Kevin Cronin Appearing on Dolly Parton Rock LP, Re-Recording ‘Keep On Loving You’
Kevin Cronin of REO Speedwagon is the latest name confirmed for the upcoming rock album from country icon Dolly Parton.
Cronin talked about the collaboration during an appearance on Yahoo’sĀ Totally ’80sĀ podcast. He shared that he and Parton recorded a “dark duet” version of “Keep On Loving You.” The song is famously about Cronin finding out his first wife cheated on him before they got married.
“I get a call from Dolly, literally the other day ⦠And she decides she wants to cover ā’Keep on Loving You,'” begins Cronin. ” … When I wrote that song, I kind of portrayed myself as more of the good guy than perhaps I was. Perhaps it takes more than one snake in the grass, āall coiled up and hissing,ā to tango ā if you catch my drift. That’s the reality of the song, you know?”
RELATED: Kevin Cronin on Turning Down 'Top Gun' Anthem 'Danger Zone'
He continued, “So, it gave me the idea that Dolly could sing the first verse, and in the first verse, I’mĀ cheating onĀ her.Ā But then I take the second verse, and in the second verse, I go, āOhĀ yeah? Well,Ā IĀ know all about thoseĀ men!ā And so now, the song becomes this kind of dark duet ā until it gets to the chorus, where they go, āI meant every word I said. When I said that I love you, I meant that I love you forever, Dolly.ā”
Cronin added, “And I sing it in harmony. It justĀ slays me, because that’s how the song was meant to be performed; I just didn’t realize it until Dolly called me the other day. So that’s how we’re doing it, and I’m just so stoked.”
Parton’s album aptly titledĀ Rock Star is expected to come out in Fall 2023. She’s assembled quite the all-star guest lineup. In addition to Cronin, other guests confirmed for the album include Stevie Nicks, Paul McCartney, John Fogerty, Steve Perry and Steven Tyler.
“Keep On Loving You” is featured in our ranking of the best power ballads of all time. Keep on scrolling (see what we did there?) to see where it’s ranked!
50 Best Power Ballads of All Time
50. āLove Songā - Tesla
Soaring vocals from Jeff Keith? Check. Massive guitar solo from Frank Hannon? Check. Excellent use of āDu du du-du-duā? Big olā check right there! Itās no wonder this was one of Teslaās biggest hits.
49. āThe Ballad of Jayneā - L.A. Guns
While the history of L.A. Guns is intertwined with Guns Nā Roses due to Axl Roseās brief stint in the band in 1984, L.A. Guns only managed one hit with 1989ās āThe Ballad of Jayne,ā but they sure did make it count. And no, the song isnāt an ode to late actress Jayne Mansfield. Singer Phil Lewis said in a 2011 interview, āitās not about [Jayne Mansfield] at all. Itās about a fictitious character, but I based it on so many of these young girls who leave their small towns and go out to LA to become a star.ā
48. āNothingās Gonna Stop Us Nowā - Starship
All due respect to Andrew McCarthy and Kim Cattrall, but āNothingās Gonna Stop Us Nowā was the best thing about the 1987 film Mannequin. The track features Mickey Thomas sharing vocal duties with Grace Slick, who just two decades prior was wailing āFeed Your Head!ā On āWhite Rabbit.ā (Honestly, that fun fact is still jarring years later.) Penned by songwriting giants Diane Warren and Albert Hammond, āNothingās Gonna Stop Us Nowā would go on to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
47. āBlack Velvetā - Alannah Myles
An ode to Elvis Presley, Alannah Mylesā āBlack Velvetā was included on the three-track demo that eventually led to her being signed by Atlantic Records. The track, oozing with swagger and that giant chorus, would top the Billboard Hot 100 charts for two weeks and would earn Myles the Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance in 1991.
