Courtesy of Chicago

Courtesy of ChicagoChicago‘s latest album, Chicago 37 — Chicago Christmas, is the band’s third holiday collection. The group’s Christmas albums are popular, but founding member Lee Loughnane says he’s more interested in making an all-new original album — their first since 2014 — since they now have the technology to do it quickly and easily.

“We could do Christmas [albums], but we could do also more Chicago records,”  Lee tells ABC Audio. “And I think we’re probably geared up right now to be able to do that, because the equipment is ready.”

He adds, “It travels well. It sounds great…this stuff wasn’t even invented when we did Chicago 36! So it’s only made the recording process easier for us, and we can do it while we’re already on the road.”

And Chicago will be spending a lot of time on the road in 2020: On February 28, they’ll start a residency at the Venetian in Las Vegas, followed by about a month of solo dates.  On June 12, they’ll kick off a co-headlining tour with Rick Springfield. 

Lee, who plays trumpet, says he can’t believe Chicago is still such a successful touring act more than five decades into their career…and that 50 percent of the original lineup is intact.

“The most amazing thing that I keep thinking of is that myself, [singer] Robert Lamm and [trombone player] Jimmy Pankow — that’s half the band that was in the room the first day when we got together,” he marvels.

“Three out of six, 50-something years later…I have to pinch myself there,” says Lee.  “And we’re still doing it. We’re still able to play for thousands of people a night and sell places out. And we just enjoy playing music for people, the same way we did the first day we got together.”  

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