Peter Cetera Biography

Peter Cetera has enjoyed remarkable success not only as the face of the band Chicago, but also with a stellar solo career. But long before his rise to fame, Cetera was born in Chicago in 1944, and performing as a member of a band called Exceptions when he joined up with what was then known as the Chicago Transit Authority. As the band’s bass player, Cetera enjoyed great success with Chicago, with their hits such as “Saturday in the Park” and “Does Anybody Really Know What Time it Is?”, “If You Leave Me Now,” “Hard Habit to Break,” and Hard to Say I’m Sorry,’ and “You’re the Inspiration.” Most of these singles featured Peter Cetera on vocals, and his voice became highly recognizable.

Peter Cetera released his own solo album, titled Peter Cetera, in 1981, although he stayed with Chicago until 1985. His first single from Solitude/Solitaire featured the theme to the film The Karate Kid Part II, “The Glory of Love.” Peter Cetera’s next number one hit was his duet with Amy Grant, “The Next Time I Fall.”  In 1988 he followed up with “After All,” his duet with Cher. One Clear Voice was released in 1995, after a brief hiatus, and Peter Cetera followed up with You’re the Inspiration in 1997. The album was a collection of his previous hits plus some new material.

Peter Cetera continues to perform and record well into the new millennium. Notable performances by Cetera in recent years include multiple backed by a full orchestra, including the Chicago Pops, some of which has been released on DVD. Recent albums include Another Perfect World (2001), You Just Gotta Love Christmas (2004), and The Very Best of Peter Cetera, a compilation released in 2017.

Peter Cetera was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and also the Songwriters Hall of Fame as a member of the group Chicago. In 2017, CNN aired a documentary chronicling the rise and impact of the group Chicago; although Cetera does not appear in Now More Than Ever: The History of Chicago, the film chronicles his historical contributions to the group.