I’ll just say it: I love Chicago. Their early stuff is so good it’s ridiculous. I think most people think of their mid-80s ballads when the band is mentioned. But for me, their early work is where you’ll find the brilliance. The horns and Terry Kath’s guitar? Wonderful. Kath has to be the most overlooked guitarist in rock history. Don’t take my word for it. None other than Mr. Jimi Hendrix called Kath, “the best guitarist in the universe.”1
If you have any thoughts on Terry Kath, please share them.
There is a wonderful documentary by his daughter that is very much worth your time if you’re interested in learning about this incredible musician.
I was unfamiliar with Chicago until the father of a dear friend of mine from junior high days introduced me to the band. I remember him saying something like, “If you like Earth Wind & Fire, you’re definitely gonna like Chicago!”
Shout out and RIP Mr. & Mrs. Goodling!
Classic Album Review: “Chicago Transit Authority is a fine album and an historic debut.”2
Society of Rock: When Chicago “arrived into the scene, they did so in a stunning and unforgettable fashion.” And, “Listening to it in its entirety is quite a feast – a blend of outstanding songs with superb vocal performances and impressive musicianship.”3
In 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, Robert Dimery wrote:
“…the group were able to craft both energized pop and leftfield rock concurrently.”4
Charts
• Peak on Billboard album chart: #175
• Singles on Billboard charts:
> ”Questions 67 and 68” #716
> ”Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” #77
> “Beginnings” #78
• RIAA certification:
> Gold | December 17, 1969
> Platinum | November 21, 1986
> 2x Platinum | November 21, 19869
Released on April 28, 1969. Here’s what else was happening:
Pop Culture
• Number one song: Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures) by The 5th Dimension10
• Number one album: Hair, the Original Cast Recording11
• Number one movie: Support Your Local Sheriff by Burt Kennedy12
• Most watched TV program: Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In13
• NYT bestseller, fiction: Portnoy’s Complaint by Philip Roth14
• NYT bestseller, non-fiction: The Money Game, by "Adam Smith" (George Goodman)15
Other albums released that month
• Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show by Neil Diamond
• Nazz Nazz by Nazz
• Songs from a Room by Leonard Cohen
• Nashville Skyline by Bob Dylan
• Green Is Blues by Al Green
• Johnny Winter by Johnny Winter
• Uncle Meat by The Mothers of Invention
• With a Little Help from My Friends by Joe Cocker
• On the Threshold of a Dream by The Moody Blues
• M.P.G. by Marvin Gaye
• Hair by Various Artists
• It's Our Thing by The Isley Brothers
• Elephant Mountain by The Youngbloods
• Soft and Beautiful by Aretha Franklin
• Soulful by Dionne Warwick16
Sport
• Apr 7 Dodgers' Bill Singer is credited with 1st official save, against Reds
• Apr 8 First Major League Baseball game featuring a Canadian team; Montréal Expos beats NY Mets, 11-10 at Shea Stadium; Fellow expansion teams KC Royals, SD Padres and Seattle Pilots also win on debut.
• Apr 13 33rd US Masters Tournament, Augusta National GC: George Archer wins his only major title.
• Apr 14 First regular-season MLB game played outside the United States; Montreal Expos beat St. Louis Cardinals, 8-7 at Parc Jarry, Montreal.
• Apr 23 LA Lakers guard Jerry West scores 53 points in 120-118 NBA Finals Game 1 win over Boston Celtics at the LA Forum.17
Notable Births
• Apr 3 Ben Mendelsohn, Australian actor (The Year My Voice Broke; Animal Kingdom; Bloodline), born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
• Apr 3 Mellody Hobson, American businesswoman (Chairman of Dreamworks Animation), born in Chicago, Illinois.
• Apr 6 Paul Rudd, American actor (Clueless, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Ant-Man), born in Passaic, New Jersey.
