
WHASINGTON (Chicago Fans Website) - Chicago, the jazz-leaning rock band that helped put horn charts on the pop charts, is celebrating 35 years of touring and recording with, well, more touring and more records. The unstoppable ensemble has not missed a year on the road since its inception in 1967, and this summer will be no different.
Chicago kicks off the season with a performance at Sunday's 90-minute
National Memorial Day Concert on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. The show, also touting
Charlotte Church and "singing policeman"
Daniel Rodriguez, airs on PBS at 8 p.m. ET/5 PT (times may vary).
The band's summer tour launches May 30 in Fort Myers, Fla., and wraps up Sept. 20 in Los Angeles, with a flurry of albums due midstream.
Rhino, which recently bought the Chicago catalog, is releasing the two-disc Complete Greatest Hits on July 2. The 39-track set boasts all 20 top 10 singles, including 25 or 6 to 4, Colour My World, Saturday in the Park, If You Leave Me Now, Does Anybody Really Know What Time it Is?, Feelin' Stronger Every Day and Make Me Smile.
The label plans to reissue 1969 debut Chicago Transit Authority (the band's original moniker), 1970's II and 1971's III on July 16, with four more, including Chicago 25: The Christmas Album, due in September.