Back in the early sixties Terry used to practice once in a while at Jimmy and Larry E"s parents house on Natchez Ave, Mrs E used to baby sit me and I would go down to the basement and watch them all play. The first time I sat behind at a drum set it was Terry who lifted me up to sit on the stool because I was too short. They were all nice guys, they would take me to Norwood Park in the winter to go skating. RIP Terry and Larry. I can't here The Twist without thinking of you guys.
I sincerely wish I were old enough to hear Terry Kath in person. How come I had to be born two years after his death? Nobody can play like he did. But, nobody I know of is even trying.
Even now, nearly fourteen years after I first listened to him solo, his chops on this video are giving me chills.
There is no CHICAGO without TERRY KATH!!! Terry was such a great guitar player, even words couldn't describe his magnificant fretwork! I would've LOVED to have seen these guys play live in concert back in the day! There will never be anyone to play a guitar the way Terry played his instrument...with such DEPTH & VERSATILITY. R.I.P., Terry Kath. The world still mourns your loss almost three and a half decades later.
Love this live version! I just posted the studio version from Chicago XI. It's such a tragic loss that Terry never got to release his planned solo album. This tune was a great prelude for things to come!
They say to see is to believe. Well I am in disbelief at the extraordinary guitar playing
displayed here in this vintage footage. I personally only listened to the many Chicago records as a kid and then as an adult and never saw the band in concert. I just am totaly amazed by the guitar virtuosity of Terry Kath man the cats amazing.
That is some sound out of a tele,heard a live cutt of this when I was a kid,B side of something? Played it to my mates at school! No one belived it was Chicago?
To ME Kath is the John Bonham of guitarists. Extremely smooth, fluid, and full of soul and fire, but where most guitarists look in concert with the instrument Kath grabs it by the throat and forces it to do HIS bidding! When you listen to the Solo in 25 or 6 to 4 at the very end when he gets off the Wah Wah that last gasp as if its saying THANK GOD he let go. This man was every bit the beast Bonham was, Imagine them TOGETHER?? The mind BOGGLES
This is BEAUTIFUL... LOVE TERRY...I really wish the band would see fit to release a proper full length concert DVD showcasing their LEADER!!! Or maybe even release the supposed 3-5 tracks that had been completed for the solo project...But No...
It sure is a fine line. Take this guy out of the picture and what you have left is lame adult contemporary music. I guess something this good can't last for long.
It pisses me off that he was never given his due just because he never played in Led Zeppelin or Cream. Wasn't it true that Jimi Hendrix made a comment to one of the guys?...something like "hey man, I play,....but YOUR guy blows ME AWAY!!"...even HENDRIX knew what was up. And as far as Peter Cetera's bass playing, alot of the bassists today in "premier" bands couldn't hang with motion that he put into the low end!
@chrisdclarkjr Thank you. I guess because of the horns and ballads Chicago was never given the credit they deserve for being one of the heaviest bands of all time. Versatility and subtlety seem to confuse people. I was too young to have had the chance to see them back then so I'm glad I can at least get a taste of what it was like.
Truly one of a kind. Huge fan and I would say that a kindred spirit lived in his contemporary, Lowell George. Similar in their passion and unabashed soulfulness (and stage persona/energy). Both left us entirely too early. Thanks for the auditory treats, gents...and thanks for posting this Kid.
@ammopapa Terry was a musical genius, it's a shame it didn't take a basic gun safety course. He would still be with us if he followed even one of the basic safety rules.
1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. (loaded or unloaded)
2. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot. (loaded or unloaded)
3. ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.
thank you there are allot of great guitar players all the jimmy's ,eddie, eric, satriani ,vai, but tery is my personal favorite I love all of his stuff, thank you very much!!!!
Gives me chill bumps every time I hear it, especially the GHRERRWOWW!!! at 5:50. Nobody but TK can make that sound like they mean it. Yet at the same time he is the Master of so many beautiful love songs and ballads; Tell Me, Little One, Til We Meet Again, Memories of Love, the list goes on. What a body of work.
Terry Kath...wow man, just a great player! I love the bass line behind him as he solos- there is a hint of Hendrix's Dolly Dagger in it. I think that had Hendrix lived, he might have put together a band like Chicago, just imagine...
@diamondbackseye Actually, the story is that at the time of his death, Hendrix had planned to record with Chicago. Unfortunately we can only imagine the greatness of what that record would have been.
This is justt too fabulous. Love his hockey jerseys. I love his voice, He just looks like he could've been so much fun but these are the people who have an adge to them as well so Thank you Terry for your fabulous music and for those who enabled him to entertain us. I truly love this man and his talent.
@HRHSheeba honey I love TK as much as u did. What an amazing talent taken away too fast. Listen to this and u know he is still with us today in spirit.
@HRHSheeba I got hooked on Chicago from the get go. Terry was truly talented and innovative, the heart and soul of the band. He did have his demons which probably had a role in his accidental death.
Forgot how great these guys were back in the day. As far as Terry not getting his due for being one of the greats...There wasn't enough room in this band for someone of Terry's talent. Whenever they lost the horns such as this song there was room for Terry to take over. When you think Chicago, you think horns, which is unfortunate in Terry's case. Pluss Cetera was quickly turning this great band into a pop driven ballad band. No secret Terry wasn't happy with the direction....
TK holds a unique place in music history because he was one of the most gifted rock guitarists of all-time and NOBODY KNOWS THIS which makes no sense considering he was in one of the most popular bands in the wrold, died tragically young in a senseless yet famous accident, and has a fairly large body of work out there for young players to discover. Guess they cannot relate to a band with a horn section.
well he was a superb guitar player, but the best in the world???.I hope you have heard all the guitar players in the world, to say that.Sounds a bit like Hendrix sometimes
Danny says "Another break for the horn section...Lazy muthahs...I'll cut your pay...(after wiping his face with it) Need a towel? Anybody need a towel?
