Train Reunites With Kevin Cronin For REO Speedwagon Classic In Santa Barbara

Train brought their Drops of Jupiter: 25 Years In The Atmosphere Tour with Barenaked Ladies and Matt Nathanson to the picturesque Santa Barbara Bowl on Saturday. Frontman Pat Monahan and company took advantage of the location by welcoming Santa Barbara’s own Kevin Cronin to help sing REO Speedwagon's 1981 smash “Keep On Loving You” during their set.

Cronin and REO Speedwagon toured North America with Train in 2024. The bands teamed up to perform a mashup of Train’s “Drops Of Jupiter” and REO Speedwagon’s “Keep On Loving You” for an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live in January of 2024 to celebrate the announcement of the tour.

“When I was younger I heard a band called REO Speedwagon and fell in love with their numerous, infectious hit songs. Years later I met Kevin Cronin, and thank goodness he’s as great a person as he is a songwriter,” Monahan said in a statement when the tour was announced. “This tour won’t just be a great time with great people, but a tour that will have a ton of familiar songs to most generations. I will be wishing I was in the audience as much as I’ll love being on the stage.”

Cronin emerged halfway through Train’s 21-song set to join the band on the REO Speedwagon classic he wrote. “Please welcome your own, Kevin Cronin from the band REO Speedwagon, to sing one of your favorite songs,” Monahan told the crowd to introduce Cronin. The pair traded verses and shared vocals at various points of the “Keep On Loving You” performance in Santa Barbara.

Train was also joined by several other special guests in Santa Barbara for repeats of collaborations played frequently since the tour began. Matt Nathanson came out for a cover of John Mellencamp’s “Jack & Diane” before Barenaked Ladies frontman Ed Robertson sat in on a medley of “Meet Virginia” and “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” Additionally, Pat Monahan’s son, Rock Monahan, played guitar on covers of Journey’s “Stone In Love” and Dirty Heads’ “Vacation.”

Watch footage of Cronin joining Monahan and Train for “Keep On Loving You”: