List of Chicago band members
Name Years active Instruments Release contributions
Danny Seraphine 1967-1990 drums percussion all Chicago releases from Chicago Transit Authority ( 1969 ) to Chicago 19 ( 1988 ) Chicago XXXIV : Live in '75 ( 2011 ) VI Decades Live : This Is What We Do ( 2018 )
Terry Kath 1967-1978 ( until his death ) guitar vocals occasional bass all Chicago releases from Chicago Transit Authority ( 1969 ) to Chicago XI ( 1977 ) Chicago XXXIV : Live in '75 ( 2011 ) VI Decades Live : This Is What We Do ( 2018 )
Peter Cetera 1967-1985 bass vocals occasional guitar all Chicago releases from Chicago Transit Authority ( 1969 ) to Chicago 17 ( 1984 ) Chicago XXXIV : Live in '75 ( 2011 ) VI Decades Live : This Is What We Do ( 2018 )
Laudir de Oliveira 1974-1981 ( session 1973-74 ) ( died 2017 ) percussion congas all Chicago releases from Chicago VI ( 1973 ) to Chicago XIV ( 1980 ) Chicago XXXIV : Live in '75 ( 2011 )
Donnie Dacus 1978-1980 guitar vocals Hot Streets ( 1978 ) Chicago 13 ( 1979 )
Chris Pinnick 1980-1985 ( credited as a band member from 1984 ) guitar Chicago XIV ( 1980 ) Chicago 16 ( 1982 ) Chicago 17 ( 1984 )
Bill Champlin 1981-2009 keyboards guitar vocals all Chicago releases from Chicago 16 ( 1982 ) to Chicago XXXII : Stone of Sisyphus ( 2008 ) VI Decades Live : This Is What We Do ( 2018 )
Jason Scheff 1985-2016 bass vocals occasional keyboards and guitar all Chicago releases from Chicago 18 ( 1986 ) to Chicago at Symphony Hall ( 2015 ) , except Chicago XXXIV : Live in '75 ( 2011 ) VI Decades Live : This Is What We Do
Dawayne Bailey 1986-1994 guitar backing vocals Chicago 19 ( 1988 ) Twenty 1 ( 1991 ) Chicago XXXII : Stone of Sisyphus ( 2008 ) VI Decades Live : This Is What We Do
Tris Imboden 1990-2018 drums percussion occasional harmonica all Chicago releases from Twenty 1 ( 1991 ) to Greatest Hits Live ( 2018 ) , except Chicago XXXIV : Live in '75 ( 2011 ) and VI Decades Live : This Is What We Do ( 2018 )
Bruce Gaitsch 1994-1995 guitar Night & Day : Big Band ( 1995 ) Chicago XXXII : Stone of Sisyphus ( 2008 )
Drew Hester 2009-2012 ( touring substitute in early 2009 ) percussion drums ( 2009 ) Chicago XXXIII : O Christmas Three ( 2011 )
Daniel de los Reyes 2012 2018 percussion Chicago XXXVI : Now ( 2014 )
Jeff Coffey 2016-2018 ( touring substitute in early 2016 ) bass vocals Chicago II Live on Soundstage ( 2018 ) Greatest Hits Live ( 2018 )
Members -- Former
Chicago is an American rock band from Chicago, Illinois. Formed in February 1967, the group was originally known as The Big Thing and later Chicago Transit Authority, before becoming Chicago in 1969. Initially featuring guitarist and vocalist Terry Kath, keyboardist and vocalist Robert Lamm, drummer Danny Seraphine, saxophonist Walter Parazaider, trumpeter Lee Loughnane and trombonist James Pankow, the band added bassist and vocalist Peter Cetera in December 1967. The group has been through many lineup changes and currently includes four original members - Lamm, Loughnane, Pankow, and Parazaider - plus guitarist Keith Howland (since 1995), keyboardist Lou Pardini (since 2009), drummer Walfredo Reyes Jr. (since 2012), saxophonist Ray Herrmann (since 2016), vocalist Neil Donell, bassist Brett Simons and percussionist Ramon Ray Yslas (all since 2018).