• Apr 7 Ricky Watters, NFL running back (SF 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, 5x Pro Bowl, Super Bowl XXIX Champ).
• Apr 14 Brad Ausmus, American catcher & manager (Detroit Tigers), born in New Haven, Connecticut.
• Apr 14 Mark Macon, American NBA guard (Temple, Detroit Pistons), born in Saginaw, Michigan.
• Apr 19 Jesse James, American television personality (Jesse James Is a Dead Man), born in Long Beach, California.
• Apr 25 Darren Woodson, American NFL safety (5 x Pro Bowl; 3 x All-Pro; Super Bowl 1992, 93, 95; Dallas Cowboys), born in Phoenix, Arizona.
• Apr 25 Joe Buck, American sports broadcaster, born in St. Petersburg, Florida.
• Apr 25 Rene Zellweger, American actress (2x Oscar winner; Cold Mountain, Judy, Bridget Jones), born in Katy, Texas.
• Apr 27 Cory Booker, American politician (Senator-D-NJ 2013-, Mayor of Newark 2006-13), born in Washington, D.C.18
Historical Events
• Apr 3 Vietnam War: U.S. Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird announces that the United States will start a policy of "Vietnamization", reducing American involvement.
• Apr 4 CBS-TV abruptly cancels "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" three weeks after renewing it, citing the program's failure to provide advance screening for review before airing.
• Apr 4 Haskell Karp receives the 1st temporary artificial heart, implanted by surgeon Denton Cooley at Texas Heart Institute in Houston.
• Apr 5 Massive anti-Vietnam War demonstrations occur in many U.S. cities.
• Apr 7 Supreme Court strikes down laws prohibiting private possession of obscene material.
• Apr 14 41st Academy Awards: "Oliver" Best Picture, Cliff Robertson & Katharine Hepburn and Barbra Streisand win (1st ever tie for best actress).
• Apr 14 Tornado strikes Dacca, East Pakistan killing 540.
• Apr 17 Sirhan Sirhan is convicted of assassinating US Senator Robert F. Kennedy.
• Apr 20 23rd Tony Awards: "The Great White Hope" (play) & "1776" (musical) win. Al Pacino wins a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for "Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?"
• Apr 22 1st human eye transplant performed.
• Apr 22 Robin Knox-Johnston ends 312 days of non-stop sailing to become the 1st person to perform a single-handed non-stop circumnavigation of the globe.
• Apr 23 Sirhan Sirhan sentenced to death for killing US Senator Robert F. Kennedy (later commuted to a life sentence).
• Apr 23 The Unionist Parliamentary Party votes by 28 to 22 to introduce universal adult suffrage in local government elections in Northern Ireland; the demand for 'one man, one vote' had been one of the most powerful slogans of the civil rights movement.
• Apr 24 Paul McCartney says there is no truth to rumors he is dead.
• Apr 24 US B-52's drop 3,000 ton bombs at Cambodian boundary.
• Apr 28 4th Academy of Country Music Awards: Glen Campbell and Cathie Taylor win.
• Apr 28 Charles de Gaulle resigns as president of France.19
Notable Deaths
• Apr 8 Arthur Walter Kramer, American composer, dies at 78
• Apr 8 Haskell Karp, American heart transplant patient, who received 1st fully artificial heart, dies after 65 hours at 48
• Apr 10 Harley Earl, American automobile designer (1st head of design at General Motors), dies at 75
• Apr 20 William "Benny" Benjamin, American session drummer (Motown's Funk Brothers), dies of a stroke at 43.
• Apr 23 Krzysztof Komeda, Polish jazz pianist and film composer (Rosemary's Baby), dies of head injuries as the result of a fall at 37.20
Enjoy and listen without prejudice. Cheers!
Check out all the videos here: You're Welcome 110; Chicago Transit Authority by Chicago
Or listen at Prime: 110. Chicago Transit Authority by Chicago
Dimery, Robert, The 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, p. 181.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.