46. āI Miss Youā - blink-182
āWhere are you? And Iām so sorry!ā Sure, āI Miss Youā feels more like a meme than a song in recent years, but it remains one of blink-182ās most enduring and endearing tracks in their catalog. And never forget when belting the chorus, itās āyead,ā not āhead.āĀ
45. āHigh Enoughā - Damn Yankees
When the world was introduced to Ted Nugent, the last thing anyone thought ā and this likely includes Uncle Ted, himself ā was that a massive power ballad was in his future. But thatās what happened when the Motor City Mad Man joined forces with Styxās Tommy Shaw, Night Rangerās Jack Blades and future Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Michael Cartellone to form Damn Yankees. The bandās self-titled 1990 debut would go on to sell two million copies, and it was thanks to this massive power ballad, which peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number 3.Ā
44. āWhen I See You Smileā - Bad English
Yet another song written by Diane Warren! (BTW: She pops up another time later in this list.) Bad English ā the supergroup made up of The Babysā John Waite and Ricky Phillips and Journeyās Neal Schon, Deen Castronovo and Jonathan Cain, who was in The Babys and Journey ā was only around for two albums. āWhen I See You Smileā was the second single released from their self-tited 1989 debut, and it was their biggest hit topping the Billboard Hot 100 in November 1989.
43. āSilent Lucidityā - Queensryche
āItās a place where you will learn/To face your fears, retrace the years/And ride the whims of your mind/Commanding in another world/Suddenly you hear and see/This magic new dimension.ā This power ballad is as tender as it is beautifully haunting. We have Geoff Tatesā stunning vocals and guitarist Chris DeGarmoās songwriting to thank for that.
42. āIt Must Have Been Loveā - Roxette
Fun fact: This Roxette hit was first released in 1987 as āIt Must Have Been Love (Christmas for the Broken Hearted).ā (Yeah, it was originally a Christmas song!) It was only released in the duoās native Sweden but would be edited and re-released internationally in 1990 as part of the soundtrack for the hit film Pretty Woman. Singer Marie Fredriksson would die in December 2019 from a brain tumor, but songs like āIt Must Have Been Loveā will live on forever as examples of her dynamic voice.
41. āFly To The Angelsā - Slaughter
By the time Slaughter released their 1990 debut Stick It to Ya, there was already a popular formula in place for many rock bands releasing a new LP: First single is the rocker, and the second single is the power ballad. While the formula was successful, you still need quality songs for it to work, and Slaughter definitely had them, especially with their second single āFly To The Angels.ā Just thinking about the notes Mark Slaughter hits during the chorus makes my throat hurt.
40. āHeavenā - Bryan Adams
āHeavenā was a massive hit for Bryan Adams and was his first number-one single in the U.S. If you think the song is reminiscent of Journeyās āFaithfully,ā youāre not wrong; Adams toured with Journey while they supported their Frontiers LP, and then-Journey drummer Steve Smith plays on āHeaven.ā The song is so dreamy, it lent itself to a particularly swoon-worthy scene from Magic Mike XXL.
39. āWe Donāt Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)ā - Tina Turner
After Tina Turnerās smash comeback album Private Dancer, many were likely wondering what her next move was. It turns out it was starring alongside Mel Gibson in 1985ās Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and singing the filmās theme āWe Donāt Need Another Hero (Thunderdome).ā And by singing, we mean absolutely belting the hell out of it.
38. āIrisā - Goo Goo Dolls
A number of songs on this list are featured on soundtracks and it makes sense due to the bombastic, dramatic nature of power ballads. In the case of Goo Goo Dollsā āIris,ā it was written for the 1998 film City of Angels starring Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan, and it went on to become a massive crossover international hit. And that booming chorus…wow!
37. āClose My Eyes Foreverā - Lita Ford & Ozzy Osbourne
A number of the songs on this power ballad ranking have something interesting in common: Theyāre often the artistās biggest hits in their entire catalog. This duet of Lita Ford and Ozzy Osbourne is no exception. The third single from Fordās self-titled 1988 studio album, āClose My Eyes Foreverā who peak on the Billboard Hot 100 at #8.
36. āDonāt Know What You Got (Til Itās Gone) - Cinderella
āI can’t tell ya baby what went wrongā¦āThereās something very poetic about this power ballad from Cinderella. Who hasnāt been in a relationship ā romantic or not ā that went sour, and you just couldnāt figure out why? It might be one of the most realistic and relatable songs on this entire list.
