Robert Lamm

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Robert William Lamm (born October 13, 1944 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American keyboardist, singer and songwriter best known for being a founding member of the rock band Chicago. He has also released several solo albums, the most recent of which is entitled "Subtlety and Passion".

Lamm's early musical experiences included membership in the Brooklyn Heights Choir in New York. After his parents divorced, he moved to the city of Chicago at age 15 with his mother after she remarried. Lamm played in various bands throughout high school, and studied music theory and composition at Roosevelt University. He was invited to join a band called The Big Thing in 1967, which was formed by Walter Parazaider, Terry Kath, and Danny Seraphine. The band would eventually become Chicago with the addition of members Lee Loughnane, James Pankow, and Peter Cetera.

Lamm penned many of Chicago's early hits including "Beginnings", "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?", "25 or 6 to 4", and "Saturday in the Park". His clear baritone voice was an immediate asset, and so was his stylized keyboarding skills. Fans of Chicago also recognize Lamm for being the voice of the group's social conscience, pointing to a number of his songs ("Free", "All the Years", "State of the Union", etc.) that espouse political-social themes. In the early 1980s, following the accidental death of band member Terry Kath in 1978, Chicago's bassist/vocalist Peter Cetera began to shift Chicago's musical style into a more commercial pop-ballad oriented direction, and Lamm seemingly drifted into a period of both personal and professional frustration (including a vicious cocaine habit in the early part of the decade). Current interviews find him still committed to Chicago, but somewhat saddened by the musical direction the band has pursued over the years. In addition to touring and releasing a new album with Chicago (Chicago XXX, released in March 2006), Lamm now uses his solo projects as outlets for his creativity, such as his 1999 album In My Head. He has also collaborated on projects with other musicians such as America's Gerry Beckley and The Beach Boys' Carl Wilson.

Famously private, Lamm's personal life is mostly off-limits to fans. He has been married at least four times and has several children. His first wife was the late actress Barbara Karen Perk, whom he married in the early 1970s (her credits, as Karen Lamm, include Thunderbolt and Lightfoot). After their divorce, she later married Beach Boy Dennis Wilson - twice. Lamm's second marriage was to Julie Nini, whom he wed in 1976. They had a daughter, Sacha, in 1977.

After his divorce from Nini, information about his relationships is hard to come by. In interviews, Lamm has hinted that his song "Sleeping in the Middle of the Bed Again" (released on his solo album "In My Head") was written in reaction to yet another divorce (probably from actress Alex Donnelly). He is currently married to his wife Joy, who has helped him with his recent musical projects, and has encouraged him to be more fan-friendly.

[edit] External links

Chicago
Robert Lamm \| James Pankow \| Lee Loughnane \| Walter Parazaider \| Bill Champlin Jason Scheff \| Tris Imboden \| Keith Howland Terry Kath \| Peter Cetera \| Danny Seraphine \| Laudir DeOliveira \| Donnie Dacus \| Chris Pinnick \| Dawayne Bailey
Discography
Studio albums: The Chicago Transit Authority \| Chicago \| Chicago III \| Chicago V \| Chicago VI \|Chicago VII \| Chicago VIII \| Chicago X \| Chicago XI \| Hot Streets Chicago 13 \| Chicago XIV \| Chicago 16 \| Chicago 17 \| Chicago 18 \| Chicago 19 \| Twenty 1 \| Night & Day Big Band \| Chicago XXX
Live albums: Chicago at Carnegie Hall \| Chicago XXVI: Live in Concert
Compilations: Chicago IX - Chicago's Greatest Hits \| Greatest Hits, Volume II \| Greatest Hits 1982-1989 The Heart of Chicago 1967-1997 \| The Heart of Chicago 1967-1998 Volume II \| The Very Best of: Only the Beginning \| Love Songs
Christmas albums: Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album \| What's It Gonna Be, Santa?
Unreleased album: Stone of Sisyphus
Box sets: The Box