that album," vocalist-guitarist-pianist Kevin Cronin said. "All of the stars just lined up for us. What happened is that our songs were impacted by our lives.

“My marriage was bad and so was (late REO Speedwagon guitarist) Gary Richrath's marriage. (Keyboardist) Neal (Doughty) came home and discovered a letter from his wife. She left him. All of that had an effect on this album."

Like many rock recording artists, REO Speedwagon turned pain into prosperity. "Keep On Loving You," which changed the band's life, almost didn't make "Hi Infidelity."

"Nobody wanted to record that song," Cronin said. "None of us wanted to do the wimpy piano ballad. But things had a way of working out. One day while playing it, Gary started playing this really nasty guitar, and it worked. That in-your-face guitar worked with the sweet piano and we had our song."

But REO Speedwagon is more than "Hi Infidelity."

The band, which formed in Champaign, Ill., in 1967, didn't become a player until 1978 after the release of "You Can Tune a Piano but You Can't Tuna Fish.“ That collection included the initial hits "Roll With the Changes“ and "Time for Me to Fly," later covered in a bluegrass arrangement by Dolly Parton in 1989.

"I wrote ‘Roll with the Changes’ when I rejoined the band and moved from Champaign to Los Angeles," Cronin said. "I'm a Midwest guy and I didn't see myself as someone who is Los Angeles. I wanted to drive to Los Angeles to feel the experience. I was literally rolling with the changes. I remember the lyrics coming to me as I was making the journey."

The hits validated Cronin's career choice, which was his dream ever since he caught the Beatles on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in February of 1964.

"That changed everything for me and so many others," Cronin said. "They were the first band that played, wrote and recorded their songs. When I saw that, I knew I wanted to do the same thing. There was something magical about the Beatles. They inspired me. I continued my guitar lessons that I started before they played 'Ed Sullivan.' I'm glad I did. It's led me to a wonderful life."

The current REO Speedwagon lineup, which also includes guitarist Dave Amato, bassist Bruce Hall and drummer Bryan Hitt, has been remarkably stable. The quintet has been together since 1989.

"For a while it was as if there was a revolving door for this band," Cronin said. "But it's been a long time since we've had a personnel change. …

“We love playing together. We're friends first and that's a big reason nobody has left the band. We get along really well and have no problem playing the hits, particularly the songs from 'Hi Infidelity.' The fans still love those songs, so why not give the fans what they want?"