Lou Pardini
Lou Pardini is an American Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, keyboardist, and record producer best known for his role as lead vocalist and keyboardist with the rock band Chicago from 2009 to 2022.[1] Born in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1952 and raised in Fresno, California, Pardini began his professional music career in the Los Angeles scene during the 1980s, where he gained recognition as a songwriter crafting hits for Motown, pop, and R&B artists.[2][3] His breakthrough came with co-writing "Just to See Her" for Smokey Robinson, a Top 10 hit that earned him a 1988 Grammy nomination for Best R&B Song.[4] Other notable songwriting credits include the #3 R&B single "I Wonder Who She's Seeing Now" for The Temptations in 1988 and "We've Saved the Best for Last," a duet featuring Smokey Robinson and Kenny G that reached #4 on the Adult Contemporary chart in 1989.[1][5] Pardini's solo career includes several albums, starting with Live and Let Live (1996), followed by A Night to Remember (1997), which showcased his adult contemporary and soft rock style with influences from R&B and jazz fusion.[2] He also contributed keyboards and vocals to various projects, including tracks on Kenny G's albums. In 2009, Pardini joined Chicago, where he performed lead vocals on classics like "Look Away" and contributed to the band's continued touring and recordings until his departure in January 2022 to pursue new opportunities in Nashville.[1][6] Since then, he has focused on producing, writing new material, and collaborating with other artists in the country and pop genres.[1]Early life
Childhood and family background
Louis Joseph Pardini was born on June 5, 1952, in Omaha, Nebraska.[7] He was raised in Fresno, California, where his family provided a supportive environment that nurtured his emerging musical interests.[3] From an early age, Pardini's natural aptitude for music became evident; as a child, he would play songs on the piano entirely by ear, impressing those around him.[3] His parents recognized this talent and enrolled him in private lessons for guitar and piano at the age of five, marking the beginning of his formal musical education in the vibrant Central Valley community of Fresno.[3] During his formative years, local influences and family encouragement exposed him to a range of artists, including Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, and rock bands like Led Zeppelin, shaping his diverse musical tastes up to adolescence.[3]Initial musical development
Pardini demonstrated an early aptitude for music, beginning piano lessons at the age of five after his parents recognized his natural talent and enrolled him in formal training in Fresno, California.[8] This initial exposure to the instrument formed the cornerstone of his musical education, fostering a deep interest that extended beyond classical techniques to include improvisation, which became a defining element of his style.[1] Pardini attended San Joaquin Memorial High School in Fresno and later pursued higher education at Fresno City College, California State University, Fresno, and the Berklee School of Music in Boston.[3] As Pardini progressed through his formative years, his piano foundation evolved into a broader exploration of keyboard proficiency, influenced by jazz traditions. He developed improvisational skills that allowed him to engage meaningfully with the genre, blending structured training with creative expression. This period marked the beginning of his technical growth, emphasizing fluidity and adaptability on the keys.[1]Career beginnings
Entry into the music industry
After attending the Berklee School of Music in Boston, where he honed his skills in jazz piano, Lou Pardini relocated to Los Angeles in the early 1980s to launch a professional career in music.[6] This move positioned him in the heart of the thriving West Coast music industry, allowing him to leverage his classical and jazz foundation into paid opportunities.[3] In Los Angeles, Pardini quickly immersed himself in session work as a keyboardist, contributing to recordings for a diverse array of artists across rock, pop, R&B, jazz, blues, and gospel genres.[3] His versatility on keyboards enabled him to participate in early professional recordings, often as a supporting musician in studio environments that demanded precision and adaptability.[6] These initial gigs helped him build a reputation for reliability, drawing from his lifelong piano proficiency developed through formal lessons and self-taught improvisation during his youth. Pardini's entry into the industry also involved active networking within the [LA](/page/L(a) scene, where he connected with executives and producers at prominent labels including Motown, alongside pop and R&B outfits.[1] These relationships opened doors to preliminary opportunities, such as auditioning for session roles and submitting demos, laying the groundwork for sustained work without immediate breakthroughs.[3] Through persistent engagement at studios and industry events, he navigated the competitive landscape, focusing on collaborative contributions that showcased his multi-instrumental talents.Key songwriting collaborations
