Terry Kath facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Terry Kath
Kath in 1969
Background information
Birth name	Terry Alan Kath
Born	(1946-01-31)January 31, 1946 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	January 23, 1978(1978-01-23) (aged 31) Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	Rock, hard rock, blues rock, jazz rock
Occupation(s)	Musician, songwriter
Instruments	guitar bass vocals
Years active	1963–1978

Terry Alan Kath (born January 31, 1946 – died January 23, 1978) was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter. He is best known as a founding member of the famous rock band Chicago. Terry played lead guitar and sang lead vocals on many of the band's early hit songs. He often sang alongside Robert Lamm and Peter Cetera.

Terry Kath was highly praised by his bandmates and other musicians for his amazing guitar skills. His vocal style was also unique, influenced by the legendary Ray Charles. Even Jimi Hendrix called Terry Kath one of his favorite guitarists. Hendrix once said Kath was "the best guitarist in the universe."

Growing up, Terry came from a musical family. He learned to play many instruments as a teenager, like the drums and banjo. In the mid-1960s, he played bass in several bands. He then focused on the guitar when he helped form the group that later became Chicago. His guitar playing was a very important part of the band's sound from the very beginning. He used different guitars, but he was often seen with a Fender Telecaster. This guitar had special pickups and was covered with many cool stickers.

Sadly, Terry Kath passed away suddenly in January 1978 due to an accidental injury. After his death, the band Chicago almost broke up. However, they decided to keep going. They even wrote a song called "Alive Again" in his memory. To honor his musical talent, they released an album in 1997 called The Innovative Guitar of Terry Kath. In 2016, Terry's daughter, Michelle Sinclair, released a documentary film. It was called The Terry Kath Experience and told the story of his life and Chicago's early years.

Terry Kath's Early Life

Terry Kath was born in Chicago on January 31, 1946. His parents were Raymond and Evelyn Kath. He grew up in the Norwood Park area of Chicago. He also had an older brother named Rod. Terry went to Taft High School.

His brother played the drums, and his mother played the banjo. Terry tried to learn these instruments too. He got his first guitar and amplifier when he was in ninth grade. Early guitarists who inspired him included The Ventures, Johnny Smith, and Dick Dale. Later, he was influenced by George Benson, Eric Clapton, and Jimi Hendrix.

Unlike some other members of Chicago, Terry mostly taught himself music. He loved to jam with other musicians. In a 1971 interview, he said he tried professional lessons but stopped. He explained, "All I wanted to do was play those rock and roll chords." His father wanted him to have a steady job. But Terry decided he wanted a career in music instead.

Terry Kath's Music Career

Starting Out in Music

Terry Kath joined his first band, The Mystics, in 1963. He then played with Jimmy Rice and the Gentlemen in 1965. After that, he played bass in a band called Jimmy Ford and the Executives. Terry was seen as the leader of this band. He helped guide their musical style. In this band, he met Walter Parazaider (saxophone) and Danny Seraphine (drums). Terry became very good friends with them.

In 1966, Terry, Walter, and Danny joined a cover band called the Missing Links. They started playing regularly in clubs around Chicago. Walter's friend from college, Lee Loughnane (trumpet), also played with them sometimes. Terry was offered a chance to play bass for another band and move to Los Angeles. But he said no because he wanted to play guitar and sing lead. He stayed with his friends instead.

They soon added James Pankow (trombone) and Robert Lamm (vocals/keyboards). Terry sang the lower lead vocals, sounding a bit like Ray Charles. The group practiced in Walter's parents' basement. They changed their name to The Big Thing. Later, Peter Cetera (singer and bassist) joined them. They moved to Los Angeles and signed with Columbia Records. They renamed the band Chicago Transit Authority. Because the real Chicago Transit Authority didn't like them using their name, the band shortened it to Chicago in 1969.

Playing with Chicago

Terry Kath was seen as Chicago's bandleader and best soloist. His singing, jazz, and hard rock influences were key to the band's early sound. Many people have praised his guitar skills. Rock writer Corbin Reiff called him "one of the most underrated guitarists." According to Lee Loughnane, Terry could sing lead and play lead and rhythm guitar at the same time.

The band's first album, Chicago Transit Authority, came out in 1969. It included Terry's song "Introduction." Later Chicago guitarist Dawayne Bailey called it "Terry's masterpiece." This song showed many different music styles. These included jazz, blues, salsa, rock and roll, and pop. The same album also had a guitar piece called "Free Form Guitar." This song mostly used feedback and a special guitar effect. The album notes said it was recorded live in one take.

For Chicago's second album, Terry played a long guitar solo on "25 or 6 to 4." This song became a favorite at live shows. On the same album, Terry worked with an orchestra arranger on "Memories of Love." He sang the main vocal on this four-part song.

Terry wrote at least one song and sang lead on at least one song for every Chicago album released during his life. On the 1976 album Chicago X, Terry's song "Once or Twice" showed he was still writing rock music. He continued this style on the next album, Chicago XI. He added the funky "Mississippi Delta City Blues" and the strong "Takin' It on Uptown." These songs balanced out some of the other music on the album.

