REO Speedwagon and Train mash up their mega hits for amazing one-off TV performance

2 February 2024, 10:44

They're two of pop rock's greatest power ballads.

In 2001, rock band Train released 'Drops Of Jupiter', a song which became an immediate international hit.

Even further back, REO Speedwagon released their timeless rock ballad 'Keep On Loving You' in 1980, which similarly was huge, peaking at number one on the charts in their native US.

As a testament to both songs' emotional power, both ballads continue to resonate today and have since become both band's signature songs.

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It was recently revealed that both REO Speedwagon and Train were joining up for an extensive co-headlining tour across North America which kicks off this summer.

And to celebrate, they've joined together for a magic mash-up of their mega hits, 'Keep On Loving You' and 'Drops Of Jupiter', on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.

Train & REO Speedwagon – Drops of Jupiter & Keep on Loving You (Mashup)

Train vocalist Patrick Monahan kicks off proceedings by singing the opening lines of their 2001 top-five hit, before REO Speedwagon's Kevin Cronin enters the performance.

Singing the familiar chorus to their 1980 mega ballad, bandmate Dave Amato joins in on guitar before both bands merge in an extremely unique performance that'd no doubt wow both band's sets of fans.

Serving as a preview for their impending US tour, the performance proves that both bands' tracks hit as hard as they did after they were first released.

REO Speedwagon singer Cronin talked to the website Ultimate Classic Rock in the lead-up to their appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!:

"It was a great idea - and I wish I could say that it was mine," he joked. "But it wasn't. You know, that came from Patrick - and their musical director and keyboard player, Jerry Becker."

Opening up about how the planned collaboration took shape at first, even Cronin was surprised about how seamlessly it came together.

"The mashup of 'Drops Of Jupiter' and 'Keep On Loving You', at first, you'd go, 'Wait, how's that going to work?'"

"But luckily, they're both in the same key and they're both piano-based. I'm going to stay away from the piano and leave it to the professionals."

"Jerry's going to play the whole thing on piano and Patrick and I are going to pass the baton back and forth on the lead vocal," Cronin added.

"We'll get together before the performance and just sit around the piano to smooth out the transitions."

On evidence from their one-off performance on the night, it was a masterstroke, one that fans will hope they replicate when they hit the road later this year.