35. āEternal Flameā - The Bangles
āEternal Flameā may have burned bright for The Bangles, but it ended up being the bandās last huge hit before their breakup in 1989. The band would reunite about a decade later, but if a band is going to break up, thereās nothing like going out with a number one hit song. Talk about sun shining through the rain, right?
34. āFall To Piecesā - Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver was one of a number of supergroups to emerge in the early aughts. They were together for only six years, but that time produced some great tunes including this power ballad from their 2004 debut LP Contraband. Scott Weilandās unique vocals truly open up on the songās sing-a-long chorus, and the track serves as yet another example of how a Slash guitar solo can truly take a song to another level.
33. āTo Be With Youā - Mr. Big
When youāre waiting on a line just to be the next to be with someone, you got it bad. Turns out Mr. Bigās frontman Eric Martin did have it bad for someone he knew years before the song became a hit. Martin would say in an interview in 2011, āThis girl had a lot of boyfriends who treated her like s***. I wanted to be the knight in shining armor, wanted to be with her. She wasn’t having it. It never came to play.ā Itās too bad for her, because Martin clearly had strong feelings for this woman. At least a great tune came out of it, right?
32. āMore Than Wordsā - Extreme
Brilliantly described by Max (Adam Pally) on the cult sitcom Happy Endings as ātwo men playing acoustic guitar at each other,ā āMore Than Wordsā sounded nothing like any of Extremeās metal music. Regardless, the tender tune featuring the beautiful harmony vocals of Gary Cherone and Nuno Bettencourt would go on to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
31. āWhy Canāt This Be Loveā - Van Halen
The first single of the āVan Hagarā era of Van Halen was this keyboard-happy power ballad. What a statement! Of course, āWhy Canāt This Be Loveā definitely had what it takes and helped Van Halenās seventh studio album 5150 sell over six million copies.
30. āThe Flameā - Cheap Trick
āYou were the first, youāll be the last.ā SWOON!
Before āThe Flame,ā Cheap Trick hadnāt had a top 40 hit since 1979. At the request of Epic Records, they had their choice of two songs the label was certain were going to be number one hits. Cheap Trick chose āThe Flame,ā and as predicted, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100. (For what itās worth: The other songs was āLook Away,ā which was released by Chicago in September 1988, and it also topped the charts.)29. āWind of Changeā - Scorpions
Not every power ballad is about romantic love; sometimes, theyāre an agent of peace. Such was the case of āWind of Changeā from Scorpions. Klaus Meine was inspired to write the song after Scorpions took part in the Moscow Music Peace Festival in August 1989. Shortly there after, Meine would write this epic tune that, to this day, is historically tied to the end of the Cold War and the Soviet Union. Of course, thereās also the conspiracy theory that the CIA actually wrote āWind of Change,ā but weāll let you dive into that on your own via the podcast of the same name.
28. āFree Birdā - Lynyrd Skynyrd
āFree Birdā isnāt typically in the power ballad conversation, but when you examine the classic tune per the aforementioned definition from the Cambridge University Press, it totally is! āConstant escalation and an expressive formula that combines the euphoric uplift created by rousing music with sentimental themes and ploysā? Um,yeahā¦āFree Birdā has that and then some! The guitar work from Allen Collins and Gary Rossington alone should be enough.
27. āAgainst All Oddsā - Phil Collins
Ever have a drunk cry to this Phil Collins classic after a brutal breakup? No? Just me? Oh, wellā¦itās quite therapeutic, as is belting out the anthemic chorus. Collins wrote the tune for the 1984 film of the same name that starred Rachel Ward, Jeff Bridges and James Woods. The film wasnāt a big hit, but the song sure was! It was even nominated for Best Original Song at the 1985 Academy Awards but lost out to Stevie Wonderās āI Just Called to Say I Love Youā from The Woman in Red, which is really one of Wonderās most pedestrian tunes, but thatās a rant for another day.
26. āItās All Coming Back To Me Nowā - Celine Dion
Okay…now at this point, some of you might be mad to see Celine Dion on this list, but do yourself a favor and just revisit this epic from the singerās 1996 hit album Falling into You. BTW: If youāre thinking that āItās All Coming Back To Me Nowā sounds a lot like a Meat Loaf song, itās because it was written by composer Jim Steinman, whoās best known for writing Meat Loafās Bat Out of Hell and Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell.
