It was supposed to be a standard medical timeout. In November 2023, Bruce Hall, the long-haired, steady-handed bassist for REO Speedwagon, stepped away for back surgery. Fans expected a few months of recovery, maybe a fill-in for a tour cycle, and then a triumphant return for the man who sang "Back on the Road Again."
Life didn't stick to the script.
Instead of a comeback, 2024 and 2025 turned into a messy, public fallout that effectively ended one of rock’s most enduring partnerships. If you’re looking for the typical rock star drama involving hotel rooms and motorcycles, you won't find it here. This was something weirder and, in many ways, sadder. It was a fight over posture, ownership, and how a legacy should look in its twilight years.
The Posture Problem and the Breaking Point
Here is the gist of it: Bruce Hall got healthy. By early 2024, he was cleared by his doctors to play. He wanted his spot back. But Kevin Cronin, the band’s iconic frontman and driving force, wasn't so sure.
Cronin publicly suggested that Hall’s physical recovery hadn't reached a point where he could perform at the "level fans expect." Specifically, there were comments about Hall's posture on stage. It sounds trivial, right? But in the world of high-stakes arena rock, how you carry yourself under the spotlights matters to the brand.
Hall didn't take this sitting down. His daughter, Sara Siders, even took to social media to blast the idea that her father was being benched because of "how tall he can stand."
The tension boiled over. By September 2024, the band released a statement that sent shockwaves through the classic rock community. Due to "irreconcilable differences" between Hall and Cronin, REO Speedwagon would officially cease touring on January 1, 2025.
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The Ownership Vote: Two Against One
A lot of people don't realize that REO Speedwagon wasn't just a band; it was a business with three owners: Kevin Cronin, Bruce Hall, and founding keyboardist Neal Doughty.
When the rift reached its peak, Cronin reportedly wanted to keep the "REO Speedwagon" name on the road with his preferred lineup—which included Matt Bissonette on bass instead of Hall. Hall and Doughty used their majority stake to say "no." They essentially blocked Cronin from using the name if Hall wasn't part of the lineup.
"I never ever thought it would end like this and I'm heartbroken," Hall wrote on Facebook. "Please know Neal and I did everything in our power to try and keep the Wagon rolling."
Because of that vote, the band played its final show as REO Speedwagon on December 21, 2024, at the Venetian Theatre in Las Vegas. Since then, Cronin has continued to tour, but he’s doing it as the "Kevin Cronin Band." He’s still singing "Keep On Loving You," but the REO name—that 1915 truck-inspired moniker—is officially on blocks.
More Than Just a Bass Player
To understand why fans are so gutted about Bruce Hall being sidelined, you have to look at what he brought to the table beyond four strings and a pick. Hall joined in 1977, replacing Gregg Philbin right before the band exploded with You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish.
He wasn't just a background player. He was a songwriter and a lead vocalist in his own right. When REO wanted to lean into their harder, Midwestern rock roots, they turned to Hall.
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Key Songs Written or Sung by Bruce Hall:
- Back on the Road Again: The definitive Bruce Hall track. It’s a driving, hard-rocking staple that usually served as a high point in their live sets.
- Someone Tonight: A catchy, upbeat track from the massive Hi Infidelity album.
- Lost in a Dream: Co-written with Mike Murphy back in 1974 before he even officially joined the band.
- Born to Love You: A later track that showed he still had the songwriting chops decades into the game.
Honestly, Hall was the "rock" in REO’s pop-rock. While Cronin leaned into the power ballads that made them rich, Hall kept the engine room growling. He represented the Champaign, Illinois, bar-band grit that started the whole thing.
What’s Happening Now? (The 2026 Update)
So, where does that leave us today, in early 2026?
The "reconciliation" everyone hoped for has been... complicated. There was a brief, shining moment of hope in late 2025. During the University of Illinois Homecoming events, Hall and Cronin actually shared a stage again for a halftime performance with the Marching Illini. It was the first time they’d played together since the split.
Hall told reporters afterward that he’s "remaining optimistic." He hasn't retired. He doesn't want to. He’s 73 years old, but in his mind, he’s still that guy from the Nine Lives era ready to lug an amp into a van.
However, the "Kevin Cronin Band" is currently booked solid through much of 2026, often touring with other 80s legends like Styx. As long as Cronin is happy touring under his own name with his chosen musicians, the legal stalemate over the REO Speedwagon name remains.
The Moffitt Cancer Center Connection
One thing Hall is staying very busy with is his charity work. In 2025, he organized a "Legacy" show in Champaign featuring original members like Alan Gratzer and Neal Doughty.
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The proceeds went to the REO Speedwagon fund for GU Cancer Research at the Moffitt Cancer Center. This is deeply personal for Hall; the hospital saved his son’s life. Even if he isn't playing "Ridin' the Storm Out" to 20,000 people every night, he's using the brand's legacy for something that actually matters.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Split
If you browse Reddit or Facebook, you’ll see people picking sides. "Cronin is an ego-maniac!" or "Hall just can't play anymore!"
The truth is probably somewhere in the boring middle. Touring at that level is grueling. If a frontman feels the rhythm section isn't locked in, it creates anxiety. On the flip side, if you've spent 47 years building a brand, being told you're "too old" or "too bent over" to represent it feels like a betrayal.
It’s a classic case of a "work marriage" that lasted nearly half a century before finally hitting a wall that therapy (or lawyers) couldn't fix.
Next Steps for REO Fans:
- Check the Credits: If you only know the hits, go back and listen to the Nine Lives (1979) album. It’s Bruce Hall at his peak and shows the "heavier" side of the band that often gets overlooked.
- Follow the Solo Projects: Since the "REO" name is dormant, keep an eye on Bruce Hall’s official social media for news on "Legacy" one-off shows. These often feature founding members that haven't played together in decades.
- Support the Cause: You can still contribute to the Moffitt Cancer Center through the REO-specific fund Hall champions; it’s one of the few things both sides of the camp still seem to support.
The "Wagon" might be parked for now, but Bruce Hall’s impact on the DNA of American arena rock isn't going anywhere. He’s still the guy who gave the band its teeth when the ballads got too soft.