Peter Cetera & The Other Chicago Tenors On the Ups & Downs In The Band

[@brucep9729]

Jason's always been a class act!

[@SteveKozak36]

I miss Bill and Jason being in the band. I have stopped going to see them live when Bill was gone.

[@vintagevinylvets1187]

John, this was a really great segment. Thank you for putting this together, we love Chicago-period. As far as Neal is concerned, he is AMAZING! He has been our favorite singer of those songs since. zPetrr left. His range is just incredible and has been a pleasant surprise.🙏🏻🎧

[@marksink1652]

Chicago was an 'albums band' when I followed them. They had hit singles but it was the albums that drew me In. They were a bit like Heart in that sense, on a longer time scale. Some things had changed by the early 80s and it was clear it was more about having hit singles, "market realities." 4/28/76, Chicago in Roanoke, my first big time concert exp. Before that it had been Looking Glass, in a bar in Cheraw SC.

[@chrisschrecker5497]

Love the honest “opinions” of these guys! Speaks volumes of the dynamics of that group and the control that the originals still exert. At these point, we’ve got the discography. The live shows are OK if you’re into seeing a similar set list year to year. Thanks John!

[@jerrygeist1677]

Y'all are all class acts we have been blessed by all of the talent that has done vocals with Chicago , good gravy what a bunch of great talented singers.

[@tacobreather]

Chicago is awesome, full stop!!!

[@milanomaker]

Thanks for posting, John. I’ve loved Chicago since I was a young teen, ‘69. They played in our town as they were touring many college campuses, here in Pennsylvania. It’s good that you made a compilation of the older interviews with Bill, Jason, Jeff & Neil. All fantastic vocalists & musicians.

[@mark3905]

I used to love the group. I've seen them live around a half dozen times. I refuse to go anymore now that they have become a revolving door cover band. Yes, I know other bands have done the same thing. I won't go see them, either. I want to remember Chicago as what they used to be, before they purged so many long-timers.

[@kc0lif]

always liked Chicago.

[@brucep9729]

You know Peter, I've never heard Robert Lamm whining like this, even though he wrote 75% of Chicago's music! Sheesh, if anyone should get recognition it's him!

[@Jim5150jvc]

Donnie Dacus was definitely a strong tenor singer as well. He sang kinda like Billy Joel. Check out: "Take a Chance" "Ain't It Time" "Must Have Been Crazy" and my favorite- "Paradise Alley". I wish that he could have stayed in the band a bit longer.

[@givingvoicetohistory]

Another great video, John.

[@davidsutter1846]

Thanks John!!!!!

[@krisscanlon4051]

Wow what a coup John! Learned so much about bands and life absorbing Chicago stories...can't expect bands to go on forever then again you wonder would they go back if they coule. Scheff took it as far as he could...

[@welshieallovertheplace]

It's a shame Jeff Coffey didn't stay longer but I understand his reasons, but I thought he was the best post-Cetera singer. On a side note, I've seen alot of clips recently without Robert Lamm onstage!

[@vintagevinylvets1187]

Based on the last two documentaries, it seems Robert is just “over it” and/or burned out to an extent. It’s been a long journey, so I get it at his age.🎧

[@AJMjazz]

One aspect most people forget is that a band is actually a corporation formed to create a product to sell be it a recording or a live performance. Like other corporations, people come in, make a contribution, then they leave. The corporation will exist until such time the management (or stakeholders) decide to end it. Granted, there are times in the lifecycle when certain members of the band have a certain chemestry that yields substantial revenues (like Champlin's reference to the Foster era). Though the consumer (listener/fan) wants to cryogenically lock that period, it is impossible. Tastes change, trends change, people change. The recordings are the legacy of that period of time. Enjoy the recordings. But you cn't expect the same people to perform the same arrangements for 20+ years without being tired and artistically stale.

[@stevehofer8312]

These guys average a 20 year tenure with the band, a band that has lasted over 50 years. A tenor is like an athlete - your voice only lasts so long in top form, with some lasting longer than others. At some point you just have to feel lucky for the years you have/had and move on to a new life adventure. Sometimes politics and differing goals force people to part ways before the voice goes. All these guys made some good music. They made some good money, and they all have a legacy.

[@fldrummerman]

This was great. What a cool behind the scenes perspective. Thank you!!!!!!!!!

[@waltersimmons946]

Peter Cetera called that documentary 👉 A CROCKEMETARY 😂😂😂😂😂

[@meyerhaus3189]

David Foster broke up the band. If it wasn’t for him Peter would still be in Chicago.

[@rickosters7927]

Jeff Coffey and Pardini were the best iteration of the post Cetera \ Kath Chicago era. They were as true to the nuances of the original sound, style and inflections of Kath and Cetera. Champlin never met a Kath vocal he didn’t butcher, especially on Make Me Smile. 🤮. Cetera not performing with the group at the HOF ceremony was unforgivable. His “once your divorced you don’t get back together” reasoning is lame. Even divorced couples can stomach being together for one night for their kids (the fans in this case!)

[@CommishTV]

I'm a big Peter Cetera fan so I always sort of held it against his "replacement", Jason. However, I've come around to like Jason because in his interviews he's always humble and down-to-Earth. Bill Champlin, on the other hand, always comes across as very arrogant in his interviews regarding Chicago. He gives off the impression that he was doing them a FAVOR by being a member of the band. He had some valuable contributions to Chicago's late 80s/early 90s success, but he just comes off as too self-important to me. I find it distasteful.