@tornmask Best In the WORLD? COME ON!!! Well...... OK I go with that! haha One of my biggest heroes on guitar. Even Jimi said " This guy is better than me!" Such a moving experience going to his gravesite. A pilgrimage for me to say the least! Long Live Terry Alan Kath!.
yes ChicagoKid1969,the Master indeed,his work on 25 or 6 to 4 has yet to be equaled let alone surpassed, despite the Bonnamassa bores and musos of that ilk, they are but Kerrang!! reading Morons.!!
Ever hear of the Richter Scale? Terry's voice + guitar = #8 on the "musical" Richter scale. Hold on to your hat, this song will shake, rattle and roll ya!!!! Go Terry, GO, GO, GO!!!!! ChicagoKid1969. AHHHH, THANK YOU!
Classic custom telecaster that Terry works to perfection switching from single coil to humbucker pickup as he plows into an amazing lead. He belongs in the same class as Alvin Lee, Clapton and Hendrix.
Wolfgangsvault website has an audio recording of Chicago Transit Authority playing Fillmore West in 1969 . Terry Kath plays some free form guitar on the long suite - Liberation.
Thanks for posting, Kid.. Terry kath really made a difference for this band... had he not died, it would be intersting to see what would have happened to this band, and what TK could have done as a solo guitarist... after 20-some yaers, I'm sure there'd be a reunion tour of some sort with the orignal line-up.. it's hard to say if we'd truly appreciate the talent these guys had if it weren't for that tragic loss, though.. i nany case, thanks for posting and remembering a late great..
They were incredible with Kath, only good without him. They belong in the rock and roll hall of fame based on the early work such as this alone. Whatever politics or **** that is keeping them on the outside is ludicrous. They have inducted many artists in the last few years who have had only a fourth the hits or signifigant impact that they have had, ushering in a whole new fusion of rock with the brass. What is going on Cleveland?
Hmm, guess Terry didn't care much for horns either, huh?
As good as the band was with Terry, I wonder if they'd have had the longevity without his death (which in a macabre way seems to have worked in the band's favor by creating a kind of immortality) or without the David Foster era that propelled them through the '80s?
Those are really great observations baftoh, like you said they never really had the same rock sound after Terry's passing and went in a totally different direction with a more soft rock sound/ love songs and ballads
Can't agree with you, baftoh. In fact, I think you've got it backward. Terry's death only accelerated a trend that the band --and pop music in the 70's -- was already on.
Look at the Top Hits from the last five albums with Terry.
CVI - Feeling Stronger Every
CVII-Searching for So Long
CVIII - Old Days - You guys wanna hear something stupendous, check out 'Thank you, Great Spirit' on CVIII! (cont.)
On my harsher days, I think Terry's death was the result, not the cause, of the band's blandification.
They are still great musicians with some great songs but nothing ever moved me the way Terry's playing does. Is there a petition to get Terry (if not the whole band) in the Hall of Fame? Where do I sign?
Agreed Terry's death caused Chicago to lose all feeling, Soul, and Drive. Peter Cetera got greedy and wanted all creative control. That did not sit well with Bobby, Danny, and James.
@MrCripppp My sentiments exactly. If he lived, he would have never agreed to the pop shit the band did in the 80s. Terry would be spinning in his grave if he knew what the band turned into later on...
this performance should be put in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I can hardly believe that most of the rock world has no idea who Kath was. Thanks Terry
Growing up in Burbank California in the late '60's, early '70's, I thought Chicago was a college orientated band with a black sole lead singer! It was Chicago 3 when I realized that Kath was white! Black or white, it does not matter, Kath inspired me with his writing and singing (and playing) abilities. I must admit, I was shocked when the group turned from rock roots to "the soft sounds of Chicago"!
"soft sounds" is being nice. They sold out and that's the only way to describe it. If you listen to Cicago I and II and then IVI it's hard to not throw up.
I agree w/you. As a kid of the 80's, all I ever heard of Chicago on the radio was the ballads and I just assumed that's all they had to offer. I'm just now realizing what an awesome band they were.
I heard that even Hendrix had high praise for this dude, which is saying a lot. And I'm starting to understand why felt that way, cuz from what I've seen, Terry Kath kicks ASS! Until now the only Chicago I've heard was a couple of their 80's singles. Comparing this to the 80's love-ballad stuff is like night & day, I can't believe it's all from the same band. Chicago seemed to lose a lot of its soul when Kath died.
the point is that it wasn't the same band. This band went totally in the dumper after Kath died. During the seventies I was a teenager and these guys were my musical heroes. Kath always stood up to Jimi and any blues hotshots. His death was tragic and what these guys did in the 89's was shameful.
Sometimes there just are No Words To Describe Music -- one can only watch and listen in awe. Absolutely 10 Stars Plus. Thank you so much for posting and sharing this amazing performance from Chicago all the way back into the '70s. Terry Kath outdid himself here. Sheer Excellence!
Everytime I read one of these poles that has the top 100 guitarists it's sad that Kath isn't there. This is proof of what he was. I feel sorry for the little punks who will always think they know their guitarists but will never hear this. By the way, the person who said this is a jam needs a lesson on music structure. There's lots of improvisation but this is a well-scripted piece.
EllJayAitch is right. There's so many people out there who dismiss Chicago as nothing more than a ballad band; without having any clue as to how much these guys kicked ass before Cetera sent them into syrupy ballad land.
I also think that's exactly the reason why they're not in the R&R Hall of Fame yet... they sold out, and they weren't even subtle about it. If they would have stayed on course they'd have probably been inducted years ago.
Post -Kath we had Peter Cetera driving the bus into the mainstream. Damned shame. They became banal, but they still had a great horn section, second only to Blood Sweat and Tears.
In retrospect, CTA was the best driving music, long distance from point-to-point, anywhere on our continent. Truck-driving on uppers with CTA was the only way to go.
I'll bet that I'm not the only one who echoes this sentiment.
Speaking of Phil Collins/Genisis Gabriel connections...
