Lee David Loughnane was born in Elmwood Park, Illinois, a northwest suburb of Chicago, to Philip and Juanita Loughnane. Lee is the second-oldest of five children. He began playing trumpet at age 11, using the same instrument played by his dad when he was in the Army Air Force.[3] Lee attended St. Mel High School, an all-boys school operated by the Christian Brothers, because it had a concert band, jazz band and marching band. By the time he graduated in 1964, he knew that he wanted to be a professional musician. "There was nothing else that I wanted to do. I had no other calling."[4] He met his future Chicago bandmates during his freshman year at DePaul University.
Career
Through his friendship with guitarist Terry Kath, Loughnane met drummer Danny Seraphine and saxophone/woodwind player Walter Parazaider. Parazaider, who was trying to form a rock band with horns, encouraged Loughnane to sit in on rehearsals. Loughnane has been a member of Chicago since its inception. At first, the group was known as The Big Thing. Eventually it was renamed The Chicago Transit Authority with the addition of Peter Cetera on vocals and bass. The band was later renamed simply "Chicago."
Loughnane's songwriting contributions to Chicago have included the hit singles "Call on Me" from Chicago VII and "No Tell Lover" from Hot Streets, as well as album cuts such as "Take a Chance" from Hot Streets, "Together Again" on Chicago X, "This Time" on Chicago XI and "America" on Chicago XXXVI: Now. A copy of the latter song, released on July 4, 2014, was sent to every member of Congress. Lee described how he brought his first songwriting effort to the band, which became the Top 10 single Call On Me, "By the time I came up with an original song the band was very well established with six albums and major success. So I sort of came in with, 'you wanna hear my song,' very timid. I didn't know if they wanted to do it. I didn't think it was good enough. My personality, 'I'm not good enough,' and you know, 'I'm just trying.[5]
Loughnane made his lead vocal debut on the Terry Kath composition "Song of The Evergreens" on Chicago VII. He provides background vocals on several Chicago songs, and the occasional lead vocal such as on "Together Again" from Chicago X, "This Time" from Chicago XI, "Let it Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" from Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album and "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" and "Rockin' and Rollin' on Christmas Day" from Chicago XXXIII: O Christmas Three. In concert, Lee sings "Colour My World."[6]
Aside from his musical contributions to Chicago, Loughnane is reported to be a peacemaker and problem-solver within the band.[7] He handles most of the media interviews and has produced several recent Chicago albums, including Chicago XXXVI: Now which was recorded entirely on the road, using a traveling studio that Loughnane put together with engineer Tim Jessup.[8]
The lanky (6'3") Loughnane had a small speaking role as a pig farmer on a hippie commune in the 1973 film Electra Glide in Blue, starring Robert Blake. Peter Cetera, Terry Kath and Walt Parazaider also appear in the film, which was directed by James Guercio, Chicago's producer at the time.[9] Loughnane played a motorcycle cop in the 1984 music video "Stay The Night" by Chicago. Lee, along with his fellow founding Chicago members Robert Lamm and James Pankow, have a cameo appearance as themselves in the 2013 Larry David comedy Clear History.[10][circular reference]
Lee Loughnane, Walt Parazaider and Jimmy Pankow play on two tracks of the Bee Gees' album Spirits Having Flown, "Stop (Think Again)" and "Too Much Heaven".[11] On "Too Much Heaven", Lee plays the flugelhorn and Walt plays the flute, according to the liner notes of the 2003 reissue of Hot Streets. In return, the Gibb brothers sang back-up on the Chicago song "Little Miss Lovin'". The bands became friendly when they were both recording at Criteria Studios in Miami.
The Chicago horn section also performed on several tracks of Leon Russell's Americana, most notably Let's Get Started. For this album, Lee co-wrote the horn charts with saxophonist Marty Grebb.[12]
Lee Loughnane is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and was given the National Citation as well as recognition as Signature Sinfonian along with fellow Chicago members and Sinfonians on August 26, 2009.[13]
Elmwood Park dedicated "Lee Loughnane Way" near his childhood home on Sunset Drive in 2012.[14] Chicago was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6438 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California in 1992.
Related Research Articles
Chicago is an American rock band formed in Chicago in 1967. The group began calling themselves the Chicago Transit Authority in 1968, then shortened the name in 1969. Self-described as a "rock and roll band with horns," their songs often also combine elements of classical music, jazz, R&B, and pop music.
Terry Alan Kath was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter who is best known as a founding member of the rock band Chicago. He played lead guitar and sang lead vocals on many of the band's early hit singles alongside Robert Lamm and Peter Cetera. He has been praised by his bandmates and other musicians for his guitar skills and his Ray Charles–influenced vocal style. Jimi Hendrix cited Terry Kath as one of his favorite guitarists, and considered Kath to be "the best guitarist in the universe".
