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Thread: Chicago

  1. #1
    Forum Member GregsGuitars's Avatar
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    Chicago

    Another heavy 70 era band , excellent Strat and Fender Bass players as well...go to 2:30 or so for his solo...worth it.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uAUoz7jimg

  2. #2
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Chicago

    That's a great clip. Terry Kath was a monster player.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  3. #3
    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
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    Re: Chicago

    May I indulge in a little "back story" trivia? Well, since it's early and there's no one around to stop me...

    In 1969, I bought a double-album (vinyl, for those too young to remember) with a psychedelic cover by a band called Sons of Champlin called "Loosen Up Naturally." Late one night I had heard on the radio an extended track from the album called "Freedom" (extended, full-side album tracks were all the rage then) with a vocalist who sounded eerily like Lou Rawls. That album turned out to be one of my all-time favorites.

    The Lou Rawls sound-alike was Bill Champlin, the front man for the band. The Sons recorded a total of some seven albums, I think, but never made it to the "big time." Northern Californians knew them, though. "They were the most talented of all the San Francisco bands”, said Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead. Their sound was differentiated from most guitar-heavy bands by the inclusion of horns.

    The reason I mention this is that Bill Champlin went on to perform with Chicago, where he spent some 28 years with the band. (He also won two GRAMMYs, for co-writing "After the Love Has Gone" and "Turn Your Love Around," performed by Earth, Wind & Fire and George Benson, respectively). Chicago's guitar player was Terry Kath. Sons of Champlin's guitar player was Terry Haggerty. Two bands, two guitar players named Terry.

    Terry Haggerty was replaced by Tal Morris, another talented guitar player, but Haggerty has continued to play with the band as they continue to re-form, play around California and generally keep the groove alive.

    Here is a clip from a 2016 performance in Petaluma (Champlin is the front man in blue; not a shabby guitar player himself):


  4. #4
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Chicago

    In 1982, I had front row seats at the Opryland venue for Chicago. It was Champlin's first tour with them. It was one of the best musical performances I have ever seen. They were a great band, and Champlin was something on that tour. The songwriting, with the awful help of David Foster, became formulaic after that, and I admit, I lost interest in them as anything other than nostalgia. Still...
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  5. #5
    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
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    Re: Chicago

    Quote Originally Posted by ch willie View Post
    In 1982, I had front row seats at the Opryland venue for Chicago. It was Champlin's first tour with them. It was one of the best musical performances I have ever seen. They were a great band, and Champlin was something on that tour. The songwriting, with the awful help of David Foster, became formulaic after that, and I admit, I lost interest in them as anything other than nostalgia. Still...
    On the 2004 "Secret" CD (buy it!), the introduction is given: "Ladies and Gentlemen, the Hope Diamond of rock 'n' roll." Then later, there's a moment when the band members are being introduced, Champlin does the honors for the entire band, except for himself. Then, one of the band members says, "and Bill Champlin, back with the band he was BORN to play with."

    The liner notes of the 1998
    "Sons of Champlin Live" CD include the memorable statement: "You can't hide great music."

    Amen.

  6. #6
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    Re: Chicago

    I grew up in the south Chicago suburbs. Back in the late 60's, right along 294, somewhere between Halsted & 159th was an old white frame house that was Chicago's practice house. Unfortunately, it was torn down in the late 70's. Oh, if that house could talk!

  7. #7
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
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    Re: Chicago

    Great stuff!!

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