94.7 WLS: Exclusive interview with Chicago

Chicago's Lee Loughnane, Robert Lamm, Lou Pardini and Jason Scheff join Danny Lake in the 94.7 WLS studio for an exclusive, extended interview. The band talks about the new single "America," how Robert Lamm conceived and wrote the classic hits "Beginnings" and "25 or 6 to 4" and more!

[@imlistening1137]

I love WLS- it saved my sanity! In 1971, i moved from southern CA, to a tiny town in Texas. Although I grew to love the place, there was no radio station that played real rock music. Then, one fateful night, here come WLS Chicago on my little radio. It only came in after around 9pm. But that gave me many hours of hearing what I believe us the best years of music ever.

[@wxsawxsa2941]

EXCELLENT INTERVIEW♥

[@kellonwheelz_66]

OK, I know I'm late (by about a year - Lol) at seeing and expressing this, but that was a fantastic interview! I've loved Chicago's music since I was a little girl listening to them on the radio in the '70's and they just keep getting better and better!

[@jimsolem]

What a nice interview! Nothing better than being a "Chicago" fan and knowing how grateful these guys are for their fans. Personally, I have been thrilled over and over again by seeing them in concert...what is now over 40 times. I have met several of them a couple of different times and can say unequivocally that they are the nicest bunch of guys you could ever meet. Plus...I am loving the new music and already looking forward to the next release!

[@pastorquarterback61]

The group and the music... lives on to the next generation!! God bless and continued success.

[@janielaurel]

nice interview, guys. It's only when I hear the words "we've been at this for 46 years" that I realize how old I am now. Timeless music, such depth - I go through phases. One month it's the "power ballads" period, then I'm back to the early albums, then I'm doing XXX, then I'm listening to "Night and Day" - to say nothing of RL's solo catalog which is huge and powerful... and Jason's solo work as well. Never dull, always great company :)

[@1023theMrutube]

Really enjoyed this video. Probably one of the best interviews of Chicago band members I have ever seen. Talks about their song-writing skills, how they are able to continue as a band for so long and some of the individual band members including Robert Lamm and Lee Loughnane.

[@npmarrone]

One of the best all around interviews I've seen. Great job guys and thanks.

[@kenbrown9076]

Fantastic group! Great interview indicates how humble they really are. Love the new music and looking forward to any new release.

[@TimfromChicago]

First of all its a Great thing to see the hometown radio station focusing on our hometown band.America is a great song and it reminds me of Dialogue and its a shame these song lyrics are so true today.You would think we as Americans would have grown together and made positive changes but its gotten worse on a lot of levels.Thanks to Lee for getting this out and not caring what others might think but expressing his thoughts in words,how we need to desperately come together in these trying times

[@mysticmaverick1]

Nice interview! Their political sensibility has always been an important part of this legendary band. Their concerts these days are phenomenal. Looking forward to hearing them perform for the first time ever tomorrow night on the Grammys.

[@newEnglandpatriot1]

I download all your new songs onto to my MP3 player even Robert Lamm's latest project. I car pool with people making the trek up to Boston. I love it when one of my co-workers says 'Who's playing this" ? and I say "That Chicago's newest" and they are amazed that they are still putting out music. A woman asked me "Is that Peter Cetera still around " and I say with a grin 'oh yeah, I have all his post Chicago CD's " ? Again they are amazed. I guess because I am a drummer I tend to forget that

[@lisacross3411]

GROWING UP IN THE 1970'S I LOVED LISTENING TO CHICAGO'S GREAT MUSIC ON THE RADIO. AS I GREW UP INTO AN ADULT I REALLY ENJOYED CHICAGO WITH PETER CETERA UNTIL MID 1985. FROM LATE 1985 UNTIL 2018 CHICAGO WENT THRU A LOT OF CHANGES IN THEIR BAND MEMBERS. I DID SEE CHICAGO LIVE IN LATE 1985 AFTER PETER LEFT. I REALLY ENJOYED THE SONGS ROBERT LAMM SANG LEAD ON. JASON DID NOT IMPRESS ME AT ALL. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE CHICAGO LIVE WITH ROBERT LAMM SING LEAD THEN THE CONCERT WOULD BE REALLY INCREDIBLE!!!!

[@brendalaudermilt5031]

Love you Chicago!!!

