Oh boy, yes, I know he was 94 years old. If we all make it that long, we've lived not only a life but probably many. Still, it's not quite a shock but another piece of a reality, that this thing called life is temporary. I've shared my thoughts on this many times over the years and as I've said before, the reason I point it out, to myself at least, is it's empowering. It reminds me we don't have all the time in the world, so get on with it. Whatever it is we need to do.
Hearing about Burt took me back through my life and suddenly so many pieces came together. I've known about them throughout these years but when someone is gone it's amazing to reflect on how much they've been a part of our lives. Here's how it all started.
My mother is very musical. My whole family is. On both sides. My mother, her mother, her father, her grandfather, all very musical. My father, (I'm not sure about any of his blood relatives but boy, my father is one of the most brilliantly talented people I've ever witnessed. But I want to go back to my mother here…
My first memories of the music that was playing in our household in the 60s when I was probably 4, 5, maybe 6 years old were James Brown, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Ella Fitzgerald and Dionne Warwick. LOTS of Dionne Warwick. If I were to tell you the songs I remember the most they would be “Walk On By”, “Do You Know The Way To San Jose”, “I Say A Little Prayer”, “Always Something There To Remind Me”. I mean I can hear it as if it was yesterday.
My mother would be carrying me draped across her chest with my head resting on her shoulder, (that gives you and idea of what age I was), and my mother would be singing along. My mother has the most beautiful singing voice. Pure butter. When I hear the recordings I've made throughout my career and one of the things that, as my dear friend Bill Champlin would say, “Your voice *prints* very well'. Well, that's the air, that's the depth of the sound which comes from a warmth that is created with air, breathiness if you will. Even while singing louder parts, it's the frequencies in the voice created by the air surrounding it. That, I got from my mother.
My mother was always performing with her own bands in San Diego. Sometimes she'd just go in and *sit in* with her friends around town but by the time I was becoming a teenager she had bands she'd book all around San Diego. By the time I was 14 she had one called “The Roberts Connection”. She had me join when I was 14 and took me down to the Musician's Union in San Diego to become a professional musician with a union card, at 14. We were playing all the top 40 stuff so didn't get into the stuff I'd heard in the 60s growing up.
But let me go back a little before that. I remember going to the drive in theater with my mother and my brother Darin to see “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”. I was 7 years old at the time. That was the first time I'd experienced going to a movie and getting emotionally moved and caught up in it so that when the scene where Paul Newman and Katherine Ross are on the bicycle together and “Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head” is played I was transformed. As a 7 year old I was completely captured into the emotion of that moment. And one of the main reasons was that song. PHENOMENAL work or art. The writing, the production, the lead vocal by B.J. Thomas. I didn't know it at the time but here was in his prime Burt Bacharach. Burt co-wrote it and produced it and it had his signature. The phrasing of the vocal is pure Bacharach.
That moment in the film was one of the most brilliant setups so that when at the end and Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid were trying to make a run for it and got lit up with by the authorities with guns a blazing, I cried like a baby. Well, I really was one. But that movie, that song, that scene, hit me with a sophistication way beyond what a 7 year old mentality should have experienced… and I'm telling you, SO much of it was the setup of that song.
Little did I know the seed that was planted that would manifest itself in many ways throughout my life.
Shortly after that, my mother started taking me to concerts. The very first one we went to was the jazz singer Nancy Wilson. Not the Nancy Wilson of Heart but the jazz singer. It was at the San Diego Civic Center I believe and I remember walking down the aisle to our seats and the show had started. I don't remember much of the show… wasn't familiar with the music but I sure loved being with my mother out taking in what she loved, music and her favorite artists.
Right after that, she told me we were going to the San Diego Sports Arena and we were going to see Burt Bacharach in concert! WOWWWWWWWWW. So there we went. And guess what? He was playing ALL those songs I'd heard growing up that Dionne Warwick had made hits along with the other hits Burt had produced which obviously included “Raindrops”. Man, I was in heaven. I was taking in the music that was moving me.
Shortly after that concert she told me we were going to the Sports Arena again to see Tom Jones! YESSSSSSSSSSS. Another incredible experience. Remember it like it was yesterday. I saw him leaning down to kiss the women freaking out up front. Saw a few panties being thrown at him! Yes, I witnessed it! In fact, my mother told me her cousin Judy called her the next day to say she was one of those up front!!!!! haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
So moving along, as I mentioned before, I went on to become a professional musician at 14, moved to LA when I was 18 and at 23 got a break that changed everything. I joined the band Chicago as the tenor lead vocalist replacing the iconic Peter Cetera. I've written at length about this so if you haven't read that you can CLICK HERE rather than me go into it. I've also written about meeting Tom and John Keane pretty quickly once I moved to LA. These were true child prodigies. That title gets thrown around so much these days but when you've actually experienced the real thing your standards are extremely high. The Keane Brothers were and are true child prodigies.
