Chicago’s Robert Lamm and James Pankow will become the latest inductees of the Songwriters Hall of Fame at the organization’s 48^th Annual Induction and Awards Dinner.   These legendary songwriters wrote mega-hits such as, “25 or 6 to 4,” “Saturday In The Park,” “Feelin’ Stronger Every Day,” “Make Me Smile,” and many others. The star-studded induction event is slated for Thursday, June 15^th at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.

Singer-songwriter-instrumentalists Robert Lamm, James Pankow and Peter Cetera either singly or in collaborations, were the chief songwriters of supergroup Chicago. Their enormously influential work helped pave the way for jazz-oriented rock.

Robert Lamm has been with Chicago since the beginning. Chicago’s first album Chicago Transit Authority, contained seven of his songs, “Beginnings,” “Poem 58,” “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It is?” “Questions 67 & 68,” “Listen,” “South California Purples,” and “Someday.” He continued writing for the band, throughout the 70’s and 80’s with hits, “25 or 6 to 4,” “Wake Up Sunshine,” “Dialogue,” “Saturday in the Park,” “Another Rainy Day in NYC,” and “Getaway.”

James Pankow, trombonist, arranger and composer, was also one of the bands founding members. As the band’s principal arranger, he created the trademark signature style of Chicago’s horns and composed many of their songs, including the hits “Make Me Smile”, “Colour My World,” “Just You ‘N’ Me,” “Searchin’ So Long,” “Old Days,” “Feelin’ Stronger Every Day” and “Alive Again.” One of his most recognized pieces is “Ballet For A Girl In Buckhannon,” which he wrote when he was 22-years-old. The band was constantly on the road and Pankow became drawn to Bach, whose technical perfection and melodic genius inspired him immeasurably. He began experimenting with arpeggios and the result was a key moment in the Ballet, “Colour My World.”

Peter Cetera, singer, songwriter and bassist was a member for Chicago from 1967-1985 and the last original member to join the band.

Pankow and Lamm have gone on as Chicago members and have continued to release albums into the 2000’s. Lamm is a prolific composer with seven solo albums.

Chicago’s lifetime achievements include two Grammy Awards (one is for Chicago’s first album, Chicago Transit Authority, which was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 2014), are Founding Artists of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, multiple American Music Awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016. Record sales top the 100,000,000 mark, and include 21 Top 10 singles, 5 consecutive Number One albums, 11 Number One singles and 5 Gold singles. An incredible 25 of their 36 albums have been certified platinum, and the band has a total of 47 gold and platinum awards. Chicago are celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2017, and are working on Chicago XXXVII.