Chicago Transit Authority

The Chicago Transit Authority is the eponymous debut album by the Chicago-based rock band The Chicago Transit Authority, who would later be known as Chicago. It was recorded and released in 1969.

Upon the band’s 1967 inception, they were initially called “The Missing Links”. Then (according to Robert Lamm on an episode of In the Studio with Redbeard devoted to the making of the album) changed its name to “The Big Thing” (occasionally performed in areas outside Chicago and Milwaukee as “The Big Sounds” due to some venues complaining about the double entendre that the name “The Big Thing” also alluded to) … , before adopting the moniker The Chicago Transit Authority when producer James William Guercio took them on in 1968. Fusing brass and jazz with a soulful rock and roll feel was their trademark and Guercio instinctively felt that their sound would prove successful, lobbying for his label to give them a shot.

The Chicago Transit Authority were signed to Columbia Records late that year and recorded their debut in late January. While Guercio had recently produced Blood, Sweat & Tears’ second album (which proved to be a huge smash), he did so to raise capital for his band. By the end of The Chicago Transit Authority’s sessions, it was clear that the album would have to be a double. Very skeptical, seeing as the band had no track record, Columbia only agreed to the concept if the group would take a royalty cut.

In their original incarnation, keyboardist Robert Lamm, guitarist Terry Kath and bassist Peter Cetera all shared lead vocals, while James Pankow, Lee Loughnane and Walter Parazaider handled all brass and woodwinds and Danny Seraphine played drums.