If anyone could replace Kath, which they couldn't really, the absolute closest sounding & WAY underrated guitar player, would have to be Brans X's John Goodsall. Just do a search on "Phil Collins Brand X. John Goodsall would probably have what it would take to get that Kath sound back in the band.
This guy certainly was a great player and it is an absolute mystery to me why hardly anybody talks about him. The only guitarist who I've ever seen who can start to approach the physical in intensity of SRV. Listen to the tone!! Didn't no a Tele could ever hope to sound that fat!!
i would to hear the bands of today compare with this band and naturally from the 70's! Another example why old school music still and always will be the best!
Define what you mean by "flopping". Peter has had 5 #1 singles since 1986, whereas Chicago has had 1. Peter has had 20 Top 40 hits since 1986; Chicago has had 10. Peter has had 7 albums, whilst Chicago has had 11. So Peter rarely tours and CHI tours every year. Tell me who has flopped when both are still producing, writing, recording, and touring. I would say both are successful. It's been 24 years; time to let go of the anger of Peter leaving. It's done. Now breathe in and out. Feel better?
I 'm referring to the lasting legacy of musician ship..Pete can lay lines,, but he didn't and will never be synonymous in shaping an instruments possibilities as terry did,, and still does. Hits? yeah,, but how many can the average person spit back a you.. now compare THAT stat with the TK Chicago.. everyone knows them.. prolific, Peter may be.. creative yes,, but relevant, today? not really..truth said..>
I have been familiar with chicago's music, and have heard about this guy being a great guitarist, and even the the story of hendrix saying he's one of the best-so why don't see or hear more about him in guitar mags and just in discussion. This guy was playing like this back in the 70's. You would expect to hear his name mentioned with the ranks of clapton, page, srv etc. I never have though. Maybe just missed it. Anyone have any insight. This guy was a monster. Terrible loss.
It's because Chicago isn't guitar focused. Most of what people know about Chicago are first the horns, then the love ballads of the 80's Post-Kath era. Then the guitar. But his greatest guitar stuff is hardly mentioned.
It's a pity, seeing as he very likely the most underrated guitarist.
Couldn't have said it better. He never really had the chance to be in a "Terry Kath Experience" type of band to really showcase himself like all those other guys did.
thats very wrong, had terry been alive and was still with the band, they wouldnt have gotten all 80s with there power ballads, theyd still be beltin out albums like CTA, w/e if that was the case then i wouldnt have discovered one of my fav guitarists dawayne bailey.
Terry was messing around with a .357 magnum handgun. He was holding the gun to his head and his last words were, "don't worry guys, it's not loaded." That was the summer of 1978 or 79?
January 23, 1978. Reportedly he was to start, or continue recording his first solo album at Caribou Ranch in a few days in Colorado.
Speculation was Terry would have been the first member to leave Chicago and have played Rock music had he been alive. Many believed he would still be with Chicago had he, and perhaps the rest of the original bandmembers took an extended break from touring and recording.
Truly one of the finest guitarists of our time. i saw these guys in 1968-9 at the whiskey a gogo in H-wood. Lord were they on fire. Thats the band i miss.
I was 15 years old at 1982 when I got my fist cassette of a live album from Chicago and I remember a song thay blow me away... wao this guy really play with that kind of magic I thougt...that song is " Purple". Thank you kid. Terry the best for ever and this vid is great. Thank you againg.
Nobody owns a crystal ball, but I belive that Chicago would have been different had TK been there. I appreciate Lamm, Cetera, Pankow and gang...but, man, TK defies humanity! I am a lifelong CTA fan, I appreciate Jason, Tris, and Bill. Chicago may have reached its pinnacle prior to this, but Takin' it on Uptown is a demonstration of greatness with a group of musicians who were individually great, but better when they played together. Thanks for this post.
quote from Jimmi Hendrix "I'm pretty good, but this cat blows me away"... not sure Hendrix wasn't being humble, but it's a shame few people today know just how good he was
Thanks for the kind words ChicagoKid, but most of all thank you for the time and effort you have put into building your youtube channel devoted to finding and preserving these preformances by Chicago.
Here's another vote for what tg274uk said. It's sad that most people nowadays quickly label Chicago as some kind of 80's ballad band; without knowing anything about the edgy, groundbreaking early stuff that made them famous in the first place. And that's the reason they haven't been inducted. Simply put, they turned into a "easy hit" machine. The success of "If You Leave Me Now" was pretty much the beginning of the end in regards to all of the respect they had acquired.
I'm too young to remember anything about Kath, But I do agree with you guys he defined what a great guitarist sounds like. I always hated a wah wah until I got ahold of this. He shaped my thoughts about the 70's qaverage guitarist. I love Hendrix too but Kath made it a little more sweet (It caught my attention)
ABSOLUTELY TOUCHING to see the TRUEST Chicago in action.. Mr. Kath's performance is impeccable.. What a terrible, terrible loss when suffered in 1978 when we lost him..
..A SUPERB version of this Kath classic, from Chicago XI... I miss him even more when I see clips like this.. What a guitarist/singer.. The SOUL with which he sang AND played remains unmatched.. Love you, Terry..
Definitely agreed. Hendrix said Terry was the best guitarist he ever saw, ever. As a guitar player, Terry's music is even cooler. Because some of the shit he did, I just can't duplicate.
You gotta believe that Terry Kath is up in heaven, playing in a band with John Entwistle, John Bonham and Janis Joplin -- or maybe Elvis is on vocals. ...
Back in the early sixties Terry used to practice once in a while at Jimmy and Larry E"s parents house on Natchez Ave, Mrs E used to baby sit me and I would go down to the basement and watch them all play. The first time I sat behind at a drum set it was Terry who lifted me up to sit on the stool because I was too short. They were all nice guys, they would take me to Norwood Park in the winter to go skating. RIP Terry and Larry. I can't here The Twist without thinking of you guys.
