James William Guercio (born July 18, 1945) is an American music
producer, musician, songwriter and director. He is well known for his
work as the producer of Chicago's early albums as well as early
recordings of The Buckinghams and Blood, Sweat & Tears. He has worked
briefly in the motion picture industry as a producer and director. In
the mid 1970s, Guercio managed the Beach Boys and was a member of
their backing band.Guercio moved to Los Angeles in the mid-1960s and
began working as a session musician and songwriter. He played on
several recordings, wrote Chad & Jeremy's 1966 Top 30 pop hit "Distant
Shores", and is listed as a "contributor" to Frank Zappa's 1966 debut
album Freak Out! (he was briefly a member of the Mothers of Invention
prior to the album's recording). Hired by Columbia Records as a staff
producer, Guercio began working with the Buckinghams and helped them
create four big 1967 hits including two Top Tens â€" "Don't You Care"
and "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" â€" and two singles which peaked immediately
outside the Top Ten: "Hey Baby (They're Playing Our Song)" and
"Susan".During his college years in Chicago, Guercio had become
friends with a saxophonist named Walter Parazaider. Parazaider invited
Guercio to hear his new band, "The Big Thing", and Guercio offered to
manage and produce them. He relocated the band to Los Angeles in 1968,
convinced them to change their name to "The Chicago Transit
Authority", and arranged for them to appear in local clubs where they
quickly became popular. While recording their first album for
CBS/Columbia, Guercio was also approached about producing a second
album for Blood, Sweat & Tears. Both of these highly successful albums
were released in 1969, and Blood, Sweat & Tears won Guercio an Album
of the Year Grammy Award.In 1969, Guercio shortened the band's name to
Chicago and worked with them on a second album, Chicago II. Both this
album and the original The Chicago Transit Authority featured long
recordings which were moderately popular on FM stations, but when
Guercio edited several tracks down to a radio-friendly 3-minute
lengthâ€"including single versions of "Make Me Smile", "25 or 6 to 4",
and "Beginnings"â€"Chicago became a huge commercial success. Guercio
would ultimately produce eleven albums for the band (including five
straight number 1 pop albums, starting with Chicago V) and 17 Top 25
singles. The Chicago X album yielded the band's first number 1 single,
"If You Leave Me Now", which also earned two Grammy Awards (best pop
performance for the band, and best arrangement for Guercio). However,
Guercio and the band members found themselves increasingly at odds
over creative decisions, tour schedules, and finances, and they parted
ways soon after completing Chicago XI in late 1977.
producer, musician, songwriter and director. He is well known for his
work as the producer of Chicago's early albums as well as early
recordings of The Buckinghams and Blood, Sweat & Tears. He has worked
briefly in the motion picture industry as a producer and director. In
the mid 1970s, Guercio managed the Beach Boys and was a member of
their backing band.Guercio moved to Los Angeles in the mid-1960s and
began working as a session musician and songwriter. He played on
several recordings, wrote Chad & Jeremy's 1966 Top 30 pop hit "Distant
Shores", and is listed as a "contributor" to Frank Zappa's 1966 debut
album Freak Out! (he was briefly a member of the Mothers of Invention
prior to the album's recording). Hired by Columbia Records as a staff
producer, Guercio began working with the Buckinghams and helped them
create four big 1967 hits including two Top Tens â€" "Don't You Care"
and "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" â€" and two singles which peaked immediately
outside the Top Ten: "Hey Baby (They're Playing Our Song)" and
"Susan".During his college years in Chicago, Guercio had become
friends with a saxophonist named Walter Parazaider. Parazaider invited
Guercio to hear his new band, "The Big Thing", and Guercio offered to
manage and produce them. He relocated the band to Los Angeles in 1968,
convinced them to change their name to "The Chicago Transit
Authority", and arranged for them to appear in local clubs where they
quickly became popular. While recording their first album for
CBS/Columbia, Guercio was also approached about producing a second
album for Blood, Sweat & Tears. Both of these highly successful albums
were released in 1969, and Blood, Sweat & Tears won Guercio an Album
of the Year Grammy Award.In 1969, Guercio shortened the band's name to
Chicago and worked with them on a second album, Chicago II. Both this
album and the original The Chicago Transit Authority featured long
recordings which were moderately popular on FM stations, but when
Guercio edited several tracks down to a radio-friendly 3-minute
lengthâ€"including single versions of "Make Me Smile", "25 or 6 to 4",
and "Beginnings"â€"Chicago became a huge commercial success. Guercio
would ultimately produce eleven albums for the band (including five
straight number 1 pop albums, starting with Chicago V) and 17 Top 25
singles. The Chicago X album yielded the band's first number 1 single,
"If You Leave Me Now", which also earned two Grammy Awards (best pop
performance for the band, and best arrangement for Guercio). However,
Guercio and the band members found themselves increasingly at odds
over creative decisions, tour schedules, and finances, and they parted
ways soon after completing Chicago XI in late 1977.
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