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Peter Cetera's
Holiday Present to You
By David Chiu
Peter Cetera's distinctive tenor voice is unmistakable and unavoidable.
On any pop radio station on any given day, you are most likely
to hear either a tune that features his vocals either with his
former band Chicago or on his own. For the last 35 years, Cetera
has written and recorded hits that have been pop staples including
such classics as "If You Leave Me Now," "Baby
What a Big Surprise," "Hard to Say I'm Sorry,"
"You're the Inspiration," "Glory of Love,"
"The Next Time I Fall," and "Restless Heart."
Now Cetera is taking on the musical Santa role with his first
ever holiday CD called You Just Gotta Love Christmas on
the Viastar label. Recorded in Nashville, it features fresh reworkings
of familiar holiday songs such as "Deck the Halls,"
"The Christmas Song," "Jingle Bells,"and
"Let It Snow." In keeping up with the holiday spirit,
Cetera recently participated in this year's Macy's Thanksgiving
Parade, and is making several in-store appearances to promote
the album.
From his residence in Idaho, Cetera explains that the idea of
the holiday album came from a benefit concert he did with former
collaborator David Foster in the Windy City. "I sang in
front of the eight piece orchestra for the first time in front
of the Chicago [, IL] fans," he remembers. "I got the
idea that now was the time [for] three things I wanted to do
a Christmas CD, going on the road with symphony, and a studio
CD."
In recording the holiday songs, Cetera did not want to merely
rehash what has been already done to death, but rather reinterpret
the standards in a contemporary spin. "Some songs you just
don't want to tamper with because they're just beautiful pieces,"
he says, "yet I wanted to do my own spin on things. It's
the best thing I've ever done."
The singer also wrote three wonderful new
songs on the record: the lush ballad "Alone for the Holidays,"
the feel-good title track, and the uplifting "Something
That Santa Left Behind," a potential Christmas standard
in its own right. "We started with little scraps of things
and I came up with three things," explains Cetera. "Whether
they are classics or not, they are certainly three wonderful
Christmas songs."Something That Santa Claus Left Behind"
is a fun song. I ended up playing bass on that one that I haven't
done on tracks in a while."
On the album Cetera duets with bluegrass artist Alison Krauss
on the folkish "Deck the Halls." "I kind of wanted
to do the Irish version of it," he says. "Since I've
been doing every thing in Nashville, I got a hold of Alison.
We certainly had a grand time doing it." You Just Gotta
Love Christmas also features a duet with his eldest daughter
Claire on "Blue Christmas," a father and daughter moment
captured forever on record (his youngest daughter Senna also
contributes to the CD's artwork. "I'm ecstatic that I could
include my just my daughters on something that is going to be
around for years to come."
You Just Gotta Love Christmas is the first new Peter Cetera
album in four years since Another Perfect World. His output
in the last ten years has been less prolific in contrast to the
many recordings he made in the '70s and '80s with and without
Chicago. But he hadn't completely dropped off the face of the
earth; he was recently on a concert tour playing the hits with
an orchestra. Cetera admits he is in no hurry to do the record-and-tour
grind. "The rut I was in with the people that I had been
previously been with it took the heart right out of me,"
he says. "I'm the type of person who needs to write for
a purpose. I would love to do another studio album and with the
Viastar people we are going to do that. So that is the next phase
of my 'Hello world, I'm back.'"
Since leaving Chicago in 1985 as their bassist and vocalist for
17 years, Cetera continued having hit songs, including two number
ones "Glory of Love" and "The Next Time I Fall."
Of the six studio albums he recorded as a solo artist, World
Falling Down (1992) is probably regarded as his most poignant
and personal. "Yeah, without a doubt," the singer agrees.
"To me, I just did love that album. I worked a lot with
[producer] Andy Hill in London. I look back with fond memories
of that. Part of the bittersweet thing with my solo career that
I haven't been with the right company or people that have helped
me to promote this in a way that it should have been."
As hard as he might try or not, Cetera will be forever linked
with Chicago. More than eligible to be in the Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame since 1994, Chicago-a group that had many hits and sold
millions of records- has yet to even be nominated for that prestigious
honor. Cetera's opinion about that oversight hints at disappointment
and indifference.
"I don't know how I would react. I've been now out of Chicago
longer than I was in Chicago. If they get inducted, great. But
I think it's ironic that we haven't been nominated. [Chicago]
had so many wonderful songs and has been such a part of people's
lives. When it's time for me to retire and if they nominate me,
I'll go [to the ceremony]. I'm not ready to retire yet."
Today Cetera is not looking back but rather ahead with this new
holiday album and making more music. "I know there are a
lot of people who have been asking, "Are you going to do
a reunion [with Chicago]?' That doesn't thrill me. When people
listen to this Christmas album they'll understand why I waited
and did it the way I did."
Judging from the very positive reaction of his fans' postings
on his web sites, Peter Cetera's songs still touch people of
all generations, "It's astounding the number of hits I get
from all around the world," he says. "People are saying
'Oh I am so happy you are talking to us.' And I'm excited back.
Of course it's flattering. You realize how important you are
to so many people. It's an eye-opening experience."
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