A few nights ago I saw Chicago perform a sold out show at the Celebrity Theater in Phoenix. A last minute invite from a friend; had not known they were still touring. A fun show though the sound balance could have been better. They played for two hours, just playing their hits and the most popular cuts off their albums. Musically they miss their phenomenal original guitarist and drummer, Terry Kath and Danny Seraphine, but it was an enjoyable experience.
Afterwards I did a little research. I had not realized how popular they were - I liked some of their early stuff, not so much the later, more pop style tunes. Not only are they still touring, they tour every year! The band has sold 100 million records. Billboard ranks them as 15th in the top singles artists of the past 75 years and as 9th in album sales. Between 1970 and 1989, Chicago had 22 Top 20 singles, including thirteen in the Top 5 and two number 1s. During the same period the band racked up 14 Top 20 albums, including five in a row hitting the top spot.
Personnel in the group has gone through a lot of changes over the years, but three of the original members are still there; Robert Lamm, James Pankow, and Lee Loughnane. Pankow and Loughnane are part of that famous horn section. In the photo above, Pankow is on the left, with Loughnane on the right. In the center is Ray Herrmann who's been performing with the band for twenty years. Pankow is now 77 (and still a nonstop live wire on stage) and Loughnane is 78. Lamm, 80, plays keyboards and sings, though his voice is notably weaker.
Pankow and Lamm wrote all of Chicago's early hits, like 25 Or 6 To 4, Beginnings, Make Me Smile, Saturday In The Park etc.
Chicago was formed in 1967, releasing its first album in 1969. During the show, Pankow remarked how scared they were as a bunch of young guys making their first record, and thinking that if things went well they might make a couple of albums. Instead it became a life long journey for him and he thanked the audience for allowing that to happen.
