Jimi Hendrix Meets Terry Kath & Talks About Recording with Chicago 

If you're a guitarist it's impossible not to love Terry.

Miss Terry to this day.

Jimi Hendrix and Terry Kath, what a collaboration that would have been!! Miss them both.

Early Chicago concerts were such a supernatural musical experience

Chicago...... what a fantastic band they were. Terry Kath was a true virtuoso. The combination in concert with Jimi Hendrix must have been wonderful to see. Unfortunately I never got the chance. But all these years later, I'm even more of an admirer of the music of both Chicago and Hendrix than I ever was.

I saw Jimi at the LA Forum like 1968, and Chicago Transit Authority opened for him. They were so incredible. The next week I went to my local music store and found their album......a DOUBLE album, which was unheard of for a first album.

Great interview. What a profound loss, Terry & Jimi, to the music world and to their fans.

THAT WOULD OF BEEN ONE OF THE GREATEST MOMENTS IN ROCK HISTORY, HAD TERRY AND JIMI PLAYED TOGETHER. GOD BLESS THEM BOTH!!

Very illuminating. Terry was an amazing guitarist and Jimi saw it. They were also similar in their style - a certain backbone of technique that they handled intuitively, with tons of feel. The whole band was amazing - Jimi was the consummate pro and didn't have a streak of jealousness in him. If he dug what he heard he wanted to be close to it.

Terry Kath was the best guitarist ever! ❤️

No question that Chicago (and Terry) were one of the best bands in the world in 1970. The live footage confirms it. And that is an astounding claim for anyone.

Jimi had so much respect for other people and what they were doing One of the most humble person That ever lived that’s why jimi was special

Chicago was the first rock band to perform at Carnegie hall. Great sound. Ground breaking.

What an incredible meeting of talent _that_ was.

Hendrix Relavences in 2019 make me smile. Great to see hes still thought of .

When I watch TK's guitar solo on 25 or 6 to 4 from 1970 Tanglewood I actually laugh at points it's so awesome. But the whole thing definitely does "Make Me Smile"....

Always a treat to read how other musicians were in awe of Hendrix. HALF A CENTURY later and I still miss him so much

Two of the most gifted guitarists I have ever heard. I'm fortunate to be able to say that at least, I got to see Terry play with Chicago 3 times! They were the best group I ever witnessed and I saw a lot of live concerts.

I was 16 years in Houston, Tx and got the chance to see Jimi and CTA. The opening act was Fat Mattress which was Noel Reddings band. I wondered what the big cloud of smoke was in the Sam Houston Auditorium. It was my first concert. Hard to believe it was 50 years ago.

I like how Joe ‘Listens’. Some interviewers talk more than who we want to hear from. I am familiar with this story, but it was great to hear from James. Thanks again.

Wow, Hendrix with Terry Kath and Chicago!? That's a whole lotta fire power there!!

I met James not too long ago and, figuring I’d rib him a little, told him how I thought Chicago’s Aqualung was one of the greatest albums ever… it either sailed right past him, or maybe he didn’t want to ‘embarrass’ me by correcting me… lol. Either way, he is STILL an absolute ball of energy on stage even in this, Chicago’s, cabaret phase. Love the band!

James Pankow isn't known very well, but he was the trombone player of Chicago. He wrote A LOT of their hit songs and had a major influence on what the band did. Terry Kath (lead guitar) doesn't get enough recognition, and neither does James! I don't know how the proposed collaboration between Jimi Hendrix and Chicago/Terry Kath would have gone (considering Kath and Hendrix were both incredibly amazing guitarists and there might not have been 'room' for both of them) but if Jimi had lived longer, they would have collaborated somehow. If you look at what Jimi Hendrix was doing the last part of his life, musically, he was heading a new direction. I think he would have fit in with a band like Chicago. Maybe not full-time. Maybe it wouldn't have lasted very long, but Jimi loved their music, loved Kath's playing, and I am sure James Pankow would have loved to get his band together with Hendrix, in some capacity, to create some amazing music. If only......

You gotta love legendary stories like this.