CorvusDreams 4 months ago
I sincerely wish I were old enough to hear Terry Kath in person. How come I had to be born two years after his death? Nobody can play like he did. But, nobody I know of is even trying.
Even now, nearly fourteen years after I first listened to him solo, his chops on this video are giving me chills.
CircleCityEric 5 months ago
There is no CHICAGO without TERRY KATH!!! Terry was such a great guitar player, even words couldn't describe his magnificant fretwork! I would've LOVED to have seen these guys play live in concert back in the day! There will never be anyone to play a guitar the way Terry played his instrument...with such DEPTH & VERSATILITY. R.I.P., Terry Kath. The world still mourns your loss almost three and a half decades later.
ChihuahuaboyDH 6 months ago
With his planned solo album
cutewittykath 6 months ago
@rmeastjr...your right on He would have blown our socks off with a
cutewittykath 6 months ago
Terry Kath !!! He'll be always the best guitar player in our hearts !! Fabolous music together: CHICAGO and also unique !
rivima1994 7 months ago
I knew that Terry was a great player.... but this just is beyond my preconceived notions of his playing.
Dannymusic1999 7 months ago
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Love this live version! I just posted the studio version from Chicago XI. It's such a tragic loss that Terry never got to release his planned solo album. This tune was a great prelude for things to come!
rmeastjr 8 months ago
Comment removed
rmeastjr 8 months ago
it seems like all the blues based gutarist are always the best. This guy is pretty good, but he is no Ritchie Blackmore.
theS0CK1 8 months ago
The best guitarist/singer/songwriter EVER, and there never will be another like him.
ekellogg 9 months ago 2
The best guitarist/singer/songwriter EVER, and there never will be another like him.
ekellogg 9 months ago
They say to see is to believe. Well I am in disbelief at the extraordinary guitar playing
displayed here in this vintage footage. I personally only listened to the many Chicago records as a kid and then as an adult and never saw the band in concert. I just am totaly amazed by the guitar virtuosity of Terry Kath man the cats amazing.
MrSmokeydog 9 months ago
What amazing tone this man had... and the playing to match.
inaayellowsubmarine 10 months ago
Your the best Terry! Love you!!
cutewittykath 10 months ago
Terry puts the great Stevie Ray to shame. Both RIP. It doesn't get more soulful and bluesy than this really, not by much.
upyanuts 11 months ago
That is some sound out of a tele,heard a live cutt of this when I was a kid,B side of something? Played it to my mates at school! No one belived it was Chicago?
Top player
Andyfme 11 months ago
To ME Kath is the John Bonham of guitarists. Extremely smooth, fluid, and full of soul and fire, but where most guitarists look in concert with the instrument Kath grabs it by the throat and forces it to do HIS bidding! When you listen to the Solo in 25 or 6 to 4 at the very end when he gets off the Wah Wah that last gasp as if its saying THANK GOD he let go. This man was every bit the beast Bonham was, Imagine them TOGETHER?? The mind BOGGLES
rf396 11 months ago
Yeah
jmbcanada15 11 months ago
This is BEAUTIFUL... LOVE TERRY...I really wish the band would see fit to release a proper full length concert DVD showcasing their LEADER!!! Or maybe even release the supposed 3-5 tracks that had been completed for the solo project...But No...
troutvoice 1 year ago
gotta real joe cocker sound here.
journey46 1 year ago
It sure is a fine line. Take this guy out of the picture and what you have left is lame adult contemporary music. I guess something this good can't last for long.
1973Drummer 1 year ago
You get four minutes into this song and its like OMG Listen to that man shred!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!TK you are my favorite baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MiGrm9 1 year ago 3
It pisses me off that he was never given his due just because he never played in Led Zeppelin or Cream. Wasn't it true that Jimi Hendrix made a comment to one of the guys?...something like "hey man, I play,....but YOUR guy blows ME AWAY!!"...even HENDRIX knew what was up. And as far as Peter Cetera's bass playing, alot of the bassists today in "premier" bands couldn't hang with motion that he put into the low end!
chrisdclarkjr 1 year ago 2
@chrisdclarkjr Thank you. I guess because of the horns and ballads Chicago was never given the credit they deserve for being one of the heaviest bands of all time. Versatility and subtlety seem to confuse people. I was too young to have had the chance to see them back then so I'm glad I can at least get a taste of what it was like.
1973Drummer 1 year ago
Truly a beautiful monster! Chicago at its best. RIP Terry.
chocoholic77 1 year ago
Thank you The bliues blogger for sharing this
bluesemotion 1 year ago
Terry, even though you're gone, happy 65th birthday. You're still missed.
stuckincorona 1 year ago
Truly one of a kind. Huge fan and I would say that a kindred spirit lived in his contemporary, Lowell George. Similar in their passion and unabashed soulfulness (and stage persona/energy). Both left us entirely too early. Thanks for the auditory treats, gents...and thanks for posting this Kid.
Gillitunes 1 year ago
Terry Kath,Unsurpassed genius.I saw this tour when they came to Boston in 1977. They were unbelievable.Tight and precise.
drummingface 1 year ago
Terry Kath's last words... "Don't worry guys, it isn't even loaded, see?"
ammopapa 1 year ago
@ammopapa Terry was a musical genius, it's a shame it didn't take a basic gun safety course. He would still be with us if he followed even one of the basic safety rules.
1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. (loaded or unloaded)
2. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot. (loaded or unloaded)
3. ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.
4. The above rules ALWAYS! ALWAYS! ALWAYS!
RIP Terry the world misses you.
imikewillrockyou 1 year ago
When asked who's your favorite guitarist,
Jimi Hendrix said 2 words---Terry Kath.
peters9nine 1 year ago
I just love that tuning swipe
2564mandy 1 year ago
a eso le llamo yo tocar la guitarra como terry ninguno
paezjean 1 year ago
9 DISLIKES WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
bassmanjoe 1 year ago
thank you there are allot of great guitar players all the jimmy's ,eddie, eric, satriani ,vai, but tery is my personal favorite I love all of his stuff, thank you very much!!!!