As I've also written about, a lot, in my past blogs and journals, they brought me into a world I'd only dreamed of. Anybody who wanted be in music dreamed of. Connecting with The Keane Brothers and joining their band I was exposed to David Foster, Jay Graydon, Jeff Porcaro and Bill Champlin almost overnight. The nice thing was these people had run with my father so there was an instant acceptance and acknowledgement/respect because I am the son of Jerry Scheff.
The first Chicago album I made was Chicago 18 with David Foster producing. That album contained the hits “Will You Still Love Me” and “If She Would Have Been Faithful”. Another very sweet connection to all of it was the fact Tom Keane was a co-writer on my first hit I sang, “Will You Still Love Me”. So all of a sudden we experienced the top of the pop charts together. We *made it* together. Actually, Tom had been successful/made it since he was around 9 or 10 years old! But having that hit together meant everything to me. It's what you'd dream of, right? Making it with your buddies?
Probably a year or 2 after that, sometime around 1988, 1989 ish? Tom picked me up in his car and we went over to Burt and Carol's. Are you kidding me? We walked into this home in Malibu and there they were. Burt Bacharach and Carol Bayer Sager. Tom was very close to them at this point since he'd co-written “Through The Fire” for Chaka Khan with David Foster and Carol Bayer Sager. So here we are on their tennis court playing doubles tennis. Of course I met Burt and Carol and they were both very pleasant but let's be perfectly honest. I was SOOOOOO starstruck I didn't say much. It was like you were in the presence of Gods… and you were!
I never saw either of them again but that day was very special to me. I was in the club. You could tell. I went on along my merry way and then in 1999 we/Chicago made a live record. Chicago 26 – Live in Chicago. We recorded one night live and added 2 studio songs for the album and one is a song called “If I Should Ever Lose You” written by, guess who? Burt Bacharach. The track was produced by Mervyn Warren of the incredible vocal group Take 6. I have to say here, there have been a few times I've been in the studio making Chicago records where the face on the other side of the glass motivated me to go way beyond what I thought I was capable of doing. That's what a great producer does. And it's not even so much what any of them say. Truthfully? I've never really needed a lot of input from producers. Fortunately, when paired with musical forces like that I was always motivated and didn't find it difficult to find the energy and courage to deliver. It has always been very synergistic. That's why so much of great production is knowing how to *cast* it. Again, I know how lucky I am to have learned from the best.
So going into this vocal session on “If I Should Ever Lose You” I had the gift of having Mervyn Warren on the other side of the glass as our audience. Also, I remember when the first Take 6 album came out and I watched how it lit Bill Champlin up. It lit us all up but for someone like Champlin who is one of the greatest genius, (not only vocalists, but vocal arrangers), have his mind blown by that group and I get to witness it? Along with going into the studio to work with one of the main arrangers of Take 6? Oh boy! Here we go. Talk about being motivated to bring the goods. AND, it's a Burt Bacharach song?!?!?!?!
This song had all the makings of Bacharach too… the surprise elements of odd measures not to mention the MELODIES! One of the things I've always heard from my co-writers is that I'm a melody guy. Melodies have always been natural for me and one of the things I bring to the table. “Heart Of Mine” is a classic example of that. I brought that verse and be section to Bobby Caldwell. Chords and melody. Well, now I'm realizing where that inspiration comes from. I was steeped in Burt Bacharach during the 60s when I was 4, 5, 6 years old. Being programmed. Please let me take a second and make a disclaimer here though! In NO WAY am I trying to compare myself to Burt Bacharach! There is none… I'm just giving you what has influenced me and these experiences… being able to go in and record one of his songs… it's like your life unfolds in front of you. And you're connecting the dots. Remember when you played tennis with him 10 or 11 years ago? Remember when you saw him in concert when you were 7 or 8 years old?
I listened to this track just tonight, which I haven't heard in years, and the inspiration came blaring out of the speakers. I can say this is one of my proudest recordings with Bill Champlin. It's me and Bill on all vocals on this track. It reminds me when I went into the studio with him when I first joined Chicago and as you can imagine, I was WAY outclassed… I was waiting until everybody found out I was a fraud and had luckily snuck in for a few seconds until I was found out and ushered to the door.
