Before launching a successful solo career, Peter Cetera was the lead singer of the band Chicago for nearly two decades. After leaving the band, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and Grammy award-winning artist’s first solo single, “Glory of Love” was the theme song for The Karate Kid: Part II and instantly became a Billboard Hot 100 number one hit. (The song was also nominated for an Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Original Song as well as a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Male Artist).
Cetera has worked with everyone from Cher to Billy Joel and is best known for hits, including “You’re The Inspiration,” “The Next Time I Fall” and “Hard Habit To Break.” Now performing with his latest band The Bad Daddies, he is in the midst of his nationwide tour, which will feature original material as well as popular songs from Chicago and Cetera’s solo career.
Photo Credit: Peter Cetera
We caught up recently with Cetera to discuss his tour, career with Chicago and as a solo artist and why he is looking forward to his visit to Massachusetts on Thursday.
Tell us a little about your latest tour and what fans can expect when you come to Massachusetts this week.
We have been doing this for a while now, and let’s just say we will be playing all of the right songs. We know what people expect and want to hear and we will give them that and more. We do all of the songs that people want to hear.
Why do you think you have enjoyed such a long lasting success, both in Chicago and as a solo artist?
All along, it has been about the songs. I wrote songs that connected with people with both Chicago and my solo career. People come up and tell me that they love a certain song and had it at their wedding or graduation. I think people just really appreciate our music. People may now my name, face or voice, but this is our chance to put it all together for them.
Jimi Hendrix was even a fan and Chicago opened for him back in the day. Tell us about that experience.
We ended up moving from Chicago to Hollywood and became the house band for Whisky A Go Go. We opened up for a lot of people and one night Hendrix heard us as did Janis Joplin and they asked us to open for them.
Photo Credit: Peter Cetera
You’ve had 17 albums with Chicago and on your own, how would you describe your solo success compared to your time with Chicago?
I think it’s all about confidence and I certainly don’t begrudge being with Chicago all those years. When I became solo, it made me realize what I wrote and what I was singing really resonated with people.
What can you do now as a solo artist that you couldn’t when you were in Chicago?
I can do what I want to do and say what I want to say. It was pretty restraining back then. It was all about jealousy, ego and money and that turned out to be not that much fun. Now I can do everything I want to do and say on my own.
What are you most looking forward to when visiting Boston next week?
We haven’t been to Massachusetts in a while, so we are just going to have fun. It’s not like back in the old days when it was mostly a grind. We have a couple of surprises in store. It’s a great band and we ae really looking to have a lot of fun when we visit.