PARREZ 1 year ago
This guy is among the top of the list of people who made the guitar the most exciting instrument in the world.
LennieJoseph 1 year ago 3
Gives me chill bumps every time I hear it, especially the GHRERRWOWW!!! at 5:50. Nobody but TK can make that sound like they mean it. Yet at the same time he is the Master of so many beautiful love songs and ballads; Tell Me, Little One, Til We Meet Again, Memories of Love, the list goes on. What a body of work.
jncyt 1 year ago
Terry Kath...wow man, just a great player! I love the bass line behind him as he solos- there is a hint of Hendrix's Dolly Dagger in it. I think that had Hendrix lived, he might have put together a band like Chicago, just imagine...
diamondbackseye 1 year ago 3
@diamondbackseye Actually, the story is that at the time of his death, Hendrix had planned to record with Chicago. Unfortunately we can only imagine the greatness of what that record would have been.
eruptionmat 1 year ago
This is justt too fabulous. Love his hockey jerseys. I love his voice, He just looks like he could've been so much fun but these are the people who have an adge to them as well so Thank you Terry for your fabulous music and for those who enabled him to entertain us. I truly love this man and his talent.
HRHSheeba 1 year ago 6
@HRHSheeba honey I love TK as much as u did. What an amazing talent taken away too fast. Listen to this and u know he is still with us today in spirit.
MiGrm9 1 year ago
@HRHSheeba I got hooked on Chicago from the get go. Terry was truly talented and innovative, the heart and soul of the band. He did have his demons which probably had a role in his accidental death.
rmeastjr 8 months ago
HOLYSHIT!
jjaywill 1 year ago
Forgot how great these guys were back in the day. As far as Terry not getting his due for being one of the greats...There wasn't enough room in this band for someone of Terry's talent. Whenever they lost the horns such as this song there was room for Terry to take over. When you think Chicago, you think horns, which is unfortunate in Terry's case. Pluss Cetera was quickly turning this great band into a pop driven ballad band. No secret Terry wasn't happy with the direction....
tcchamp76 1 year ago 3
welcome back chicagokid! this is a great live performance of a great terry kath composition.
scoutee39 1 year ago
TK holds a unique place in music history because he was one of the most gifted rock guitarists of all-time and NOBODY KNOWS THIS which makes no sense considering he was in one of the most popular bands in the wrold, died tragically young in a senseless yet famous accident, and has a fairly large body of work out there for young players to discover. Guess they cannot relate to a band with a horn section.
industrialsun 1 year ago 6
Terry Kath smokes Stevie Ray Vaughan not only in guitar playing but also in vocals.
Truly an unsung hero!
MrAudiophilePhil 1 year ago 8
Woooooha! Woooooha! Yeah! Yeah!
Nothing left but scream looking at this vid!
Maybe the best Terry's live performance I've seen! Simply Magic!
I join Jimmy: TERRY KATH LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, TERRY!!
kathlammpankow 1 year ago 2
God I miss him.
pmolloy4 1 year ago 3
Thank you Jamie for this MASTER piece of the MASTER!
marmont48 1 year ago
well he was a superb guitar player, but the best in the world???.I hope you have heard all the guitar players in the world, to say that.Sounds a bit like Hendrix sometimes
brokeandhungryxx 1 year ago
One of my buddies says Clapton was the best ever, now I can prove him wrong!
82pjs 1 year ago 8
I know for a fact that many MANY people don;t know the REAL chicago because of the " Cetera effect ".. That's just a SHAME!
drebatista 1 year ago 3
Before the song opens...
Danny says "Another break for the horn section...Lazy muthahs...I'll cut your pay...(after wiping his face with it) Need a towel? Anybody need a towel?
rucb1alum 2 years ago 4
TERRY KATH: is & will always be the very BEST Guitar Player in the "WORLD" before anyone else, nothing more said ! ! ! x0|
tornmask 2 years ago 26
@tornmask Best In the WORLD? COME ON!!! Well...... OK I go with that! haha One of my biggest heroes on guitar. Even Jimi said " This guy is better than me!" Such a moving experience going to his gravesite. A pilgrimage for me to say the least! Long Live Terry Alan Kath!.
MrAntIbarra 4 months ago in playlist terry kath and chicago
yes ChicagoKid1969,the Master indeed,his work on 25 or 6 to 4 has yet to be equaled let alone surpassed, despite the Bonnamassa bores and musos of that ilk, they are but Kerrang!! reading Morons.!!
phantomxr 2 years ago
OUCH!! That stings!!
mattygeetarross 2 years ago
The man was just plain beautiful!His voice ,his guitar his jerseys the killer hat.,Everything other guitarplayers should want to be!!!!
leftfootlouie 2 years ago 2
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carina2244 2 years ago
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carina2244 2 years ago
Terry was amazing!!!!
donnyjayw 2 years ago 2
Ever hear of the Richter Scale? Terry's voice + guitar = #8 on the "musical" Richter scale. Hold on to your hat, this song will shake, rattle and roll ya!!!! Go Terry, GO, GO, GO!!!!! ChicagoKid1969. AHHHH, THANK YOU!
carina2244 2 years ago 2
Aural Orgasm....Terry wz df shizznit.
FoulOwl 2 years ago
Classic custom telecaster that Terry works to perfection switching from single coil to humbucker pickup as he plows into an amazing lead. He belongs in the same class as Alvin Lee, Clapton and Hendrix.
SOLISDEUS 2 years ago 6
Glad to find such great Kath vids on YouTube! My favorite all-time guitarist. Are there any good DVDs out there with CTA & Kath?
ghorton 2 years ago 2
Good taste bra...