BUT… I walked into the studio and went to a microphone with Bill Champlin, yes, back then we went in on one mic and sang together… which meant, you had to get it right. One guy is off? You're doing it again. But magic happened. Again, just like working with the greatest producers in the world and getting inspired, hearing my voice with Champlin brought it out of me. We started running and running hard. Not only recording as the 2 main lead vocalists of Chicago in the 80s after Cetera left and being the voices on some of Chicago's biggest hits, but working for other artists. Bill brought me in immediately to sessions he was hired to work with. Kenny Rogers, The Commodores, Julio Iglesias, Gino Vanelli, George Benson, to name a few. If you were to ask me, would there be life after Cetera and Champlin I'd say no chance. But there it was, us creating an addition to the body of work these icons had made before.
Have a listen here to this track from the Chicago Live – Live in Chicago album.
Whew… just telling that story takes my breath away a bit. Having this quiet night to reflect and see the dots connecting throughout my life… but, the dots aren't finished connecting.
Once we were into the 2000s we reconnected with Phil Ramone. Actually, I was just meeting him for the first time but the guys had worked with him on many of the early albums in the 70s and particular, for me, Chicago 6 which was the first Chicago album that made me a fan. Again, I was probably 10 years old? “Just You And Me” and “Feeling Stronger Every Day” were hits on the radio at the time and I was bitten by the bug. I became a radio junkie… started calling in to win prizes… and another couple of dots connecting were my brother Todd winning Chicago 6 on the radio and I won “Grand Funk's – We're An American Band” album. (another dot connecting years later… I would work a lot with Todd Rundgren who produced “We're An American Band”)
But back to working with Phil. He came in to add 6 songs to an existing Christmas album we had made with Roy Bittan of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. We went into the studio with Phil and again, here was one of those guys who motivated me to bring the goods. One of my favorite tracks from those sessions is the Donny Hathaway song “This Christmas” I sang. Seeing Phil Ramone beaming on the other side of the glass is an energy I wish everybody could experience. It's almost like the music performs itself. Getting that kind of visual feedback creates its own momentum.
But what I loved most about those sessions with Phil were the times I'd stay after the recording was done and just hang with Phil. He was in town for us… this was in Nashville so being that I lived there I'd just hang until he was done and guess what, he LOVED to just stay. LOVED being in the recording studio. Some producers I've worked with put their day in, shake hands and see you the next day. Not Phil. He wanted to HANG! And one of the main reasons was because he LOVED sharing the stories… and I was interested! I was picking his brain on how he recorded all of that classic stuff throughout his career and he LOVED sharing it. I was really wanting to go in a direction creatively to get back to recording without thinking we'd be fixing and manipulating thing as much as the industry had become. He LOVED that philosophy. We talked a LOT about how important *casting* the project is. If you put the right people in the room it's almost automatic.
Well, I knew about many of the obvious stuff Phil Ramone had done. Most notably, all of the great Billy Joel records. That is a classic Phil Ramone New York sound. Also, Paul Simon. Most of the great 70s Paul Simon records were made by Phil Ramone. But when I started finding out about the true depth of his legacy and pedigree, my mind was completely blown. And not only finding out about it but having this front row seat, PRIVATELY, to get any and all information I wanted/needed from him. And coupled with the fact I'd proven myself. Actually, I just got a little ahead of myself… The first 6 songs I mentioned were for the addition to the first Christmas record… we then went in a few years later, back with Phil, to make an entire new record. Another Christmas record. This was the one in Nashville where I was able to spend so much time with him.
So we're sitting around one night late after everybody was gone and he tells this story of having his recording studio in New York City, A & R Studios… I need to add that there was a live Elton John album called 11/17/70 and I devoured it when it came out! As many of you know, I'm such and Elton freak that when I put the pieces together… I knew it was recorded at A & R Studios because they say it at the beginning of the album… I didn't know Phil was the recording engineer on it! Whoa… dots connected. And this was when Elton was a trio. Elton, Nigel and Dee. Davey wasn't in the band yet! This was the BEGINNING! And I'm here making music with the guy who put the recording together.