I saw Chicago at the Hollywood Bowl either the 18th or 19th of Sept 1970. Terry Kath was crying all throughout the show.

When I was very small, I was already familiar with Benny Goodman and Glen Miller from the movies where they were playing, and Jimmy Stewart's characterization of Glen, so when I first heard Chicago on the AM radio, I was immediately attracted to the horn production, being very tight and precise. It was a very big part of that time in pop music, and paved the way for EWF horns to fit right in.

I grew up in Chicago when CTA/Chicago made it big. (Went to school with Jim Ellison of Material Issue and Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins.) I remember the name CTA, which is a literal take on the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), a city agency which objected to the use of their moniker. This band and Styx made us proud. Another great interview, Joe.

Thanks Mr. Pankow! As a kid I idolized both guitarists and you guys as well. We didn’t know what we had then.

Hendrix got his due, I feel Terry never really did. Two iconic guitarist.

March 16, 1968 - Barnaby's in Chicago - my 21st birthday and I was there watching Chicago (then CTA) with a couple of friends. One song I distinctly remember was "I'm a Man." What a night.

I saw Jimi Hendrix and CTA at the Forum. Great concert!!! I used to go to the Whiskey also. Heard some great music there. Even a lot of unknown bands were very good. It was a golden age of hard rock. I must confess that I never paid attention to the blues until the rockers got it, electrified it, and added those sizzling guitar solos to it. Hard to believe it was 50 years ago. Terry Kath and Jimi Hendrix died much too soon.

Terry kath, jimi hendrix and stevie ray vaughn my favorite guitarist 🎸 ❤️ rip terry, jimi and stevie 🥺🙏🙌

A True ARTIST never brags.

I never realized just how good a guitar player Terry Kath was. They were all so great to me, all seven from Chicago. This and The Moody Blues have always been tied as my favorite group/groups. I like one just as much as the other.

There are few combinations that would of been killer collaborations. This would of been an epic record.

Everybody wanted to collaborate with Jimi, he was, and still is the man!!

Saw this concert in Charlotte,NC in 1969 Chicago first then Jimi what an awesome concert I became a fan of Chicago that night

Oh dear; what a dream team that would’ve been! Jimi and the original Chicago lineup with Terry!

I have a 1968 Stage Pass from a Jimi Hendrix Concert .

Amazing. I saw Chicago Transit Authority at the Whiskey A Go Go in October 1969 when they were the undercard to the headlning Velvet Underground. I came to see the Velvet Underground and had not heard of CTA before and left as a CTA fan. I never accepted the name change to just Chicago and they will always be Chicago Transit Authority to me.

Great interview. I loved Hendrix and Chicago, and although this was a more guitar related interview, the horns is what made chicago a killer band. I mean there wasn't any other hard rocking bands doing the horn thing. And of course Terry Kath is a legend and his playing complimented the horn arrangements and vice versa.

Pankow has never changed, as in his expressions have never changed. Good for him.

Terry Kath was one hell of a player !!

Talent recognizes talent.

Joe is a great interviewer because he asks his questions and listens. Chicago and Hendrix two of my long time favorites. But Terry Kath...even today my favorite guitarist, his voice. He taught me to play and I cried when I heard listening to WNEW in NY that he died. RIP, Terry and Jimi.

two of the greatest strat players dueling on stage,i'm afraid i'd have quit my job and tried to get a job as a roadie just be there when they tuned up,RIP TERRY AND JIMI,two of the best six stringers that had been born,fact

Hendrix and CTA together? Damn that would have been great!

And this was just a bunch of guys in their twenties. Amazing.

2 greatest bands in the 🌎 great music talent 💤

Man I love hearing stories from the guys back in the day! Always learn something new! Thanks Joe!

Joe, I've already watched the entire interview but this was a nice snippet from it, it really makes me miss both Terry and Jimmy. One thing about Chicago is with them you can have your cake and eat it too. If you like horn bands like Blood Sweat and Tears and that sort of thing but you also like really hard rock bands...with Chicago you can actually have both and neither aspect would leave you longing for more.. Terry covered all the bases and then some, and Pankow and the horn section was basically setting the standard and raised the bar incredibly High! James was a very important part of all that and I'm grateful he's still around survived all those crazy years and still around the talk about it with this kind of enthusiasm is really awesome! Joe really brings the best out of everyone he interviews. Thanks for keeping our music alive Joe! Peace, Bob M.

