Peter Cetera

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Peter Cetera
Background information
Born September 13, 1944
Origin Chicago, Illinois, USA
Genre(s) Adult contemporary
Instrument(s) Singing, Bass guitar
Years active 1969 – present
Label(s) Full Moon, Warner Bros, other independent labels
Associated
acts		 Chicago
Website http://www.petercetera.com

Peter Paul Cetera (born September 13, 1944 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American singer, songwriter, and bass guitar player best known for being a founding member (along with Walter Parazaider, Terry Kath, Danny Seraphine, Lee Loughnane, James Pankow, and Robert Lamm) of the rock band Chicago. The lead voice of major Chicago hits such as "25 or 6 to 4", "If You Leave Me Now", and "You're The Inspiration", Cetera went on to become an accomplished solo artist with such songs as his hit #1 single "Glory of Love".

Contents

[edit] Early years

Cetera first learned to play the accordion at the age of 5 years. He later learned to play guitar while attending high school in Chicago. In the late 1960s, he played in a popular local rock band named The Exceptions, which toured the midwestern United States. Then in December 1967, Cetera arrived early for a show to watch an act known as The Big Thing. Impressed by their use of a horn section combined with rock and roll, Cetera left The Exceptions to join The Big Thing within a span of two weeks.

[edit] Tenure in Chicago

The Big Thing, which soon changed its name to The Chicago Transit Authority (and eventually renamed Chicago), continued to tour the Midwest until releasing their first album in 1969, The Chicago Transit Authority on the Columbia record label. Cetera was one of the band's three major lead vocalists --his tenor voice nicely complimenting the baritone voices of keyboardist Robert Lamm and guitarist Terry Kath. His unique singing style resulted from being forced to temporarily sing with a wired-shut jaw after getting into a brawl in 1970.

While The Chicago Transit Authority was an underground hit, the follow-up album Chicago (sometimes referred to as Chicago II) vaulted the band to popular status across the United States and the world. The hit single "25 or 6 to 4" (still one of the band's most well-known songs) was the first major hit with Cetera singing lead vocals. Chicago is also notable for featuring Cetera's first songwriting effort, "Where Do We Go From Here?" As time went on, Cetera became a much more prolific writer of the band's material, including the hit "Wishing You Were Here" (#11) and "Happy Man" from the 1973 album Chicago VII.

During this period Cetera had a minor part in the 1973 film Electra Glide in Blue, which was directed by Chicago's longtime manager/producer James William Guercio.

His biggest singing/songwriting accomplishment with Chicago came in 1976 with their first worldwide #1 single, the ballad "If You Leave Me Now". The follow-ups, "Baby, What A Big Surprise" (#4) and "No Tell Lover" (#14) (written with Lee Loughnane and Danny Seraphine), which were hits in 1977 and 1978 respectively, cemented the band's status in the late 1970s as a "ballad band".

A split from the band's producer Guercio, followed by the accidental death of Kath, sparked a major change in direction for the band, in which Cetera became more influential. However, by the end of the 1970s, with the advent of disco, Chicago's popularity declined, culminating in the poor-selling Chicago XIV (#71) in 1980. During this time, Cetera released his first solo album, entitled Peter Cetera, a rock-based effort vastly different from his future solo albums. In addition, he also made contributions to other artists' work, including providing backing vocals on songs by Billy Joel and Paul Anka, and by singing a duet with easy-listening star Karen Carpenter.

After Bill Champlin joined Chicago, and David Foster was brought in as producer, the result was the album Chicago 16 (#9) released in 1982 on the Warner Brothers label. The album represented a major comeback for Chicago, and leading the way was the hit co-written and sung by Cetera, "Hard to Say I'm Sorry/Get Away" (2 weeks at #1). Also from 16, "Love Me Tomorrow" (#22), co-written by Cetera, was another hit.

Chicago 17 (#4), released in 1984, was an even bigger success. Four songs sung by Cetera (three of which he cowrote), were top 20 singles: the monster ballad "You're The Inspiration" (#3), "Hard Habit to Break" (#3), "Stay the Night" (#16), and "Along Comes a Woman" (#14). With the advent of the music video, Cetera became the 'star face' of the longtime faceless band that was Chicago.