Phil then goes into a story of how, (and I need to throw this side note here… check out how in this story the *chance* element is EVERYTHING. We all get so caught up in having to KNOW what's going on. What's going to be going on… having it all planned out… and then, the chances and the happenstance… things you couldn't dream of happen… and history and life are made…). Phil says that he's sitting in his studios, in the 60s, and gets a call that a producer and his artist were supposed to go into another studio, (Bell Sound I think?), couldn't get in and needed a room. Phil had the room open and shortly later, in walks Burt Bacharach with his new artist Dionne Warwick. My-Jaw-DROPPPPPPPPED. Are you kidding me? YOU recorded all those Dionne Warwick hits Phil? With his amazing smile, he said yes. I can't believe it.
Now let me really go on a tangent here and when he starts telling me all the other stuff it's like the guy recorded EVERYTHING!!!! Going back to “The Girl From Ipanema” in 1964. Yes, Phil Ramone recorded it. The Marilyn Monroe “Happy Birthday Mr. President” moment in 1962, yup, Phil Ramone recorded it. It got to the point where we were talking about songs from the 70s and I put my foot in my mouth saying, “Isn't it funny how when you're growing up and you hear songs you can't stand at the time, then years later when you hear the quality of record making, vocals, etc. take such a nosedive you hear these old songs and realize how great they really were/are!!! Classic example, Skyrockets in flight, Afternoon Delight! I HATED that song!” and Phil says, “I recorded that song” and I DIED!!!! I said, “Well that's my point! It's awesome but at the time, I wanted rock and roll baby!!!”
But I have to say, when he started going through his history and I saw how much of it made me, and now I had become some of the new history being made… it was a moment that is bronzed in my memory. I cherish those days and nights with Phil. Knowing he made those Bacharach/Dionne Warwick records showed me that we are one big family and if I go back to being in my first 5 or 6 years of my life, the signs were there. I always try to tell that to kids. Or anybody who is getting out in their lives, or even us elders now. The signs are there. Pay attention. Something is showing you the way. Where you're going. Who you'll be.
Another dot getting connected would be working with and becoming great friends with Christopher Cross. I started working with him in 2019 touring with Todd Rundgren, (remember that dot connected earlier?), Micky Dolenz, (dot connected… I was WAY into The Monkees as it happened in the 60s. It was my generation). Not to go on TOO many tangents but once you uncover one dot being connected another one seems to pop up! Christopher Cross's breakout record in 1980 was produced by Michael Omartian who is working with me on my new solo record I'm working on. Ok, I'll come back to the point! Christopher, after sweeping the Grammys in 1980 ended up dominating the radio for several years after that and co-wrote a song that won the Oscar in 1981 for “Best Original Song” called “Arthur's Theme” written with, you guessed it, Burt Bacharach. It just keeps getting intertwined…
And one last amazing dot connected… a few years ago I got a call from a friend who said Dionne Warwick was making a Christmas record and they were wondering if I'd do a duet with her. Again, YOU KIDDING ME? I canceled everything I was doing and jumped at it. “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”. Her son Damon was producing so we hopped on the phone, I got the details and told him I could get on it immediately. I was actually out having lunch with my wife and I told her I'd just gotten this call and we needed to head out. We got in the car and the phone rang and it was Damon. He said, “We're really glad you can do this and I have mom right here with me… and then she speaks… “Hi!” holy-you know what!!! It's Dionne Warwick in a setting as natural as a friend just calling up and you can tell they're in a car, just like I was. She says, “I really appreciate you doing this. Just have fun.” And I told her I will and thank you for asking me to do it.
I went home and once again, heard a voice in my headphones that brought my whole life right there in front of my eyes/ears. This was the sound I remember as early as I can about anything. Shaping me… to one day become a part of it. Unbelievable… and it all started with Burt Bacharach. Thank you Burt. Thank you for the day on the tennis court. Thank you for your song we recorded with Chicago. Thank you for all the amazing songs not only Dionne but “Close To You” by The Carpenters. Unbelievable. There will never be anything like you again. We were so lucky to have you. I hope you are smiling down on all of us here tonight as I write this. I know we've lost you on this plane, here on earth. But we'll meet again.
If I Should Ever Lose You was one of the most beautiful songs Chicago ever recorded. Should have been a big single. You and Bill were awesome on it and I loved the horn lines as well. Thanks for sharing these stories and insight!
Beautiful stories Jason and the fantastic tune+, Burt and so much incredible music with such great talent!
