James Michael Peterik ( ; born November 11, 1950) is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the founder of the rock band
Survivor, as vocalist and songwriter of "
Vehicle
A vehicle (from la, vehiculum) is a machine that transports people or cargo. Vehicles include wagons, bicycles, motor vehicles (motorcycles, cars, trucks, buses, mobility scooters for disabled people), railed vehicles (trains, trams), wa ...
" by
the Ides of March
The Ides of March (; la, Idus Martiae, Late Latin: ) is the 74th day in the Roman calendar, corresponding to 15 March. It was marked by several Religion in ancient Rome, religious observances and was notable in Rome as a deadline for settling d ...
, and as co-writer of the anthem "
Eye of the Tiger
"Eye of the Tiger" is a song by American rock band Survivor. It was released as a single from their third album of the same name and was also the theme song for the 1982 film ''Rocky III'', which was released a day before the single. The song ...
", the theme from the 1982 film ''
Rocky III
''Rocky III'' is a 1982 American sports drama film written, directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the sequel to '' Rocky II'' (1979) and is the third installment in the ''Rocky'' franchise. Along with Stallone reprising the title r ...
''.
Peterik has co-written songs for
38 Special 38 Special may refer to:
* .38 Special
The .38 Special, also commonly known as .38 S&W Special (not to be confused with .38 S&W), .38 Smith & Wesson Special, .38 Spl, .38 Spc, (pronounced "thirty-eight special"), or 9x29mmR is a rimmed, cent ...
("
Rockin' into the Night",, "
Hold On Loosely
"Hold On Loosely" is a song by American Rock music, rock band 38 Special (band), 38 Special and the first track from their fourth studio album ''Wild-Eyed Southern Boys''.
Release
Released as the lead single from the album, the song reached No. ...
and "
Caught Up in You
"Caught Up in You" is the first single released from Southern rock band 38 Special's 1982 album, '' Special Forces''. It became their first #1 on the ''Billboard'' Top Tracks
Classic Vinyl is a Sirius XM Radio channel focusing on classic rock ...
"),
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd ( ) is an American rock music, rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida. The group originally formed as My Backyard in 1964 and comprised Ronnie Van Zant (lead vocalist), Gary Rossington (guitar), Allen Collins (guitar), Larry Ju ...
,
Blackhawk Black Hawk and Blackhawk may refer to:
Animals
* Black Hawk (horse), a Morgan horse that lived from 1833 to 1856
* Common black hawk, ''Buteogallus anthracinus''
* Cuban black hawk, ''Buteogallus gundlachii''
* Great black hawk, ''Buteogallus uru ...
,
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973 by guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, lead vocalist Robin Zander and drummer Bun E. Carlos. The current lineup of the band consists of Zander, Nielsen and ...
,
Sammy Hagar
Samuel Roy Hagar (born October 13, 1947), also known as the Red Rocker, is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He rose to prominence in the early 1970s with the hard rock band Montrose and subsequently launched a successful solo car ...
("
Heavy Metal"),
Cathy Richardson
Catherine E. Richardson (born February 21, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and narrator from the Chicago suburbs in Illinois. She is the lead singer for the band Jefferson Starship Additional , December 3, 2011 and her own C ...
,
Dennis DeYoung
Dennis DeYoung (born February 18, 1947) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. He was a founding member of the rock band Styx, and served as its primary lead vocalist and keyboardist from 1972 until 1999. DeYoung was th ...
,
Van Zant,
Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson (born June 20, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. Often called a genius for his novel approaches to pop composition, extraordinary musical aptitude, and m ...
,
REO Speedwagon
REO Speedwagon (originally stylized as R.E.O. Speedwagon) is an American rock band from Champaign, Illinois. Formed in 1967, the band cultivated a following during the 1970s and achieved significant commercial success throughout the 1980s. The ...
, and
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and frie ...
. He is currently fronting the band Pride of Lions, and an entire album of women of Rock and Roll called Tigress and
smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of commercially-oriented crossover jazz and easy listening music that became dominant in the mid 1970s to the early 1990s.
History
Smooth jazz is a commercially oriented, crossover jazz which came to prominence in the 19 ...
project Jim Peterik's Lifeforce, and has a regular series of yearly concert performances with an all-star cast as World Stage. He is also active as a producer and mentor to young, developing talent.
Career
The Ides of March and early years
Peterik started performing in 1964 with some of his schoolmates in
Berwyn, Illinois
Berwyn is a suburban city in Cook County, Illinois, coterminous with Berwyn Township, Cook County, Illinois, Berwyn Civil township, Township, which was formed in 1908 after breaking off from Cicero Township, Cook County, Illinois, Cicero Townshi ...
, as
The Ides of March
The Ides of March (; la, Idus Martiae, Late Latin: ) is the 74th day in the Roman calendar, corresponding to 15 March. It was marked by several Religion in ancient Rome, religious observances and was notable in Rome as a deadline for settling d ...