FoulOwl 2 years ago
Wolfgangsvault website has an audio recording of Chicago Transit Authority playing Fillmore West in 1969 . Terry Kath plays some free form guitar on the long suite - Liberation.
stringrip 2 years ago
Thanks for posting, Kid.. Terry kath really made a difference for this band... had he not died, it would be intersting to see what would have happened to this band, and what TK could have done as a solo guitarist... after 20-some yaers, I'm sure there'd be a reunion tour of some sort with the orignal line-up.. it's hard to say if we'd truly appreciate the talent these guys had if it weren't for that tragic loss, though.. i nany case, thanks for posting and remembering a late great..
exualmet 2 years ago
They were incredible with Kath, only good without him. They belong in the rock and roll hall of fame based on the early work such as this alone. Whatever politics or **** that is keeping them on the outside is ludicrous. They have inducted many artists in the last few years who have had only a fourth the hits or signifigant impact that they have had, ushering in a whole new fusion of rock with the brass. What is going on Cleveland?
pilesovinyl 2 years ago 4
Whatever it is he's playing at 5:52 is just awesome sounding. Too bad more people havent heard of TK
greycollar 2 years ago 3
Hmm, guess Terry didn't care much for horns either, huh?
As good as the band was with Terry, I wonder if they'd have had the longevity without his death (which in a macabre way seems to have worked in the band's favor by creating a kind of immortality) or without the David Foster era that propelled them through the '80s?
baftoh 2 years ago
Those are really great observations baftoh, like you said they never really had the same rock sound after Terry's passing and went in a totally different direction with a more soft rock sound/ love songs and ballads
UpperRegister 2 years ago
Can't agree with you, baftoh. In fact, I think you've got it backward. Terry's death only accelerated a trend that the band --and pop music in the 70's -- was already on.
Look at the Top Hits from the last five albums with Terry.
CVI - Feeling Stronger Every
CVII-Searching for So Long
CVIII - Old Days - You guys wanna hear something stupendous, check out 'Thank you, Great Spirit' on CVIII! (cont.)
rucb1alum 2 years ago
CX -If You Leave Me Now
CXI -Baby, What a Big Surprise.
On my harsher days, I think Terry's death was the result, not the cause, of the band's blandification.
They are still great musicians with some great songs but nothing ever moved me the way Terry's playing does. Is there a petition to get Terry (if not the whole band) in the Hall of Fame? Where do I sign?
rucb1alum 2 years ago 4
They were never the same without TK
dafypduke 2 years ago 6
Agreed Terry's death caused Chicago to lose all feeling, Soul, and Drive. Peter Cetera got greedy and wanted all creative control. That did not sit well with Bobby, Danny, and James.
mtyemti 2 years ago 3
They were never the same without TK
dafypduke 2 years ago 2
This just brings me to tears when I hhear the crap they play now... Just an awesome band back then
MrCripppp 2 years ago 21
@MrCripppp My sentiments exactly. If he lived, he would have never agreed to the pop shit the band did in the 80s. Terry would be spinning in his grave if he knew what the band turned into later on...
groundhog713 1 year ago
I've got no problem with Chicago's 80's material, I actually like some of it quite a lot.
But they were certainly at their best when Terry was alive.
EmersonsL100 2 years ago 5
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Terry had the whole package except for exceptional looks.
Entropy56 2 years ago
ive always been a huge kath fan. ive shown many of my guitar fan friends kath solos. they couldnt believe the awesome guitar work
kath era chicago was great.
tk s memory will live on
toneloc100 2 years ago 3
That's why, when someone asks what my favorites bands are, I always make sure I phrase it as "Kath-era Chicago"...
SolarTiger 2 years ago 5
this performance should be put in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I can hardly believe that most of the rock world has no idea who Kath was. Thanks Terry
bsharpinLondon 2 years ago 4
Growing up in Burbank California in the late '60's, early '70's, I thought Chicago was a college orientated band with a black sole lead singer! It was Chicago 3 when I realized that Kath was white! Black or white, it does not matter, Kath inspired me with his writing and singing (and playing) abilities. I must admit, I was shocked when the group turned from rock roots to "the soft sounds of Chicago"!
wsc800 2 years ago 3
"soft sounds" is being nice. They sold out and that's the only way to describe it. If you listen to Cicago I and II and then IVI it's hard to not throw up.
bsharpinLondon 2 years ago
I agree w/you. As a kid of the 80's, all I ever heard of Chicago on the radio was the ballads and I just assumed that's all they had to offer. I'm just now realizing what an awesome band they were.
jennebe27 2 years ago 4
I heard that even Hendrix had high praise for this dude, which is saying a lot. And I'm starting to understand why felt that way, cuz from what I've seen, Terry Kath kicks ASS! Until now the only Chicago I've heard was a couple of their 80's singles. Comparing this to the 80's love-ballad stuff is like night & day, I can't believe it's all from the same band. Chicago seemed to lose a lot of its soul when Kath died.
Akira625 2 years ago 2
the point is that it wasn't the same band. This band went totally in the dumper after Kath died. During the seventies I was a teenager and these guys were my musical heroes. Kath always stood up to Jimi and any blues hotshots. His death was tragic and what these guys did in the 89's was shameful.
bsharpinLondon 2 years ago 2
That telecaster is having a conversation
with itself !
denanme 2 years ago
how did they go from this to "You're the Inspiration"? What a sad drop. RIP Terry Kath.
bsharpinLondon 2 years ago
Wow!
bsharpinLondon 2 years ago
telecaster terry!!!
mloaks 2 years ago 2
Sometimes there just are No Words To Describe Music -- one can only watch and listen in awe. Absolutely 10 Stars Plus. Thank you so much for posting and sharing this amazing performance from Chicago all the way back into the '70s. Terry Kath outdid himself here. Sheer Excellence!
