Danny Seraphine was a co-founder and original drummer in Chicago, spending more than 34 years and 16 albums with the group — including all of its 21 Top 10 hits — behind the kit.
And he’s still playing them, now as Danny Seraphine’s Chicago Legacy.
“It’s a legacy I helped create, hence the name,” Seraphine, 77, says from his home in California. He actually left music for 15 years after his acrimonious split from Chicago in 1990, but the absence only made the Windy City native’s heart grow fonder towards the brassy rock repertoire.
“I still love playing the music, and I have a lot of pride in how good it still sounds today — what, 56, 57 years later. It still sounds fresh. It’s still challenging to play and in some ways, more challenging, ’cause I’m quite a bit older. But I can still do it, and I feel — not with arrogance, but with pride — that this band plays it better than everybody.”
Seraphine, whose revealing memoir “Street Player” was published in 2011, is still friendly with some of his Chicago bandmates, but not those who are still involved with the group. “It wasn’t pretty, but I love those guys. no matter what happened,” he explains. “It’s a shame, ’cause we should be friends. We should be able to celebrate our legacy … and enjoy what each one of us brought to that greatness.” But he has nothing but fond feelings for the Detroit area, where Chicago and its music have been a mainstay for decades and the band that’s played more shows than any other (82) at Pine Knob Music Theatre.
“There’s a love affair between Chicago and Detroit; I think as cities we respect each other,” says Seraphine, who made a guest appearance with the local Shamrock Jazz Orchestra last year. “It’s that blue-collar, Midwest thing. Detroit has a really special place in my heart, and I’m not just saying that. It’s always been good to me and the band, so I’m excited to be coming back.”
Danny Seraphine’s Chicago Legacy performs at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23, at Andiamo Celebrity Showroom, 7096 E. 14 Mile Road, Warren. 586-268-3200 or andiamoshowroom.com.
Other music events of note this weekend (all subject to change) include …
FRIDAY, JAN. 23
• The Detroit Symphony hits the road to perform Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” at 8 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Plymouth, then at Our Lady Star of the Sea at 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24 and the Seligman Center on the Detroit Country Day School campus in Beverly Hills at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25. 313-576-5111 or dso.org.
• Detroit’s PUBLIQuartet and guitarist A. Spencer Barefield celebrate the 45th anniversary of the city’s Creative Arts Collective for Friday Night Live! at 7 p.m. at the Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward Ave. 313-833-7900 or dia.org.
• Albanian-American singer-songwriter Albert Stanaj will be on stage at Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-961-8961 or saintandrewsdetroit.com.
• Veteran singer-songwriter Peter Bradley Adams plays at 8 p.m. at 20 Front Street in Lake Orion. 248-783-7105 or 20frontstreet.com.
• Shame rocks at the Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale. Doors at 7 p.m. Ghostwoman opens. 248-820-5596 or thelovingtouchferndale.com.
• Nova Blu, Coffee Black and others perform as part of a Leland House Tenant Fundraiser at 8 p.m. at the Lager House, 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit. 313-500-1475 or thelagerhouse.com.
• Drummer Sean Dobbins and his band are in residence through Saturday, Jan. 24 at the Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe, 97 Kercheval, Grosse Pointe. 313-882-5399 or dirtydogjazz.com.
• Bassist Jonathon Muir-Cotton keeps the bottom tight through Sunday, Jan. 25 at Cliff Bell’s, 2030 Park Ave., Detroit. 313-961-2543 or cliffbells.com.
• Two Way Petting Zoo tops a four-band bill at 7 p.m. at the Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff, Hamtramck. 313-462-4117 or sanctuarydetroit.com.
• The Amalgam Jam Band, Low Exposure and Paradise Day trip-play at 8 p.m. at Small’s, 10339 Conant, Hamtramck. Doors at 6 p.m. 313-873-1117 or smallsbardetroit.com.
• Jennifer Westwood and Ted Russell Kamp team up at 7:30 p.m. at the Trinity House Theatre, 38840 W. Six Mile Road, Livonia. 734-436-6302 or trinityhousetheatre.org.
• The Roxy takes the tribute route this weekend, with Captain Fantastic (Elton John) at 8 p.m., followed PurpleXperience (Prince) at 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24 and 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25. 401 Walnut Blvd., Rochester. 248-453-5285 or theroxyrochester.com.
• It’s a double dose of tributes as Music For the Masses presents a Depeche Mode vs. Nine Inch Nails Night at the Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-544-1991 or themagicbag.com.
• The Rupple Brothers bring psychedelic folk to The Ark at 8 p.m. 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. 734-761-1800 or theark.org.
• The all-star Ona trio plays at 7 p.m. at the Blue Llama Jazz Club, 314 S. First St., Ann Arbor. 734-372-3200 or bluellamaclub.com.