Lou Pardini's emergence as a prominent songwriter in the late 1980s was marked by his co-writing of "Just to See Her" with Jimmy George for Smokey Robinson's 1987 album One Heartbeat. The track, which Pardini composed alongside George, peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 2 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart.[5] It earned Robinson the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 30th Annual Grammy Awards in 1988, while Pardini and George received a nomination for Best R&B Song.[9] Building on this success, Pardini co-wrote "I Wonder Who She's Seeing Now" with George for The Temptations' 1988 album Together Again. Featuring a harmonica solo by Stevie Wonder, the song reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and marked another significant R&B hit for Pardini early in his career.[5] He also contributed to Patti Austin's repertoire, co-writing "Love Is Gonna Getcha" with Reed Vertelney and Alan Roy Scott for her 1990 album of the same name, blending pop and R&B elements in a track that highlighted his versatile songcraft. In 1989, Pardini co-wrote "We've Saved the Best for Last," a duet featuring Smokey Robinson and Kenny G that reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100.[1][5] Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Pardini's songwriting and production work extended to collaborations with several iconic artists, often involving co-writing or production on their recordings. He provided production and songwriting support for projects involving Stevie Wonder, including the aforementioned feature on The Temptations track.[1] Additionally, Aretha Franklin and Smokey Robinson performed "Just to See Her" as a duet in her 1993 TV special Aretha Franklin: Duets, bringing Pardini's composition to a new audience in a live performance setting.[10] These partnerships underscored Pardini's ability to craft hits across genres, solidifying his reputation in the industry before shifting focus to his solo endeavors.Solo career
Debut and early albums
Lou Pardini's debut solo album, Live and Let Live, was released on April 24, 1996, by Victor Entertainment, initially targeting the Japanese market. The record marked his shift from behind-the-scenes songwriting to fronting his own material, with Pardini handling keyboards, programming, and lead vocals across 11 tracks he largely arranged and produced himself.[11] Key singles from the album included "What Might Have Been," a self-composed ballad that became a standout in adult contemporary circles, and a cover of "Just to See Her," his earlier Grammy-nominated hit originally written for Smokey Robinson. These tracks exemplified the album's polished production, fusing R&B grooves with pop melodies and subtle jazz-inflected keyboard work reflective of Pardini's roots in the jazz-funk ensemble Koinonia.[12][1] In 1997, a revised edition titled A Night to Remember appeared in the United States via JVC, incorporating live elements and guest appearances by bassist John Patitucci and drummer Abe Laboriel on selections like "Take It Away" and the title track. This version maintained the debut's smooth, soulful aesthetic while emphasizing Pardini's versatile vocal delivery and multi-instrumental contributions.[13][14] Pardini's follow-up, Look the Other Way, emerged on October 21, 1998, again through Victor for Asian distribution, featuring 12 original songs that continued blending R&B harmonies, pop structures, and jazz-tinged arrangements. Notable cuts included "I'll Always Be There" and "Talk About It," underscoring his growing confidence as a performer drawing from prior songwriting collaborations.[15]Notable solo releases and hits
Lou Pardini's solo career gained momentum in the mid-1990s with releases that blended adult contemporary pop, jazz influences, and smooth R&B elements, showcasing his skills as a vocalist, keyboardist, and songwriter. His debut solo album, Live and Let Live, was initially released in Japan in 1996 before seeing a U.S. edition in 1997 under the alternate title A Night to Remember. These albums featured a mix of original compositions and covers, highlighting Pardini's emotive delivery on ballads and upbeat tracks. The tracklist for Live and Let Live includes:| Track Number | Title | Writers/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Some Things Never Change | |
| 2 | Just to See Her | Jimmy George, Lou Pardini (cover of Smokey Robinson hit) |
| 3 | Take It Away | |
| 4 | What Might Have Been | Lou Pardini, Kevyn Lettau, John Patitucci |
| 5 | Live and Let Live | Jimmy George, Lou Pardini |
| 6 | A Night to Remember | Jimmy George |
| 7 | It's a Mystery | |
| 8 | Brighter Day | |
| 9 | I Believe in You | |
| 10 | Morning Kisses | |
| 11 | Need I Say More | (duet with Kevyn Lettau on some editions) |
| Track Number | Title | Writers/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Better Late Than Never | |
| 2 | We've Got So Far to Go | |
| 3 | Love Is a Hurtin' Thing | (cover) |
| 4 | Time Out for Love | |
| 5 | I'll Always Be There | |
| 6 | Look the Other Way | |
| 7 | Place in My Heart | |
| 8 | Method to the Madness | |
| 9 | How Can I Stop Loving You | |
| 10 | I Just Had to Fall | |
| 11 | Take It Away | (re-recording) |
| 12 | What Might Have Been | (re-recording) |