Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois, calling themselves the Chicago Transit Authority in 1968 before shortening the name in 1969. The original founding members include bassist Peter Cetera, guitarist Terry Kath, keyboard player Robert Lamm, horn players Lee Loughnane, James Pankow, and Walter Parazaider, and drummer Danny Seraphine. Cetera, Kath, and Lamm shared vocal duties. Kath died in 1978, and was replaced by first Donnie Dacus and later Chris Pinnick on guitars. Bill Champlin joined as an additional keyboardist in 1981, and founding bassist Peter Cetera left for a solo career in 1985, to be replaced by Jason Scheff. Seraphine left the band in 1990, to be replaced by drummer Tris Imboden. The remaining founding members (Lamm, Loughnane, Pankow, and Parazaider) have remained active in the band through continued line-up changes, and the band currently includes the four founders, joined by Keith Howland on guitars, Lou Pardini on keyboards, Walfredo Reyes Jr. on drums and percussion, Neil Donell on acoustic guitar, and Brett Simons on bass. Ray Herrmann joined the band in 2016 as a touring saxophonist for founder Walter Parazaider, who remains an official band member, but frequently cannot tour due to health troubles.