• New Release: “Take Me As I Am,” the debut album from Detroit vocal trio Dames Brown, is released via Defected Records. It marks the final production work by R&B/funk hero Amp Fiddler before his death in 2023 and features collaborations with Eddie Fowlkes, Waajeed, Andres, Paul Randolph, Will Sessions and others. More information at defected.com.
• Virtual: The film “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere” moves to Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.
• Virtual: Alt-rock favorites Say Anything and Motion City Soundtrack team up at 10 p.m. from Marathon Music Works in Nashville, streaming via veeps.com.
SATURDAY, JAN. 24
• The 29th annual Sphinx Competition Finals Concert for youth string players takes place at 7:30 p.m. at Orchestra Hall, 3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit. 313-576-5111 or dso.org.
• The Ark pays tribute to the late Todd Snider with a Folk Fest Kickoff concert at 8 p.m. featuring performances by Al Bettis, Chris Buhalis, Maddy Ringo, the RFD Boys, the Lucky Nows and more. 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. 734-761-1800 or theark.org.
• Detroit DJ Stacey Pullen plays open-to-close at Lincoln Factory, 1331 Holden St., Detroit. Doors at 9 p.m. paxahau.com.
• Cabaret 313 and Detroit PBS present “Lost in Ann Arbor: Detroit Edition” featuring the University of Michigan Musical Theatre program’s seniors at 6:30 and 8:45 p.m. at the Garden Theater, 3929 Woodward Ave., Detroit. 313-832-0888 or cabaret313.org.
• Brooklyn’s Anastasia Coope headlines at 7:30 p.m. at Third Man Records, 441 W. Canfield St., Detroit. Autobahn and Dick Texas also perform. 313-209-5205 or thirdmanrecords.com.
• Libyan-born, Brooklyn-based rapper Gashi brings his The Killa Whale Tour to town at El Club, 4114 W. Vernor Highway, Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-757-7942 or elclubdetroit.com.
• Local favorite Julianne Ankley performs at 8 p.m. at 20 Front Street in Lake Orion. 248-783-7105 or 20frontstreet.com.
• Detroit horror-themed heavy metal group Halloween brings scary times at 8:30 p.m. to the Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Road, Westland. 734-513-5030 or tokenlounge.com.
• Stick Boozy celebrates the release of a new EP at 7 p.m. at the New Dodge Lounge, 8850 Jos Campau, Hamtramck. Agatha Haag and Natural Graffiti also perform. 313-638-1508 or thenewdodgelounge.com.
• The Steve Dely Band is on at 8:30 p.m. at the Cadieux Cafe, 4300 Cadieux Road, Detroit. 313-882-8560 or cadieuxcafe.com.
• Tiffadelic, Babies R Stupid and Unanswered offer a Detroit triple-play at 8 p.m. at the Lager House, 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit. 313-500-1475 or thelagerhouse.com.
• Let’s Hang On pays tribute to Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons at 8 p.m. at Andiamo Celebrity Showroom, 7096 E. 14 Mile Road, Warren. 586-268-3200 or andiamoshowroom.com.
• Simple Men & Southern Nights gives Lynyrd Skynyrd its due at 7:30 p.m. at the Macomb Center, 44575 Garfield Road, Clinton Township. 586-286-2222 or macombcenter.com.
• The Emerald Theatre hosts a double bill of tributes to Duran Duran (Rio) and The Cult (Sanctuary). 31 N. Walnut St., Mount Clemens. Doors at 7 p.m. 586-630-0120 or theemeraldtheatre.com.
• The Fleetwood Mac/Stevie Nicks tribute Seven Wonders plays the hits at 7 p.m. at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, 15801 Michigan Ave., Dearborn. 313-943-2354 or dearborntheater.com.
• Drummer Nick Collins and his Sextet keep the beat at 7 p.m. at the Blue Llama Jazz Club, 314 S. First St., Ann Arbor. 734-372-3200 or bluellamaclub.com.
• The Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra presents works by Mozart and Beethoven at 7:30 p.m. at the Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St., Ann Arbor. 734-668-9397 or marquee-arts.org.
• Virtual: Buzzed-about rock troupe Geese is the musical guest on this week’s episode of “Saturday Night Live” at 11:30 p.m. on NBC (WDIV, Channel 4 in Detroit). Teyana Taylor hosts.
SUNDAY, JAN. 25
• The first Breaking Sound showcase of the new year takes place at 7 p.m. at the New Dodge Lounge, 8850 Jos Campau, Hamtramck. 313-638-1508 or thenewdodgelounge.com.
• Bill Lepp, host of the History Channel’s “Man Vs History,” headlines at 7:30 p.m. at The Ark, 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. 734-761-1800 or theark.org.
• Brazil’s Hamilton de Holanda represents at 5:30 p.m. at the Blue Llama Jazz Club, 314 S. First St., Ann Arbor. 734-372-3200 or bluellamaclub.com.