Wow!! Thank you sooo much Jason for sharing this. We never get to hear stories like this and it adds so much human element ! They say we only have about 5 life changing events in most people lives , you my friend have been blessed with many ! I feel you passion and love for the music of our lives . My greatest regret in my life was not following my dream of playing drums professionally . I keep telling Tris to write a book and you certainly should as well !!! These are wonderful to hear ! Thanks again and stay thirsty !!
Always great to hear all of your awesome stories Jason and how your musical journey is connected to so many people! You have definitely left you mark on this planet and I’m glad to have been a little speck of dust that crossed paths with you.
Looking forward to your solo album that you are working on and hope to see you out on the road with Generation Radio or on your own soon!
All my best, Brian
Wow Jason, that was great, I am in awe of how cosmically connected your life experiences have been. I saw the news of Burt’s passing from a post by Richard Marx, whose music I discovered just a couple months before I discovered Chicago’s when Look Away was released. Funny aside, I saw Buzz Feiten at a club maybe 20 years ago, and between sets I went up to him because I recognized his name but couldn’t place it, and I asked him “Didn’t you write a song for Richard Marx?” And he said “No”. When I got home I realized I was thinking of “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now”. I felt like such a dope and I was wearing a Chicago hat when I asked him!
Anyway, so many great songs by Burt but the first one I thought of when I heard the news was “If I Should Ever Lose You”. My favorite songs are ones that you and Bill sing on. It’ is there me like Lennon-McCartney is to others.
Thank you for sharing! It’s wonderful to hear how one person can be the inspiration of so many others. It comes back full circle.
Wow, amazing stories. Yes indeed all the dots connected for sure. Thank you Jason for sharing. It was very insightful.
Jason! Richard asked me to read what you wrote about Burt. This is such a wonderful tribute to his career. It is also an amazing on-site to your career and how we all can be influenced and inspired by others. I loved how you described your mom’s influence.
Just a little note from your old down the street Brentwood neighbor.
Jenny (sweet T)
Thanks for sharing Jason. I’m a huge Bacharach fan as well and the news of his passing away hit me hard. I’m always amazed at the connections you have which are truly remarkable. Somehow I did not remember that Burt wrote that song for Chicago on Chicago 26. Always loved that song.
Thanks again for always reaching out to your fans. You are so good at that and as a big fan of yours, I truly appreciate it.
I will always remember how nice you were when I met Chicago back in 2012 when I got to sing “If You Leave Me Now” with the band. It will always be one of the highlights of my life.
After my father died my mother heard “I say a little prayer” by Dionne Warwick.There was never a day after that that I did not hear her sing it. Burt was a very gifted man and I am grateful he shared his gift.
Jason, I’m blown away by your eloquence as a writer here. It’s gratifying to know that Burt Bacharach was such an incredible influence on you as a musician, vocalist, & songwriter. Along with Chicago, Burt Bacharach was a favorite of mine & I love singing his songs because of the challenge they create for a vocalist. I’m also a huge fan of Generation Radio & hope to see you next time you’re performing in Nashville.
Love ya bunches,
Peggy Hicks
What a story and the world lost a legend indeed but his memory will live on and he was right all along on What The World Needs Now Is Love. You and Bill certainly brought in a whole new element to that band along with the so called “New Guys” and what a ride that was for all of us. That live album brings back many fond memories of Taste In Chicago in Chicago on a hot summer night and right around the time Connor was born. Love when you share stories with us and so glad you got the chance to meet Burt and Carol. Going back to MySpace Days I stumbled across Carols page and messaged her saying I always loved one of her songs she wrote called Love It’s Just The Way It Goes from a movie called The Sluggers Wife and what she does for Cedars Sinai Cancer Center. A few days later I received a reply Thanks So Much Tim and I always loved that song as well. She went on to say it breaks her heart seeing the children fighting cancer so she will always be there for them and spends a lot of time there. I replied I understand this too well as I have a son battling leukemia and that’s why I truly love what your doing for them. The next reply was asking for my phone number and shortly after I received a call from Carol inviting me to come to Los Angeles and she promised to get the best care possible for my son and all expenses paid. I was completely amazed by her heart at such an offer. She didn’t know me from Adam but as someone who loved one of her more obscure songs ever in her catalog and yet here she was willing to help my son. I had great insurance and my son had great care at the time here in Chicago plus work wouldn’t of allowed me to be gone for that length of time and that’s where his insurance came from. So I declined but was left in complete awe from her heart. You have been saying it for years how precious life is and just how temporary it can be. We are never promised tomorrow and as I get older you start to witness just how fragile it can be. As Burt said so beautifully. What The World Needs Now Is Love