James William Guercio (born in 1945 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American music producer, musician and songwriter (occasionally credited as "Jim Guercio"), and is probably best known for his work as the producer of Chicago's early albums. He also has worked briefly in the motion picture industry as a producer and director. 1945 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... Chicago, colloquially known as the Second City and the Windy City, is the third-largest city in population in the United States and the largest inland city in the country. ... In the music industry, record producer designates a person responsible for completing a master recording so that it is fit for release. ... A songwriter is someone who writes, in part or in full, the lyrics to songs, the musical composition or melody to songs, or both. ... The Chicago Transit Authority, Chicagos first album, 1969. ...

Guercio moved to Los Angeles in the mid-1960s and began working as a session musician and songwriter. He played on several recordings, wrote Chad and Jeremy's 1966 Top 30 pop hit "Distant Shores," and is listed as a "contributor" to Frank Zappa's 1966 debut album Freak Out!. Hired by CBS Records as a staff producer, Guercio began working with The Buckinghams and helped them create four Top 10 records in 1967: "Don't You Care," "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy," "Hey Baby (They're Playing Our Song)," and "Susan." Session musicians are musicians available for hire, as opposed to musicians who are either permanent members of a musical outfit or who have acquired fame in their own right. ... A singing duo in the 1960s, composed of Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde. ... See also: 1965 in music, other events of 1966, 1967 in music, 1960s in music and the list of years in music Hot_100_No. ... Frank Zappa Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American singer, guitarist, composer and satirist. ... Freak Out! is the debut album of Frank Zappa and his group, the Mothers of Invention. ... Columbia Records is the oldest continually used brand name in recorded sound, dating back to 1888. ... The Buckinghams were a pop-rock band which saw enormous radio popularity in 1967 (1967 in music). ... See also: 1966 in music, other events of 1967, 1968 in music, 1960s in music and the list of years in music // Events January 15 - The Rolling Stones appear on The Ed Sullivan Show. ...

During his college years in Chicago, Guercio had become friends with a saxophonist named Walter Parazaider. Parazaider invited Guercio to hear his new band, "The Big Thing," and Guercio was impressed enough to offer to manage and produce them. He relocated the band to Los Angeles in 1968, convinced them to change their name to "The Chicago Transit Authority," and arranged for them to appear in local clubs where they quickly became popular. While recording their first album for CBS/Columbia, Guercio was also approached about producing a second album for Blood, Sweat & Tears. Both of these highly-successful albums were released in 1969), and Blood, Sweat & Tears won Guercio an Album of the Year Grammy Award. Walter Parazaider is the saxophonist and occasional composer for the rock band Chicago. ... 1968 was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... Blood, Sweat & Tears was an American rock and roll group formed in New York City in 1967. ... See also: 1968 in music, other events of 1969, 1970 in music, 1960s in music and the list of years in music // Events Perhaps the most famous musical events of 1969 are two legendary concerts. ... The Grammy Awards (originally the Gramophone Awards), presented by the Recording Academy (an association of Americans professionally involved in the recorded music industry) for outstanding achievements in the recording industry, is one of four major music awards shows held annually in the United States (the Billboard Music Awards, the American...

In 1970, threatened with legal action by the "real" Chicago Transit Authority, Guercio shortened the band's name to Chicago and worked with them on a second album, Chicago II. Both this album and the original The Chicago Transit Authority featured long recordings which were moderately popular on FM stations, but when Guercio edited several tracks down to a radio-friendly 3-minute length -- including single versions of "Make Me Smile," "25 or 6 to 4," and "Beginnings" -- Chicago became a huge commercial success. Guercio would ultimately produce a total of eleven albums for the band (including five straight number 1 pop albums, starting with Chicago V) and 17 Top 25 singles. The Chicago X album yielded the band's first number 1 single, "If You Leave Me Now," which also earned two Grammy Awards (best pop performance for the band, and best arrangement for Guercio). However, Guercio and the band members found themselves increasingly at odds over creative decisions, tour schedules, and finances, and they parted ways soon after completing an eleventh album in late 1977. 1970 was a common year starting on Thursday. ... Quincy L Station serving the Brown Line, Purple Line and Orange Line The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), founded on October 1, 1947, provides bus and rail mass transit services to the citizens of Chicago and several of the citys inner suburbs. ... The Chicago Transit Authority, Chicagos first album, 1969. ... Chicago, unofficially titled Chicago II, is the second album by Chicago-based rock band Chicago. ... The Chicago Transit Authority is the first and eponymous album by the Chicago-based rock band Chicago (at the time, the band was named Chicago Transit Authority). ... Chicago V is the fifth album by American rock band Chicago, released in 1972. ... Chicago X is the tenth album by American rock band Chicago, released in 1976. ... 1977 was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1977 calendar). ...

