Chicago was formed in, of all places, Chicago, Illinois and the group originally called themselves “The Big Thing”.
The band started as a group of 6 people, Walter Parazaider, Terry Kath, Dammy Seraphine, James Pankow, Lee Loughnane, and Robert Lamm. They began their career as a cover band called “The Big Thing”, but started working on original songs and transitioned to calling themselves Chicago Transit Authority in 1968 when they signed with Columbia Records. Because of their performances at the Whisky a Go Go club in West Hollywood, they ended up becoming an open act for Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix.
Their first record, Chicago Transit Authority, was a double album and ended up making it to #17 in the Billboard 200 album charts. It was this album that caused the group to be nominated for a Grammy Award in 1969 for Best New Artist of the Year.
Genre
Rock, soft rock, pop rock, jazz rock
Labels
Columbia
Warner Bros
Full Moon
Rhino
Reprise
Chicago Records/Chicago Records II
Frontiers Records
Artist Website Link:
Discography
Chicago Transit Authority – Released: April 28, 1969
Chicago – Released: January 26, 1970
Chicago III – Released: January 11, 1971
Chicago V – Released: July 10, 1972
Chicago VI – Released: June 25, 1973
Chicago VII – Released: March 11, 1974
Chicago VIII – Released: March 24, 1975
Chicago X – Released: June 14, 1976
Chicago XI – Released: September 12, 1977
Hot Streets – Released: October 2, 1978
Chicago 13 – Released: August 13, 1979
Chicago XIV – Released: July 21, 1980
Chicago 16 – Released: June 7, 1982
Chicago 17 – Released: May 14, 1984[1]
Chicago 18 – Released: September 29, 1986
Chicago 19 – Released: June 21, 1988
Twenty 1 – Released: January 29, 1991
Night & Day Big Band – Released: May 23, 1995
Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album – Released: August 25, 1998
Chicago XXX – Released: March 21, 2006
Chicago XXXII: Stone of Sisyphus – Released: June 17, 2008
Chicago XXXIII: O Christmas Three – Released: October 4, 2011
Chicago XXXV: The Nashville Sessions – Released: April 26, 2013
Chicago XXXVI: Now – Released: July 4, 2014
MultiTracks