25. āBringinā on the Heartbreakā - Def Leppard
Many people were introduced to Def Leppardās trademark group vocal via āBringinā on the Heartbreakā from their 1981 LP High ānā Dry. A number of power ballads from Def Leppard couldāve made this list, but thereās something truly special about how this track builds into the chorus while also giving Joe Elliott plenty of time to shine on his own.
24. āKeep On Loving Youā - REO Speedwagon
The lead single from REO Speedwagonās ninth studio album Hi Infidelity, āKeep On Loving Youā was a massive power ballad that helped the Illinois-based band achieve a new level of stardom. Hi Infidelity would go on to be the biggest selling album of 1981.
23. āShadows of the Night - Pat Benatar
Pat Benatar could be (and still is) an utter badass, but she also has a number of hits that showed off her sensitive side. āShadows of the Nightā finds Benatar walking the line between toughness and sweetness, and she walks that line brilliantly. (āYou can cry, tough baby, itās alright/You can let me down easy, but not tonight.ā) Her powerful vocals certainly donāt hurt matters either.
22. āBlaze of Gloryā - Jon Bon Jovi
āBlaze of Gloryā was Jon Bon Joviās first solo single, and out the gate, the track topped the Billboard Hot 100. Written for the 1990 film Young Guns II, the song came to be after Emilio Estevez wanted Bon Joviās āWanted Dead or Aliveā for his movie, but JBJ declined and ended up writing this song and a whole soundtrack. (Jon even makes an uncredited cameo in the film, which was his first appearance in any film.) While there are theme similarities between āBlaze of Gloryā and āWanted Dead or Alive,ā the former was certainly a better fit for a film about Billy the Kid and truly evokes that spirit of the Wild West.
21. āHeavenā - Warrant
If you ever questioned what a great power ballad could do for a band, look no further than Warrant. The second single from their 1989 debut album Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich, āHeavenā would help propel the album to being certified double platinum and would peak on the Billboard Hot 100 at number two. The song that prevented Warrant from topping the chart? Milli Vanilliās āGirl Iām Gonna Miss You.ā
20. āSister Christianā - Night Ranger
Fine, letās just say it: Who knew such a sweet song about a younger sister growing up would end up soundtracking such a bizarre film scene like in 1997ās Boogie Nights? That movie moment aside, āSister Christianā remains one of the most memorable power ballads thanks in small part to that ridiculously catchy āMotoring!ā chorus.
19. āMama Iām Coming Homeā - Ozzy Osbourne
Inspired by wife/manager, Sharon, āMama Iām Coming Homeā somehow increases in wholesomeness when you learn Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister wrote the lyrics to this beautiful power ballad. Sure, that doesnāt make sense in theory, but after just one listen, it just sort of clicks. Listen below if youāre still having doubts!
18. āLadyā - Styx
If you werenāt sold by the wholesomeness of the previous song, get ready for this. Originally released in 1973, Dennis DeYoung wrote āLadyā for his wife, Suzanne. They were married in 1970 and are still married to this day! This was also Styxās first top-ten hit, too. How wonderful is that?!Ā
17. āI Found Someoneā - Cher
When Cher released āI Found Someone,ā it was her first new piece of music in five years. (Cher opted to focus on her acting career for most of the mid-80s.) This time around, Cher embraced more rock elements, and it certainly paid off with the track becoming Cherās first top-ten hit in nine years. Fun fact: āI Found Someoneā was written by Michael Bolton and Mark Mangold and originally recorded and released by Laura Branigan about a year-and-a half before Cher released her version. Bolton would serve as producer on Cherās version, as well.
16. āIs This Loveā - Whitesnake
āIs This Loveā was a monster hit for Whitesnake, but it almost wasnāt their song. In an interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, David Coverdale said, āāIs This Loveā was for Tina Turner originally. EMI had asked me, and then David Geffen said, āYouāre f—inā keeping it!ā And thankfully so! Arrogantly, I scream at the beginning of it, āThis is a chorus that will take over the worldā — and it f—ing did! I am at least a man of my word.ā And a modest man, at that!