Guercio became interested in motion picture production, and he was given the opportunity to produce and direct the 1973 film Electra Glide in Blue; he also wrote and produced the film's musical soundtrack. The film starred Robert Blake and featured Peter Cetera and other members of Chicago in bit parts. Although the film was well received by critics and has subsequently become a cult classic, it saw only modest commercial success. Guercio produced one other Robert Blake film, Second-Hand Hearts, which was released in 1981. See also: 1972 in film 1973 1974 in film 1970s in film years in film film Events The Marx Brothers Zeppo Marx divorces his second wife, Barbara Blakely. ... Electra Glide in Blue is a 1973 film starring Robert Blake as a motorcycle cop in Arizona. ... Robert Blake on the cover of the Baretta Season 1 DVD set. ... Peter Paul Cetera (born September 13, 1944) is the former lead vocalist, songwriter and bass player for the band Chicago. ... 1981 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Guercio was the founder of Caribou Ranch, a popular recording studio in Colarado's Rocky Mountains. The first music recorded at Caribou was Joe Walsh's Rocky Mountain Way. In addition to Chicago (starting with Chicago VI), the studio has been used by numerous other artists: Elton John (for his Caribou album), Billy Joel, Rod Stewart, Carole King, Stephen Stills, Waylon Jennings and Supertramp. Unfortunately, the studio complex was shut down and never used again after a March 1985 fire destroyed the control room and caused about $3 million in damage. he is dead now. ... Chicago VI is the sixth album by American rock band Chicago, released in 1973. ... Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE (born March 25, 1947) is a rock music singer, songwriter, and pianist, is one of the most successful solo artists in music history. ... Caribou is the ninth album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1974 (see 1974 in music). ... Billy Joel was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999. ... Rod Stewart Roderick David Stewart (born January 10, 1945 in Highgate, London) is an English born singer and songwriter of Scottish descent, most known for his uniquely raspy, gravelly voice and personable singing style, as exemplified in his signature song Maggie May. In a career now entering its fifth decade... Carole King (born February 9, 1942) is an American singer and songwriter. ... Stephen Stills album cover Stephen (Arthur) Stills is an American guitarist and singer/songwriter best known for his work with the Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (at first it was Crosby, Stills and Nash; Young joined the group after their first album). ... Waylon Jennings (June 15, 1937 – February 13, 2002) was a respected and influential American country music singer and guitarist, born in Littlefield, Texas. ... Supertramp Supertramp is an English progressive rock and pop band that had a series of top-selling albums in the 1970s. ... 1985 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

After the split-up with Chicago and the Caribou Ranch fire, Guercio became disenchanted with the recording industry and shifted gears, pursuing a successful career in large-scale cattle ranching, property development, and oil and gas exploration, drilling and production, particularly coalbed methane wells. In the late 1980s, Guercio formed the Country Music Television (CMT) channel. In one of his more well-publicized transactions, in the early 1990s he sold CMT to media tycoon Ed Gaylord and Westinghouse Broadcasting. // Events and trends The 1980s marked an abrupt shift towards more conservative lifestyles after the momentous cultural revolutions which took place in the 1960s and 1970s and the definition of the AIDS virus in 1981. ... For the disease CMT see Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. ... // Events and trends The 1990s are generally classified as having moved slightly away from the more conservative 1980s, but otherwise retaining the same mindset. ... Westinghouse logo (designed by Paul Rand) The Westinghouse Electric Company, headquartered in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, is an organization founded by George Westinghouse in 1886. ...

External links

• James William Guercio at the Internet Movie Database
• Biography on VH1.com