Courtesy of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame & MuseumIt looks like former Chicago singer/bassist Peter Cetera won’t be reuniting with his old band mates at this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony after all. Last month, Cetera posted a message directed at Chicago’s other surviving original members saying he’d be open to playing with them “one last time as a group” at the event, but he now reveals in a new statement that the musicians have been unable to resolve disagreements they’ve had about the performance, so he’s decided not to take part in the ceremony at all.
In the message, which was posted Monday on Cetera’s official website, Peter addresses Rock Hall organizers Alex Coletti and Joel Peresman, saying, “Unfortunately, this scenario doesn’t work for me. I know we all did our best to make it happen, but I guess it’s just not meant to be.”
He continues, “Personally, I’m frustrated and tired of dealing with this and it’s time to move on. I have a life with two beautiful daughters and a solo career and its time to get back and give them all the full attention they deserve.”
Cetera finishes his note by thanking Coletti and Peresman “for all your help and consideration,” and asks them to send “any individual award” he receives to his contact.
Peter also points out that the message he sent to the Rock Hall officials “is the short high road nice version of what I really wanted to say,” adding that he’ll “post that response at the appropriate time.”
In his previous message to his former band mates, Cetera suggested, “As a finale, we can walk onstage together one last time as a group, I’ll strap on the bass, and we can do [’25 or 6 to 4′] in the key of E.” He also called for Chicago to “invite past members Laudir de Oliveira, Donnie Dacus, Kenny Cetera, Chris Pinnick and Bill Champlin” to take part in the performance.
Last week, founding Chicago singer/keyboardist Robert Lamm talked with Billboard about the Rock Hall ceremony, revealing that he didn’t know if Cetera would be attending or if Chicago will be playing in any form.
With regard to the disagreements with Cetera over the performance, Lamm noted, “He decided he wanted to play [’25 or 6 to 4′] in a different key if he was going to play with us, which is definitely not going to happen, and then he wanted to play with his band but not with us and sing his songs or sing whatever songs the Hall wants him to sing. It’s all very strange.”
Chicago continues to perform with a lineup featuring four original members — Lamm, Lee Loughnane, Walter Parazaider and James Pankow. Cetera left the band in 1985, while founding drummer Danny Seraphine exited in 1990. It’s not known if Seraphine plans to attend the Rock Hall ceremony, which is being held on April 8 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
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