Chicago Transit Authority is the debut studio album by the American rock band Chicago. It was recorded and released in April 1969 and became a sleeper hit, reaching number 17 on the Billboard 200 by 1971. Chicago Transit Authority spawned several successful singles, including "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?", "Questions 67 and 68" and "Beginnings". The album stayed on the Billboard chart for 171 weeks, beating the previous record for a rock album's longevity of 155 weeks and has been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). For this inaugural recording effort, the group was nominated for a Grammy Award for 1969 Best New Artist of the Year. The album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2014.
Chicago at Carnegie Hall is the first live album, and fourth album overall, by American band Chicago. It was initially released on October 25, 1971 by Columbia Records as a four-LP vinyl box set, and was also available for a time as two separate two-record sets. A Quadraphonic mix of the album was proposed, but was never made, possibly due to the band's objection to the album being released in the first place. This is the only Chicago album of the group's first ten releases not to have a Quadraphonic release in any format.
Chicago VII is the sixth studio album by American rock band Chicago. It was released on March 11, 1974 by Columbia Records. It is notable for being their first double album of new material since 1971's Chicago III and remains their final studio release in that format. It features session percussionist Laudir de Oliveira, who would become a full-fledged band member for the release of Chicago VIII the following year.
Chicago VIII is the seventh studio album by American rock band Chicago, released on March 24, 1975 by Columbia Records. Following the experimental jazz/pop stylings of Chicago VII, the band returned to a more streamlined rock-based sound on this follow-up.
Greatest Hits, Volume II is the second greatest hits album by American rock band Chicago, released on November 23, 1981 by Columbia Records.
James Carter Pankow is an American trombone player, songwriter, and brass instrument arranger who is a founding member of the rock band Chicago. He is best known for his brass arrangements, and for being one-third of Chicago's brass/woodwind section alongside Lee Loughnane and Walter Parazaider.
Walter Parazaider is an American woodwind musician who is a founding member of the rock band Chicago. He is best known for being one-third of Chicago's brass/woodwind section alongside Lee Loughnane and James Pankow. Parazaider is a multi-instrumentalist. He plays a wide variety of wind instruments, including saxophone, flute, and clarinet. He also occasionally plays guitar.
"Dialogue" is a song written by Robert Lamm for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago V (1972). On the album the song is over 7 minutes long and is divided in two parts. An edited version was released as a single in October 1972, eventually reaching #24 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. A live recording of the full song can be heard in Chicago XXXIV: Live in '75. Part II was included in Greatest Hits, Volume II (1982).
"Feelin' Stronger Every Day" is a song written by Peter Cetera and James Pankow for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago VI (1973). The first single released from that album, it reached #10 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
"Just You 'n' Me" is a song written by James Pankow for the group Chicago and recorded for their fifth studio album Chicago VI (1973). The lead vocals are sung by bassist Peter Cetera.
"Call on Me" is a song written by Lee Loughnane for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago VII (1974). Peter Cetera sang lead vocals and the arrangement makes prominent use of conga drums played by Guille Garcia.
"Harry Truman" is a song written by Robert Lamm for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago VIII (1975), with lead vocals by Lamm. The first single released from that album, it reached number 13 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It also reached number 23 on the Adult Contemporary chart. In Canada, the song peaked at number 16.
"Old Days" is a song written by James Pankow for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago VIII (1975). It was the second single released from that album with lead vocals by Peter Cetera.
Live in Japan is a live album by American rock band Chicago, released in November 1972. It was recorded over the course of three days at the Osaka Festival Hall on the band's tour in support of Chicago V in 1972. The group recorded Japanese-language versions of "Lowdown" and "Questions 67 And 68" to coincide with their Japan performances. They performed both songs in Japanese during their stay, which are documented on this album.
"South California Purples" is a song written and sung by Robert Lamm for the rock band Chicago and recorded for their debut album Chicago Transit Authority (1969).
Chicago XXXIV: Live in '75 is a live album by the American band Chicago, their thirty-fourth album overall, recorded in 1975 and released in 2011. After releasing its eighth consecutive gold album in six years, Chicago embarked upon a stadium tour in 1975. The album includes selections from all of the group's albums through its then-current Chicago VIII.
"Brand New Love Affair" sometimes alternatively listed as "Brand New Love Affair (Parts I and II)", is a song written by James Pankow for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago VIII. The song peaked at #61 on the charts. Guitarist Terry Kath sings the first half while bassist Peter Cetera sings the second half. Keyboardist Robert Lamm played the distinctive Fender Rhodes electric piano on the song—the intro particularly showcases its lush vibrato bell-like sound.
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