Saturday January 2, 2021 “Beginnings” Chicago Transit Authority
Early Chicago was such an amazing, creative band...and then guitarist/singer/songwriter Terry Kath passed and Peter Cetera and producer David Foster happened to them.
For as long a successful history, album/CD sales over 40 million and twenty top ten hits that Chicago had, they didn’t make it into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame until 2016, nearly fifty years after they broke into the charts.
So fifty years is a bunch to consolidate into a short description but here goes: they started out in Chicago as the Big Thing, ran into manager James Guercio, changed their name to Chicago Transit Authority, shortened it to Chicago under fear of lawsuits and reprisals from the actual CTA, introduced the rock world to horns and progressive musical arrangements, had one of the most underrated lead guitarists Terry Kath, had three lead singers, a host of songwriters, included a drummer who didn’t know he wasn’t playing one of the lead instruments, sold a ton of records, had a truckload of big hits and have been touring successfully for a long, long time.
I probably missed quite a few milestones.
Enjoy a 6:46 live version of a really tight band having a great time with one of their great early hits “Beginnings”.
Stay safe and well...and yes these are the beginnings of a better year.