15. āTotal Eclipse of the Heartā - Bonnie Tyler
The late Jim Steinman will be best remembered for his work with Meat Loaf, but he also contributed some incredible tunes to other artists, as evident from number 26 on this list and āTotal Eclipse of the Heartā by Bonnie Tyler, who truly belted the hell out of this ballad. The album version of this track was nearly seven minutes long, because Jim is gonna Steinman, but the single version would be edited down to 4:30 so…you know…it would get played on the radio. (Note: One more composition from Steinman will appear on this list.)
14. āI Remember Youā - Skid Row
Believe it or not, Rachel Bolan and Snake Sabo ā who wrote āI Remember You,ā it should be noted ā lobbied to keep the obvious hit off Skid Rowās 1989 self-titled debut album. Why? As Bolan put it in an interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, āWe donāt want to be a chick band ā We want to be a hard-rock band.ā Clearly, Bolan and Sabo changed their minds, and thankfully they did, because who else but Sebastian Bach can you imagine hitting those high notes? Exactly.
13. āKiss From A Roseā - Seal
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is lovely and all, and itās done wonders for classic rock with the soundtracks for Iron Man 2 and the Guardians of the Galaxy films, but whenās the last time it helped spawn a hit like this? While āKiss From A Roseā was originally released as a single in July 1994, its inclusion in 1995ās Batman Forever and its subsequent soundtrack made Seal a star. The track also cleaned up at the 1996 Grammy Awards winning Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
12. āThe Show Must Go Onā - Queen
āInside my heart is breaking/My makeup may be flaking/But my smile, still, stays on.ā Without question, āThe Show Must Go Onā is the most devastating song on this list but one of the most beautiful. The track was released as a single just six weeks before Freddie Mercury died from complications related to HIV/AIDS. Brian May was the lead writer on the track, but itās almost as if the entire group banded together in order to give their dear friend a grand, dramatic send-off fit for royalty.
11. āI Want to Know What Love Isā - Foreigner
Most power ballads have big, booming choruses, but few of them make you scream-sing them in your car quite like Foreignerās āI Want to Know What Love Is.ā Foreigner had plenty of hits before āI Want to Know What Love Is,ā but this one managed to top all of them, literally. It went to number one in the United States and ten other countries and remains Foreignerās most successful single in their catalog.
10. āAlwaysā - Bon Jovi
If power ballads are an art, then Bon Jovi is Picasso or Van Gogh or whichever *really* famous artist you prefer. Bon Jovi is one of the reasons why this list limited artists to one entry, because Bon Jovi could easily dominate this entire list. One of two new songs on their 1994 greatest hits LP Cross Road, āAlwaysā was a smash hit all around the world. How could it not, really, with dreamy lyrics like, āWhen he holds you close, when he pulls you near/When he says the words you’ve been needing to hear/I’ll wish I was him ’cause those words are mine/To say to you ’till the end of time/Yeah, I will love you, baby, always/And I’ll be there forever and a day, always.ā The song is so over-the-top delightful, it allows you to forgive the band for its weird music video with the plotline that makes no sense!Ā
9. āEvery Rose Has Its Thornā - Poison
Itās a tale as old as time: Bret Michaels phone his girlfriend at the time while out on tour, and when she answered, he heard some other guy in the background. Thus, an iconic power little bit country, little bit rock and roll ballad was born! Oh, and like many other songs on this list, āEvery Rose Has Its Thornā would go on to be Poisonās lone number one hit.
8. āNothing Else Mattersā - Metallica
āNothing Else Mattersā is at a particular status now, where itās almost like a standard, that itās hard to imagine a time where it could have been deemed controversial. (Unless youāre the type of metalhead that absolutely hates āThe Black Album,ā and if so, frankly, itās baffling youāre reading this list in the first place.) Anyway, James Hetfield said in an interview in June 2012 with The Village Voice, āIt was a song for myself in my room on tour when I was bumming out about being away from home. Itās quite amazing, itās a true testament to honesty and exposing yourself, putting your real self out there, and taking the risk, taking a gamble that someoneās either going to step on your heart with spikes on or theyāre going to put their heart right next to it, and you never know until you try. That solidified, I think, that we were doing the right thing, writing from the heart about what we felt, and you canāt go wrong that way.ā
7. āNovember Rainā - Guns Nā Roses
“November Rain” is both a sonic and visual epic. Axl and his piano and Slash and his two massive guitar solos are the stars of this nearly nine-minute power ballad. Of course, even when listening to “November Rain,” you can’t help but think of its decadent music video. From Slash walking out of the church to Stephanie Seymour’s mullet wedding dress, some of the scenes are the most-memorable in music video history. Fun fact: “November Rain” was the first music video released before the invention of YouTube to reach 1 billion views.