Great interview. What an enthusiastic and entertaining speaker James Pankow is.

Terry Kath, (so are Michael Bloomfield, Les Paul and Django Reinhardt ) is on my top 5 list of guitar virtuosos. He died way too soon, but will always live on as one of the BEST ever!!!!

This guy being interviewed is "Jimmy Trombone". He is the really happy guy you can watch in Chicago's Tanglewood performance. It is nice to see he is still happy.

Only the beginning, only just the start

Thanks for sharing this. Jimi Hendrix and Terry Kath are two guitar icons. May they rest in peace. Hope you have a Happy New Year. Cheers!

funny about being Hendrix`s opening act........when I first saw Jimi he was the opening act for the Young Rascals in Central Park in NYC,I`m thinking summer `67.....blew us all away.......Love the way Terry Kath played......peace to all....

Kath and Hendrix wow. Rip

what I like is when two guys of the fame and glory are talking together of their youth, they revert back to being kids talking the same way they would've in the 60's and 70's,i do this with my friends of yesteryear,HENDRIX AND TERRY WERE MONSTERS ON THE Stratocasters,they played by instinct,damn what losses we the listening,loving fans of both of these genuine geniuses,we lose again

Thanks for the amazing slice of history Joe and thanks to James as well

Update: Got me to find Terry Kath Experience Documentary. It is on Amazon Prime right now. Great interview and stories. The mind boggles at what a Hendrix/Chicago album would have been.

Another one from your seemingly endless treasure trove. Thanks, as ever, for preserving these oral histories of our musical heritage, history, and legacy. Keep 'em coming!

Awesome interview. I had heard this but wasnt sure. I was just started playing in bands when chicago got popular. Im so proud to say Hendrix and Kath were two major inspirations. I played with the best band in town and they played several of Chicago's songs. Great memories. Thanks for the share.

Great interview - great stories by Mr. Pankow. Keep up the good work, Joe!

I really enjoyed this interview. It was informative...comfortable and just plain fun to listen to. Terry and Jimi.....hard acts to follow. Rock in peace gentleman. Thank you for posting this gem. Peace and love.🎶🎶🎶

Jimmy talked with us after a show in Tucson So animated...he wanted to make sure we enjoyed the show. Did We? Hell YEAH!!

It's funny, my Dad and I are getting together in April this year. He asked me what I wanted to do. I said I want to go to Nashville. He lives in Louisiana and I live in California. I was looking online for things to do there and found The Musicians Hall of Fame. Few weeks later found this channel! Just four months until I will be there.

Can not express how much I enjoy and love what you are doing here. Thanks!!!

This is such a great video, gave me the chills. What an amazing story told so well. Thank you Joe and Musicians Hall of fame & Museum. Jimmy knew the magic of the horn section he got it. Wow! Man..how amazing it would have been. Pure Gold 100%

They were both equally amazing, so I can see how they were intimidated by each other. Very Cool!

Most incredible horn section of its time. If you listen to Chicago on a really good set of headphones the musicianship was spectacular. But the horns man the horns lol.....

Uhhh... Hendrix and CTA?......yeah that would have been incredible.

Amazing story. Wish I would have seen one of those shows. Must have been awesome.

Love this channel! Keep it up Joe!

Thanks for the upload man! I can see why they didn't talk guitar. They both had a very different approach from each other. Both great in their own right. 'Nuff said.

Thanks and Blessings Joe, another great one!

I’m glad I saw this video clip of rock music history. What a cool story. CTA meets Hendrix at the Whisky A Go Go in LA. Jimi being his humble self. No arrogance. He was the epitome of cool. What May have been if Hendrix didn’t die untimely. Sad his legend lives on to this day. I love Hendrix’s music and I’m 55.

After 50 years, I recently became reacquainted with the first CTA album. I would have loved to see Chicago during this time period, but I was only 13yrs old then. Please, if you haven't, give it a listen, you won't be disappointed!

