Terry Kath

Terry Alan Kath (January 31, 1946 – January 23, 1978) was an American guitarist and singer who is best known as a founding member of the rock band Chicago. He played lead guitar and sang lead vocals on many of the band's early hit singles alongside Robert Lamm and Peter Cetera. He has been praised by his bandmates and other musicians for his guitar skills and his Ray Charles–influenced vocal style. Jimi Hendrix cited Terry Kath as one of his favorite guitarists, and considered Kath to be "the best guitarist in the universe."

Growing up in a musical family, Kath took up a variety of instruments in his teens, including the drums and banjo. He played bass in a number of local bands throughout the mid-1960s, gaining experience in various musical styles and group settings. As his musical direction evolved, he eventually transitioned to the guitar, which became his primary instrument by the time he co-founded the band that would later be known as Chicago. His dynamic and expressive guitar playing, which blended elements of rock, jazz, and blues, quickly became a central component of the group’s sound. From the band’s earliest recordings, his contributions helped define their musical identity and set them apart from other rock acts of the era.

He used a number of different guitars, but eventually became identified with a Fender Telecaster fitted with a single neck-position humbucker pickup combined with a bridge position angled single-coil pickup and decorated with numerous stickers.

Kath struggled with health issues and substance abuse in the late 1970s. In January 1978, he died from an unintentional self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. His death led the members of Chicago to consider disbanding; however, they ultimately chose to continue. Their decision to move forward was reflected in the memorial song "Alive Again." To commemorate his musicianship, they issued the 1997 album The Innovative Guitar of Terry Kath. In 2016, Kath's daughter Michelle Sinclair released the documentary The Terry Kath Experience, which chronicles his life and Chicago's early years.