Chicago

Chicago is an Illinois rock band that formed in Chicago in 1967.  The self-described ‘rock and roll band with horns’ blended elements of jazz, classical, rhythm and blues, and pop music.  Some of their biggest hits include “Feelin’ Stronger Every Day,” “Saturday in the Park,” “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” “Make Me Smile,” and “25 or 6 to 4.”

The original lineup consisted of Peter Cetara (bass), Terry Kath (guitar), Robert Lamm (keyboards), Lee Loughnane (trumpet), James Pankow (trombone), Walter Parazaider (woodwinds), and Danny Seraphine (drums). Originally called The Big Thing, they played clubs in and around Chicago.

While playing in Niles, MI, they ran into Parazaider’s old friend Jimmy Guercio who had become a producer for CBS Records.  Guercio was impressed and suggested they change their name to Chicago Transit Authority and to begin writing original songs.  At Guercio’s suggestion the band moved to Los Angeles in June 1968.  Their first showcase at the Whiskey-A-Go-Go did not result in them being signed, but a demo they cut got the attention of CBS president Clive Davis who gave them a contract to record in New York City.  Their first effort was a double album released in April 1969.  Extensive FM airplay helped the album break into Billboard’s Top LP’s chart and peaked at number 17.  By the end of 1972 the album had amassed 148 weeks on the chart making it the longest running album by a rock group up to that time.

The band shortened their name to simply ‘Chicago’ and released their second album in 1970 which produced two Top 10 singles “Make Me Smile,” and “25 or 6 to 4.”  After Kath’s death in 1978 the band began to take a less progressive approach and produced several soft rock and easy listening hits including “Hard to Say I’m Sorry” (1982) and “You’re the Inspiration,” (1984) from Chicago 17, the band’s biggest selling album in their career.  The group continued to have chart success with “Will You Still Love Me?” (1986) and their biggest selling single of all-time “Look Away” in 1988.

In September 2008 Billboard ranked Chicago at number 13 in a list of the top 100 artists for Hot 100 singles chart success.  To date Chicago has sold over 40,000,000 units in the U.S.  They have collectively recorded 23 gold records, 18 platinum records, and 8 multi-platinum albums.  The group has received 10 Grammy nominations and won one Grammy for the song “If You Leave Me Now.”  The original lineup was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.  They continue to record and perform live to this day.