SoothesMySoul 2 years ago 4
He is and will always be the best,,, RIP TK
MiGrm9 2 years ago 3
best guitar improviser ever...even Hedrix conceded that. Too bad so few people know about him. RIP Terry
bsharpinLondon 2 years ago 3
Everytime I read one of these poles that has the top 100 guitarists it's sad that Kath isn't there. This is proof of what he was. I feel sorry for the little punks who will always think they know their guitarists but will never hear this. By the way, the person who said this is a jam needs a lesson on music structure. There's lots of improvisation but this is a well-scripted piece.
bsharpinLondon 2 years ago 4
all fans MUST get this dvd! phenominal! there is 19 freakin' songs on it. rockpalast germany. this song is a jam!! i miss terry:(
chi7aero4gm 2 years ago
Didn't Jimi Hendrix make a statement once saying that Terry Kath was the only guitarist around that was better than him?
funk7000 2 years ago
yes...and he was right. The most underrated gutarist in history.
bsharpinLondon 2 years ago 3
EllJayAitch is right. There's so many people out there who dismiss Chicago as nothing more than a ballad band; without having any clue as to how much these guys kicked ass before Cetera sent them into syrupy ballad land.
I also think that's exactly the reason why they're not in the R&R Hall of Fame yet... they sold out, and they weren't even subtle about it. If they would have stayed on course they'd have probably been inducted years ago.
trilogypart3 2 years ago
I'd forgotten just how funky these guys were.
Post -Kath we had Peter Cetera driving the bus into the mainstream. Damned shame. They became banal, but they still had a great horn section, second only to Blood Sweat and Tears.
In retrospect, CTA was the best driving music, long distance from point-to-point, anywhere on our continent. Truck-driving on uppers with CTA was the only way to go.
I'll bet that I'm not the only one who echoes this sentiment.
EllJayAitch 2 years ago
That was incredible, thanks for posting!
madaka11 2 years ago
Y'all know Jimi Hendrix said " I am good... but this dude can play". Not quoted exactly.
megamacho1 2 years ago
I just gave Terry Kath a standing ovation!!!!!
NobbyOlder 2 years ago 4
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mitchybitchy27 2 years ago
Speaking of Phil Collins/Genisis Gabriel connections...
If anyone could replace Kath, which they couldn't really, the absolute closest sounding & WAY underrated guitar player, would have to be Brans X's John Goodsall. Just do a search on "Phil Collins Brand X. John Goodsall would probably have what it would take to get that Kath sound back in the band.
lonaticc 2 years ago
You know a song is more than good when the dog sitting on your lap sits up and takes notice!
flashpenguin86 2 years ago 5
This guy certainly was a great player and it is an absolute mystery to me why hardly anybody talks about him. The only guitarist who I've ever seen who can start to approach the physical in intensity of SRV. Listen to the tone!! Didn't no a Tele could ever hope to sound that fat!!
thestratlars 2 years ago
Agreed...very SRV-esque.
mytoob77 2 years ago
Totally modified Tele with PAF's. Thats the fatness in it. No stock Tele could sound that good.
ninjajo11 2 years ago
i would to hear the bands of today compare with this band and naturally from the 70's! Another example why old school music still and always will be the best!
2468oldschooltimes 2 years ago
The man could do more with 22 frets than anyone else could on 24- and 2 necks.
Gavin1962 2 years ago 4
say what you want...Cetera flopped after Chicago..it was clear he was a piece of the pie..not the pie itself.....but Terry was the balls..
kdw456 2 years ago 3
true Terry was the balls! Peter was the sweet candy!
rwindows18 2 years ago 2
nice..>
kdw456 2 years ago
Define what you mean by "flopping". Peter has had 5 #1 singles since 1986, whereas Chicago has had 1. Peter has had 20 Top 40 hits since 1986; Chicago has had 10. Peter has had 7 albums, whilst Chicago has had 11. So Peter rarely tours and CHI tours every year. Tell me who has flopped when both are still producing, writing, recording, and touring. I would say both are successful. It's been 24 years; time to let go of the anger of Peter leaving. It's done. Now breathe in and out. Feel better?
flashpenguin86 2 years ago
I 'm referring to the lasting legacy of musician ship..Pete can lay lines,, but he didn't and will never be synonymous in shaping an instruments possibilities as terry did,, and still does. Hits? yeah,, but how many can the average person spit back a you.. now compare THAT stat with the TK Chicago.. everyone knows them.. prolific, Peter may be.. creative yes,, but relevant, today? not really..truth said..>
kdw456 2 years ago 2
perfect
newyorkdaggo 2 years ago
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rwindows18 2 years ago
damn telacaster!!!
fatharmonix 2 years ago
I say man, Terry was the brain behind Chicago no matter what else anyone can say,Cetera ruined Chicago after Terry's passing.
same as Phil Collins wrecked GENESIS after Peter Gabriel left the band.
Terry had such a solid guitar playing and unique vocal style.
Thanks.
hudent 2 years ago 4
Amen to both statements ! Absolutely no arugement here !! Phil and Peter should start a band called Pop Sell Outs.
ninjajo11 2 years ago 2
terry kath is so awesome!!!!!!
downburst 2 years ago 2
I have been familiar with chicago's music, and have heard about this guy being a great guitarist, and even the the story of hendrix saying he's one of the best-so why don't see or hear more about him in guitar mags and just in discussion. This guy was playing like this back in the 70's. You would expect to hear his name mentioned with the ranks of clapton, page, srv etc. I never have though. Maybe just missed it. Anyone have any insight. This guy was a monster. Terrible loss.
lightninboy1979 3 years ago 4
It's because Chicago isn't guitar focused. Most of what people know about Chicago are first the horns, then the love ballads of the 80's Post-Kath era. Then the guitar. But his greatest guitar stuff is hardly mentioned.
It's a pity, seeing as he very likely the most underrated guitarist.
JBOstler 3 years ago 5
Couldn't have said it better. He never really had the chance to be in a "Terry Kath Experience" type of band to really showcase himself like all those other guys did.
geraci89 3 years ago
thats very wrong, had terry been alive and was still with the band, they wouldnt have gotten all 80s with there power ballads, theyd still be beltin out albums like CTA, w/e if that was the case then i wouldnt have discovered one of my fav guitarists dawayne bailey.
upyanuts 3 years ago
Terry was messing around with a .357 magnum handgun. He was holding the gun to his head and his last words were, "don't worry guys, it's not loaded." That was the summer of 1978 or 79?