. Their hits included "You Wouldn't Listen", "Vehicle", and "L.A. Goodbye" in the late 1960s and early 1970s. "
Vehicle
A vehicle (from la, vehiculum) is a machine that transports people or cargo. Vehicles include wagons, bicycles, motor vehicles (motorcycles, cars, trucks, buses, mobility scooters for disabled people), railed vehicles (trains, trams), wa ...
", which was number 2 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart the week of May 23, 1970, is purported to be the fastest selling single in
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...
history.
Peterik graduated from
Morton West High School in 1968 and
Morton Junior College in 1970, and attended college classes while "Vehicle" became a national hit.
In the early 1970s Peterik wrote several songs recorded by the jazz-rock band
Chase
Chase or CHASE may refer to:
Businesses
* Chase Bank, a national bank based in New York City, New York
* Chase Aircraft (1943–1954), a defunct American aircraft manufacturing company
* Chase Coaches, a defunct bus operator in England
* Chase Co ...
and performed on their 1974 album ''
Pure Music
''Pure Music'' was the third and final album by jazz-rock fusion band Chase. The failure to sell the ''Ennea'' LP on a mass market forced Bill Chase to re-group several times and come up with a new musical approach; the result was ''Pure Music''. ...
''. In 1976 he released a solo album, ''Don't Fight the Feeling'',
and toured as the Jim Peterik Band with
Bruce Gaitsch
Bruce R. Gaitsch (; born February 7, 1953) is an American guitarist, composer, and producer. He is best known for working with notable bands and musicians such Chicago, Peter Cetera, Madonna, and Agnetha Fältskog as a session musician and songwri ...
(guitar), Terry Fryer (keyboards), and Chase's rhythm section of Dennis Keith Johnson (bass) and
Gary Smith (drums). They toured with several of the era's most popular bands, including
Heart
The heart is a muscular organ in most animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels of the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the body, while carrying metabolic waste such as carbon dioxide t ...
and
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
.
Survivor
In 1978, the Jim Peterik Band had broken up and Peterik was considering going back to singing and producing jingles. After several days of pleading with Peterik, road manager/sound man Rick Weigand persuaded him to meet with guitarist
Frankie Sullivan
Frankie Sullivan (born February 1, 1955) is an American guitarist, best known for being a founding member of the rock band Survivor. He has been the only permanent fixture in its lineup since the band's 1977 inception.
Early life
According t ...
. Within an hour of that first meeting, the band Survivor was born.
In the early years of Survivor, Peterik continued to co-write hits for other artists, including
38 Special 38 Special may refer to:
* .38 Special
The .38 Special, also commonly known as .38 S&W Special (not to be confused with .38 S&W), .38 Smith & Wesson Special, .38 Spl, .38 Spc, (pronounced "thirty-eight special"), or 9x29mmR is a rimmed, cent ...
and
Sammy Hagar
Samuel Roy Hagar (born October 13, 1947), also known as the Red Rocker, is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He rose to prominence in the early 1970s with the hard rock band Montrose and subsequently launched a successful solo car ...
.
In 1982,
Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Enzio Stallone (; born Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone, ) is an American actor and filmmaker. After his beginnings as a struggling actor for a number of years upon arriving to New York City in 1969 and later Hollywood in 1974, h ...
commissioned Survivor to write and perform the theme song for ''
Rocky III
''Rocky III'' is a 1982 American sports drama film written, directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the sequel to '' Rocky II'' (1979) and is the third installment in the ''Rocky'' franchise. Along with Stallone reprising the title r ...
''. This song, "
Eye of the Tiger
"Eye of the Tiger" is a song by American rock band Survivor. It was released as a single from their third album of the same name and was also the theme song for the 1982 film ''Rocky III'', which was released a day before the single. The song ...
", became their defining single, spending six weeks at No. 1 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 and going double platinum. "Eye of the Tiger" also won a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
and resulted in an Oscar nomination for Peterik and Frankie Sullivan for Best Song.
Their 1984 album, ''Vital Signs'', featured the Top 10 hits "High on You" (No. 8) and "The Search Is Over" (No. 4), and another sizable hit, "I Can't Hold Back" (No. 13). In 1985, Peterik co-wrote the theme song to ''
Rocky IV
''Rocky IV'' is a 1985 American sports drama film written, directed by and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the sequel to ''Rocky III'' (1982) and is the fourth installment in the ''Rocky'' franchise. It also stars Talia Shire, Burt Young, Ca ...
'', "Burning Heart", which would be another big hit (No. 2 in early 1986) for Survivor. "Burning Heart" was followed by Number 7 hit, "Is This Love".
Following Survivor's 1988 album ''Too Hot to Sleep'', the group disbanded.
Songs from each of Peterik's bands appear in Stallone films to motivate the scene's action: Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger" in ''Rocky III'', the Ides of March's "Vehicle" in ''
Lock Up'', and Jimi Jamison's solo take on Survivor's "
Ever Since the World Began
"Ever Since the World Began" is a power ballad by American rock band Survivor, released in 1982 from the group's third album ''Eye of the Tiger'', featuring Dave Bickler as lead singer. Composed by the band's guitarist Frankie Sullivan and keyboa ...
" playing during the closing credits of ''Lock Up''.