So sad we've lost so many greats. Jimi, Terry, SRV, Prince, Allen Collins, Steve Gaines, Duane Allman and more.

Just loving all your content. Great interviews and excellent interviewer. Thanks for all the effort and time you put into your channel.

LOVE these video clips. EVERY one of them!

a much needed piece of the puzzle cuz I do Chicago tunes live on my acoustic now, never knew... so much love and respect for both... ah shit R.I.P. once again...

Love the video. Classic stuff 🎸

TOTALLY AWESOME INTERVIEW!! I'M SO GLAD THAT "JIMI" HELPED "CTA" aka "CHICAGO"... because they R a worth their weight in PLATINUM (not Brass- Lol)!! Part if the irony is "JIMI" wanted a new direction and to include a BRASS SECTION- he loved that sound. Whereas, I think TERRY wanted to do some solo work, with a small rhythm section!! I think TERRY needed that freedom to explore his own creativity... and I think JIMI needed a fuller sound and something jazzier and conservative. TERRY didn't get the notoriety his SO WELL DESERVES because he was such a team player. I also FEEL once JIMI passed... it deeply hurt TERRY because of their CONNECTION on so many different levels. Can one imagine what it felt like after performing in this synergistic tour with JIMI ( where they both complemented each other's music- a Jazzy, Blues, Rock "CHICAGO" opening for the Acid Rock, Psychedelic, Cosmic legend. THAT'S TOTAL COMPLEMENTARY "EAR CANDY!! It COULDN'T get better than that!!!!!), when "TERRY" got wind that "JIMI" was gone. HAD to be devastatinging at BEST!! Two UNTOUCHABLE TALENTS considering some type of MUSICAL COLLABORATION... and then- GONE... without a moment's notice!! "TERRY's" heart must have sunk right into his stomach!! How does one swallow that pill not long aftet touring with an EQUAL in both MUSICAL ARTISTRY and HUMILITY?! The general public CANNOT "FEEL"... let alone know, the immense emotional connection that had developed behind the scenes. I couldn't begin to understand what "TERRY" felt upon hearing the news... just like I couldn't begin to understand the feeling the other "CHICAGO" members felt upon hearing of "TERRY's" accident. It really is a type od grief that lingers long after the initial wound us healed. We can only APPRECIATE that these 2 musically artistic prodigies had a brief moment where they , as well as their bands, crossed the plane of cosmic time for an UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE. "In a Roomful of Mirrors"... "Does Anyone Really Know What Time it is?!" NOT if one has been awake, "25 or 6 to 4"... with "Purple Haze" all through their brain!! I'd Love to view one concert from the tour- SOME ENTITY has control of it!!! RIP "JIMI" and "TERRY!!" YOU BOTH ARE MISSED BEYOND our 3 dimensional understanding!! Once again - MAGNIFICENT INTERVIEW!!!

Terry Kath had an electrifying intensity playing the guitar. To me, Kath was the best. In fact, as good as Jimmy Hendrix. It would have been awesome they two had performed together.

Wow! I never knew that story. Thanks for posting.

Wow🌸 ...can u imagine. .those songs would have been beautiful 🌸..what a lovely thought .🌸

Thank you Joe and James for this magnificent piece of history.

Nice interview with James Pankow, thank you Joe.

So sad what could've been. Hendrix and Chicago. I'm having a time wrapping my head around it.

My God, how fortunate we were to be alive before they died.

Great story... love it

Joe, good lord, these interviews are gold! Great questions, and a lot of space to have everyone talk. Just great! Always a great watch & listen! Happy new year, and thank you so much for the work! 💯‼️🙏

I saw them @ the Forum in ‘68. Amazing!

beginning at 4:33 or thereabouts .. The way he rubs his hands together in glee at the prospect of cutting a record with Jimi Hendrix is priceless.

What a wonderful story. JMH & CTA

This is priceless! Thanks for sharing. 👍

Thanks Joe...You are a godsend for musicians.

Great story. Classic.

RIP JIMI and TERRY. Great story