Mmarksuter 3 years ago
January 23, 1978. Reportedly he was to start, or continue recording his first solo album at Caribou Ranch in a few days in Colorado.
Speculation was Terry would have been the first member to leave Chicago and have played Rock music had he been alive. Many believed he would still be with Chicago had he, and perhaps the rest of the original bandmembers took an extended break from touring and recording.
AnnaKOnUT 3 years ago
first a reply to TK...absolutely incredible!
second...how did he die?
Third... old school tunes are simply the best and this is just another fine example why the 70's music will always rule the air waves!
2468oldschooltimes 3 years ago
accidental self-inflicted gun wound
zeldaiik 3 years ago
ladies and gentlemen may I present to you, THE TERRY KATH EXPERIENCE! (its closest thing we got)
rwindows18 3 years ago 2
Amen to that . . .
SHADOWBOXERBAYBEE 2 years ago
RIP Terry<3.
FastforwardTheRewind 3 years ago
Truly one of the finest guitarists of our time. i saw these guys in 1968-9 at the whiskey a gogo in H-wood. Lord were they on fire. Thats the band i miss.
funkyspanky 3 years ago
I was 15 years old at 1982 when I got my fist cassette of a live album from Chicago and I remember a song thay blow me away... wao this guy really play with that kind of magic I thougt...that song is " Purple". Thank you kid. Terry the best for ever and this vid is great. Thank you againg.
tabia117 3 years ago
Soooooooo good
anythingdammit 3 years ago
Nobody owns a crystal ball, but I belive that Chicago would have been different had TK been there. I appreciate Lamm, Cetera, Pankow and gang...but, man, TK defies humanity! I am a lifelong CTA fan, I appreciate Jason, Tris, and Bill. Chicago may have reached its pinnacle prior to this, but Takin' it on Uptown is a demonstration of greatness with a group of musicians who were individually great, but better when they played together. Thanks for this post.
landbtrg100 3 years ago 2
I always wondered where Stevie Ray Vaughn took his look from. Stevie even sang like Terry Kath.
texassoundman 3 years ago
No contest for me - 1st Chicago LP the best!
Terry Kath is great!
bassandguitarguy 3 years ago
damn! i knew he could play, but dude could sing!
stevieVantanna 3 years ago 4
quote from Jimmi Hendrix "I'm pretty good, but this cat blows me away"... not sure Hendrix wasn't being humble, but it's a shame few people today know just how good he was
justice008a 3 years ago 6
Can't say how many times I have watched this... over and over - simply amazing.
scampo14 3 years ago 3
Terry and Ten Years After at Woodstock. Guitar hard and at it's best.
steadfastcoward 3 years ago
Jesus, Terry Kath was THE MAN! Doesn't get much better than him.
DocOfAreaology 3 years ago 5
dont think anyone mastered the wah pedal as Terry back then. listen to South California purples.
tokigifoten 3 years ago 5
TK was the king of the cry baby wah wah!!!
MiGrm9 3 years ago
Thanks for the kind words ChicagoKid, but most of all thank you for the time and effort you have put into building your youtube channel devoted to finding and preserving these preformances by Chicago.
tg274uk 3 years ago 3
Here's another vote for what tg274uk said. It's sad that most people nowadays quickly label Chicago as some kind of 80's ballad band; without knowing anything about the edgy, groundbreaking early stuff that made them famous in the first place. And that's the reason they haven't been inducted. Simply put, they turned into a "easy hit" machine. The success of "If You Leave Me Now" was pretty much the beginning of the end in regards to all of the respect they had acquired.
trilogypart3 3 years ago 5
killer!!!simply killer!!!
wadeinspacerock 3 years ago
THANK YOU
samonator 3 years ago
rip Terry...there just are no words. He was the man.
Bytheshore1960 3 years ago
I could listen to that song all day. Terry's soloing just blows me away!
It's like his guitar is an extension of his soul. And you can just feel the passion flowing through him.
rafjo82 3 years ago 6
Ha Ha! Got a better sound system now. What a talent!
klegib 3 years ago
WOW THAT WAS AMAZING!
bboyseizure 3 years ago 2
I bet if there's a rock and roll heaven, Terry's leading the great band up there.
RIP
drummerboyjac 3 years ago
Sweet Jesus I needed that...King of the Wah-Wah..oh how I miss him
te4me57 3 years ago 2
I'm too young to remember anything about Kath, But I do agree with you guys he defined what a great guitarist sounds like. I always hated a wah wah until I got ahold of this. He shaped my thoughts about the 70's qaverage guitarist. I love Hendrix too but Kath made it a little more sweet (It caught my attention)
Lammfan36 3 years ago
ABSOLUTELY TOUCHING to see the TRUEST Chicago in action.. Mr. Kath's performance is impeccable.. What a terrible, terrible loss when suffered in 1978 when we lost him..
1967chicagogirl2564 3 years ago 2
..A SUPERB version of this Kath classic, from Chicago XI... I miss him even more when I see clips like this.. What a guitarist/singer.. The SOUL with which he sang AND played remains unmatched.. Love you, Terry..
1967chicagogirl2564 3 years ago 3
total clas close call between him and hendrix i say hendrix
pont123456789 3 years ago
Definitely agreed. Hendrix said Terry was the best guitarist he ever saw, ever. As a guitar player, Terry's music is even cooler. Because some of the shit he did, I just can't duplicate.
kblavie 3 years ago
You gotta believe that Terry Kath is up in heaven, playing in a band with John Entwistle, John Bonham and Janis Joplin -- or maybe Elvis is on vocals. ...
bws1971 3 years ago 3
Kath and Hendrix are jamming with Chet Atkins
Morrison slips in now and then and s