6. āHome Sweet Homeā - Motley Crue
In the realm of power ballads, āHome Sweet Homeā is among the most quintessential. Even when listening to it in your car, youāre almost tempted to lift up your lighter or phone and just sway. Tommy Leeās piano intro is instantly recognizable, and his little drum fill at the end of the track is the perfect cherry atop one epic tune. Add Mick Marsā guitar solo and the way Vince Neil wails āTonight, tonight!ā during the chorus, itās no wonder this tune penned by Nikki Sixx made our top ten.
5. āAloneā - Heart
Written and recorded originally by songwriting duo Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, Heart would take āAloneā to new heights when they covered the tune for their 1987 album Bad Animals. If at this point you werenāt sold on Ann Wilson being one of rockās strongest voices, just listen to āAloneā a few times on repeat. And, once again, this stunning power ballad would go on to be Heartās biggest hit of their career topping the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks in July 1987.
4. āIād Do Anything For Love (But I Wonāt Do That)ā - Meat Loaf
This delightfully over-the-top classic resurfaced following the untimely death of Meat Loaf, which sadly happened just nine months after the death of songwriter Jim Steinman. If the deaths of Meat Loaf and Steinman brought anything to the forefront itās the importance of theatrics in rock and roll and how theyāre incredibly missed. āIād Do Anything For Loveā would resurrect Meat Loafās career, give him a number one hit in nearly 30 countries and net him a Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Solo. Oh, and the thing he wonāt do for love is cheat on his partner. He says so at the very end of the epic tune, in case this was somehow a mystery to anyone reading this.
3. āOpen Armsā - Journey
āOpen Armsā truly took power ballads to a new level upon its release on Escape in 1981. The entire ā80s decade saw a massive boom in the release of power ballads, and one could argue that Journey had a lot to do with that considering the success of āOpen Arms.ā Journey had plenty of other power ballads they would later introduce, but āOpen Armsā was their best and grandest thanks to the sweet, sincere and soaring vocals of Steve Perry.
2. āPurple Rainā - Prince
Similar to Lynyrd Skynyrdās āFree Bird,ā Princeās āPurple Rainā isnāt typically in the power ballad conversation, because the idea of a power ballad is traditionally reserved for metal bands, but Prince was never one for musical boundaries or limitations. Upon the briefest of examinations, it totally is a power ballad. Prince once said of the meaning behind the classic track, āWhen thereās blood in the sky ā red and blue = purpleā¦āPurple Rainā pertains to the end of the world and being with the one you love and letting your faith/God guide you through the purple rain.ā Itās truly appropriate that a heavy song has such a heavy meaning.
1. āI Donāt Want To Miss A Thingā - Aerosmith
Power ballads are traditionally based around grandness. With that considered, being the theme to 1998ās Armageddon, a film about an asteroid threatening to destroy Earth is about as over-the-top as it gets. āI Donāt Want To Miss A Thingā wasnāt Aerosmithās first power ballad, but itās the bandās biggest both sonically and commercially. Written by Diane Warren, the track boasts a string section and one of Steven Tylerās greatest screams ever recorded. In 1998, there was truly no escaping this song. āI Donāt Want To Miss A Thingā was seemingly everywhere. It would top the Billboard Hot 100 chart for four weeks and is Aerosmithās lone number one hit in the United States. As if that werenāt enough, the song was a number one song in nine other countries. And if the Bad Boys from Boston care about superlatives, āI Donāt Want To Miss A Thingā tops this Best Power Ballads list. While assembling this entire list was very difficult, putting this blockbuster at number one was the easiest part of the process.