After Terry's death, Chicago released the song "Alive Again" on their first album without him, Hot Streets. This song honored Terry and marked the band's decision to continue. They also later released the song "Feel the Spirit" in his honor.

Terry Kath's Equipment

Terry Kath used several guitars when he first started playing. Many of these early guitars were stolen while the band was traveling. His first main guitar was a Register guitar that cost $80. As the band became successful, he got a Fender Stratocaster. He also used Gibson SG guitars. He was one of the few famous guitarists to use the 1969 Les Paul "Professional" model. This guitar had special pickups. Terry liked to use light strings on his guitars. For the highest string, he used one from a tenor guitar.

Later in his career, he really liked a Fender Telecaster. He changed this guitar a lot. He removed the black pickguard and the neck pickup. He put a Gibson humbucker pickup in its place. He also reversed the guitar's control plate. Terry was an early investor in the Pignose company, which makes guitar amplifiers. He even decorated his Telecaster with 25 Pignose stickers. It also had a Maico motorcycles sticker and a Chicago Blackhawks logo.

Many of Terry's guitars were missing for years. This included his famous "Pignose" Telecaster. His daughter, Michelle Kath Sinclair, found several of them. She found them at her step-grandmother's house while making her documentary film. Among the guitars found were his "Pignose" Telecaster, an Ovation acoustic guitar, a Fender Stratocaster, and a Gibson SG Custom.

Terry loved to try out different amplifiers and effects. He often used a wah-wah pedal. He was also interested in trying to play guitar without using a pick. Robert Lamm remembered Terry trying to make a device that would automatically pick the strings.

Terry Kath's Vocals

Terry Kath sang lead vocals on many of Chicago's early songs. These include "I'm a Man" from Chicago Transit Authority. He also sang "Colour My World" and "Make Me Smile" from Chicago II. Other songs he sang lead on include "Movin' In," "In The Country," and "Free" from Chicago III. He also sang on "Dialogue (Part I & II)" from Chicago V, "Wishing You Were Here" from Chicago VII, and "Brand New Love Affair" from Chicago VIII.

Robert Lamm described Terry's singing as "The White Ray Charles." James Pankow, who wrote "Make Me Smile," tried different band members singing the song. But he chose Terry, saying "bingo – 'that' was the voice." Terry was one of Chicago's three main lead singers. His vocal range was between Peter Cetera's higher voice and Robert Lamm's lower voice. He often sang lead vocals with Peter Cetera. They did this on songs like "Dialogue (Part I & II)" and "Brand New Love Affair."

Terry also played lead guitar and sang lead vocals on the song "Tell Me." This song was in the 1973 movie Electra Glide in Blue. The song was also used in the final episode of the TV show Miami Vice.

Terry Kath's Death

Terry Kath passed away on January 23, 1978. This was just eight days before his 32nd birthday. He died from an accidental injury.

Terry left behind his wife, Camelia Ortiz. He also had a 20-month-old daughter, Michelle Kath (now Michelle Kath Sinclair). Terry had been married to Pamela Robinson from 1970 until their divorce in 1975.

Terry Kath is buried near his parents in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.

The members of Chicago were very sad about losing Terry. They thought about breaking up the band. But Doc Severinsen, a music director, convinced them to keep playing. Donnie Dacus took Terry's place as the guitarist in Chicago. At Chicago concerts, members Lee Loughnane (trumpet) and Robert Lamm (keyboards) have performed the lead vocals that Terry originally sang.

Terry Kath's Legacy

Some band members have said that Terry Kath's contributions are often overlooked. This is because Chicago saw themselves as a team. Chicago band member Walter Parazaider once said, "If [Kath] was totally up front, he would have gotten a lot more recognition." According to Walter, Jimi Hendrix told him that "your guitar player is better than me." This was after a show at the Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles.

In September 1997, Chicago released a CD to remember Terry. It was called Chicago Presents The Innovative Guitar of Terry Kath. They released it on their own record label, Chicago Records.

Band members have wondered if Terry would have stayed with Chicago if he had lived. Or if he would have started a solo career. In 2010, Walter Parazaider said, "I'm not sure about that. [Terry] was a free spirit... I would like to think he (would still be with Chicago) but he was very independent."

In 2012, Terry's daughter Michelle Kath Sinclair announced that she had enough money to finish a documentary about his life. It was first called Searching for Terry: Discovering a Guitar Legend. In 2014, she said she had interviewed the whole band except Peter Cetera. The film was planned for release in 2016. The movie premiered at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival. It was renamed The Terry Kath Experience. Peter Cetera was listed among the people in the film. It premiered in the United States at the DOC NYC film festival in November 2016. The film was later shown on AXS TV in November 2017. It was released on VOD and DVD in December 2017. The film includes interviews with guitarists like Jeff Lynne, Steve Lukather, and Joe Walsh. They all praised Terry's work. Joe Walsh said, "He was a great guy; he was a brilliant musician. He was a songwriter and a great singer. He was such a monster on guitar... He was just a total experimenter."

On April 8, 2016, Chicago was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Michelle Kath Sinclair accepted the award on behalf of her father.

Terry Kath's Albums with Chicago