[@markpope7177]

Great interview! I learned some new things and had some old things confirmed. Congrats, Chicago!! C'mon back to Tampa!!

[@brendalaudermilt5031]

Had a great time at your concert,

[@tornmask7]

it's amazing that the rock group CHICAGO (who i love very much) is still together all these years after loosing a member tragically, loosing another member due to differences & loosing one of their founding members of the band which they had to make a choice by voting him out. there were also other circumstances they faced down the rocky road, but with much effort the four (4) remaining original members manage to stay together to make it work by creating more wonderful music that "we the people" still listens too today with the help of new members in the group & manager...in addition, i wished that Peter Cetera & Danny Seraphine were still in the band...but that's my hope of someday they will be "Together Again"...!!!..miss you TERRY KATH (RIP) very much...Amen!

[@iansnyder274]

Lou really is amazing in Chicago....for me the true test of a replacement , as a fan, is if they make me forget about who they are replacing. Lou definitely does that for me!!!

[@TimfromChicago]

And Danny not to be technical but ...Carlole King sings Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow and Jason sings Will You Still Love Me :)

[@allwinds3786]

When was this?

[@newEnglandpatriot1]

(con't) not everyone is on the same page as me. I will be backing out of my drive way and I will put in "Feel" by RL, then jump to a live version of" Dialogue", then maybe play some Donnie Dacus sung tunes, jump to "Happy Man" by PC. So many records, so many songs, so many singers and duets now with females(RL's and PC's solo stuff)-Once again other bands other than them have been inducted into the R&R Hall Fame! We have WBCN, a station that calls itself Classic Rock but refuse to play Chicago.

[@patriciacrawford2583]

Kool band love ❤️ this group they are the bomb dot com. Oh yeah

[@annikapc]

Lee never admits that Peter Cetera took no writing credit for helping him write "Call On Me." Peter also co-wrote "No Tell Lover" with Lee and Danny S. Just saying.

[@3rdRockRider]

I knew about No Tell Lover, but how did you learn of PC's contribution to "Call On Me"?

[@juliejensen7370]

I believe it.

[@waltersimmons946]

Annikpac you are correct, I learned about Cetera's involvement with "Call on me" about 25 yrs ago, what you say is true. Part of the reason Cetera left was because they wouldn't give him credit for a lot of things, he did more than sing and write songs..

[@RCGoetzke]

"America" is another song that Chicago has recorded in the past 30 years that no one has heard. Also, Lamm is from Brooklyn, NY, not from the south side of Chicago.

[@ronalddelpozzo9026]

In am not looking to be controversial, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I have seen Chicago many times over the years. After the original core of the band had left ( T.Kath ) ( P. Cetera ) The most important addition to the band has been Jason Scheff since Cetera left . He has been the closest to Cetera, and let Chicago sound original.

[@ladyduchezz4239]

I mean God's labor of love..

[@TruthHurts58]

I don't know how Lee and Robert can say they have no regrets in all the years they've toured. How arrogant can you be? How bout not forcing one of the greatest singers in the world out of your band when he wanted time off to do a solo album? How bout not kicking your original drummer to the side of the road when a couple of new guys wanted him gone? The fact is, Chicago 18 and 19 were nice albums, but the band has never been as incredible as they were when Cetera was there and firing Danny was the final straw for a lot of long time fans.

[@brucear]

More laws for freedom? Lee sure is delusional.I think he better stick to other subjects when it comes to wriitng.

[@bethmcavoy8062]

Lee’s lyrics: ...Make them pass Laws that help us all….. for example: *take care of our veterans, give them housing, benefits, and healthcare, including mental health care; We have the biggest, strongest military in the world; let’s bring the soldiers home, and stop exploiting them *enact regulations against the banks who gamble our 401Ks ( Glass-Stegal) ; *regulate and tax Wall Street so they pay their fair share for living in this great country; *ban nukes, petroleum, and pollution; *clean up the oceans; get rid of plastic; *subsidize sustainable solar and wind power; *double or triple the salaries and the numbers of our teachers; *strengthen laws protecting wildlife and the environment, protect endangered species; *You have the right to a doctor, just like you have the right to an attorney; *place limits on what the pharmaceutical companies can charge ; *fund Science, fund NASA; We can tax the hedge fund billionaires , Reagonomics & deregulation is a colossal FAILURE