[edit] Break with Chicago, solo career

With his newfound popularity, Cetera was eager to record another solo album. In addition, he objected to the extended touring of the band to promote 17. Conversely, the other members of the band were concerned that Cetera's focus on slow ballads was leading Chicago in a direction that was different than what they wanted. After the band rejected his offer to stay in the band while recording a solo album (similar to the arrangement between Phil Collins and Genesis at the time), Cetera decided to leave Chicago in July of 1985.

Almost immediately, he continued his streak of hits sans Chicago. His first single, "Glory of Love" (the theme to the movie The Karate Kid, Part II) was a US #1 hit in 1986. His album, Solitude/Solitaire, released in 1986, was also successful, selling over 1,000,000 copies and spawning another hit single: "The Next Time I Fall", a duet with Amy Grant. In fact, Solitude/Solitaire outsold Chicago 18 (#35), the first Chicago album without him. His third solo album, One More Story (1988), despite containing the top 5 hit "One Good Woman", failed to reach Gold certification.

In 1987 Peter Cetera also worked as a producer. Together with Swedish singer and ex-ABBA-member Agnetha Fältskog he recorded 10 songs for her third English-language album, I Stand Alone. One of these tracks, "I Wasn't The One (Who Said Good-Bye)" was a duet with her. Single with the song peaked at #93 on Billboard Hot 100 and hit the same spot in Canada on RPM Top 100 singles chart. It became a Billboard Adult Contemporary hit reaching #19 on AC chart and also got to #21 on RPM Adult Contemporary chart in Canada.

In 1989 Cetera recorded a duet with Cher, "After All", which was included on the soundtrack of the movie Chances Are and reached #6 on the US charts.

His final album released on the Warner Brothers label, World Falling Down, from 1992, contained the Adult Contemporary #1 hit "Restless Heart" as well. Since then, he has re-recorded some of his biggest Chicago hits in You're The Inspiration: A Collection (1997), and recorded some Christmas classics in You Just Gotta Love Christmas (2004).

Although he is not entirely comfortable with talking about his years with Chicago, Cetera continues to incorporate some of the group's songs (including those he composed) into his live repertoire (like "25 or 6 to 4", "If You Leave Me Now", and "You're The Inspiration").

[edit] Discography

[edit] Official studio albums

[edit] Hit singles

All chart information is from Billboard's Hot 100 Singles Chart except where noted.

[edit] Soundtracks

Peter Cetera also appeared on the following notable movie soundtracks:

[edit] External links


Peter Cetera
Peter Cetera | Solitude/Solitaire | One More Story | World Falling Down
One Clear Voice | You're the Inspiration: A Collection
Another Perfect World | You Just Gotta Love Christmas


Chicago
Robert Lamm | James Pankow | Lee Loughnane | Walter Parazaider | Bill Champlin
Jason Scheff | Tris Imboden | Keith Howland
Terry Kath | Peter Cetera | Danny Seraphine | Laudir DeOliveira | Donnie Dacus | Chris Pinnick | Dawayne Bailey
Discography
Studio albums: The Chicago Transit Authority | Chicago | Chicago III | Chicago V | Chicago VI |Chicago VII | Chicago VIII | Chicago X | Chicago XI | Hot Streets
Chicago 13 | Chicago XIV | Chicago 16 | Chicago 17 | Chicago 18 | Chicago 19 | Twenty 1 | Night & Day Big Band | Chicago XXX
Live albums: Chicago at Carnegie Hall | Chicago XXVI: Live in Concert
Compilations: Chicago IX - Chicago's Greatest Hits | Greatest Hits, Volume II | Greatest Hits 1982-1989
The Heart of Chicago 1967-1997 | The Heart of Chicago 1967-1998 Volume II | The Very Best of: Only the Beginning | Love Songs
Christmas albums: Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album | What's It Gonna Be, Santa?
Unreleased album: Stone of Sisyphus
Box sets: The Box
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