Lee Loughnane

Lee David Loughnane (pronounced LOCK-nain; born October 21, 1946), is an American trumpeter, flugelhorn player, vocalist, and songwriter, best known for being a founding member of the rock band Chicago.\n', ' Lee David Loughnane was born in Elmwood Park, Illinois, a northwest suburb of Chicago, to Philip and Juanita Loughnane. Lee is the second-oldest of five children. He began playing trumpet at age 11, using the same instrument played by his dad when he was in the Army Air Force. Lee attended St. Mel High School, an all-boys school operated by the Christian Brothers, because it had a concert band, jazz band and marching band. By the time he graduated in 1964, he knew that he wanted to be a professional musician. "There was nothing else that I wanted to do. I had no other calling." He met his future Chicago bandmates during his freshman year at DePaul University.\n', ' Through his friendship with guitarist Terry Kath, Loughnane met drummer Danny Seraphine and saxophone/woodwind player Walter Parazaider. Parazaider, who was trying to form a rock band with horns, encouraged Loughnane to sit in on rehearsals. Loughnane has been a member since its inception. At first, the group was known as The Big Thing. Eventually it was renamed The Chicago Transit Authority with the addition of members James Pankow on trombone, Robert Lamm on vocals and keyboards, and Peter Cetera on vocals and bass. The band was later renamed simply "Chicago."\n', '