In 1993, Peterik once again began touring and recording with a reunited Survivor, but left them for good in July 1996.
Later years
In 1990, the original members of the Ides of March (Peterik, Millas, Bob Bergland, Mike Borch, Chuck Soumar, and John Larson) reunited, adding new members Scott May and Dave Stahlberg. This lineup continues to perform. Peterik continues to write for other artists such as the
Doobie Brothers
The Doobie Brothers are an American rock band formed in 1970 in San Jose, California, known for their flexibility in performing across numerous genres and their vocal harmonies. Active for five decades, with their greatest success in the 1970s, ...
and
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973 by guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, lead vocalist Robin Zander and drummer Bun E. Carlos. The current lineup of the band consists of Zander, Nielsen and ...
.
"Vehicle" found new popularity when it was performed by ''
American Idol
''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...
'' runner-up
Bo Bice
Harold Elwin "Bo" Bice Jr. (born November 1, 1975) is an American singer and musician who was the runner-up against Carrie Underwood in the fourth season of ''American Idol''. Prior to auditioning for ''American Idol'', Bice released a solo alb ...
in 2005.
In 2001 Peterik produced and co-wrote the first album by
AOR group Mecca with his longtime friend Joe Vana.
In 2003, he founded Pride of Lions with Toby Hitchcock. The group, according to Peterik is "my vision of the best elements of the great melodic rock era of the 80s, updated of course with more modern production sounds." Peterik continues to play with the Ides of March. As well, a solo CD, ''Above the Storm'', was released in 2006.
Peterik performed at the
West Australian Music Industry Awards
The Western Australian Music Industry Awards (commonly known as WAMis) are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc (WAM). The WAMi Awards are Western Aust ...
with shred virtuoso
Michael Angelo Batio
Michael Angelo Batio (), also known as Michael Angelo, Mike Batio or MAB, is an American heavy metal guitarist and columnist from Chicago, Illinois. He was the lead guitarist for the Los Angeles-based glam metal band Nitro in the late 1980s an ...
in 2005.
In 2009, Peterik appeared on ''
The Jerry Springer Show
''Jerry Springer'' is an American scripted syndicated tabloid talk show that aired from September 30, 1991 to July 26, 2018. Produced and hosted by its namesake, Jerry Springer, it aired for 27 seasons and nearly 5,000 episodes. The television ...
'' as guest security.
In 2010, Peterik backed up the
Louisiana State University Tiger Marching Band
The Louisiana State University Tiger Marching Band (also called the Golden Band from Tigerland or simply the Tiger Band) is the marching band of Louisiana State University (LSU). The band has 325 members and performs at all LSU football home ...
in their final halftime show of the season, at the LSU vs. Ole Miss game.
In April 2011, Peterik played a sold-out run of eight nights at the Pioneer Place Theater as a special guest of the Fabulous Armadillos in St. Cloud, Minnesota. In October 2011, he returned with the Fabulous Armadillos for a sold-out night at the Paramount Theatre,
St. Cloud, Minnesota
St. Cloud is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the largest population center in the state's central region. The population was 68,881 at the 2020 census, making it Minnesota's 12th-largest city. St. Cloud is the county seat of Stear ...
.
Peterik also develops and produces new talent on his own label, World Stage International. Current artists, aside from Lifeforce, include Marc Scherer, Hunter Cook, and the trio Ariel, Zoey & Eli. Past artists include
Lisa McClowry
Lisa McClowry is an American singer-songwriter from Chicago, Illinois. She cites her musical influences as Ella Fitzgerald, Ann Wilson (Heart) and Steve Perry. Having performed on more than 25 albums, her singing style intertwines soul, jazz, r ...
and Mallory Lennon. World Stage has two recording studios, engineered by the Ides of March co-founder and Peterik's childhood friend, Larry Millas.
In 2012, Peterik co-wrote and made an appearance on
the Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and frie ...
' reunion album, ''
That's Why God Made the Radio
''That's Why God Made the Radio'' is the twenty-ninth studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys, released on June 5, 2012 on Capitol Records. Produced by Brian Wilson, the album was recorded to coincide with the band's 50th anniversary. ...
''. He previously worked with Beach Boys founder Brian Wilson on Wilson's 1998 solo album, ''
Imagination
Imagination is the production or simulation of novel objects, sensations, and ideas in the mind without any immediate input of the senses. Stefan Szczelkun characterises it as the forming of experiences in one's mind, which can be re-creations ...
''.
In 2014, Peterik released his autobiography, ''Through The Eye Of The Tiger'', co-written with Lisa Torem, on BenBella Books, and traveled internationally to sign books on tour.
In 2016, Peterik released ''The Songs'', an album of some of his biggest songs, re-arranged as acoustic/roots versions. The album was produced by
Fred Mollin
Fred Mollin is an American and Canadian record producer, musician, film and TV composer, music director, music supervisor, and songwriter. He has produced records for Jimmy Webb, Johnny Mathis, Billy Ray Cyrus, Lamont Dozier and America, and ha ...
and was recorded both in Nashville, TN and at his home studio in Illinois.
On May 5, 2019, he appeared on MeTV's ''Collector's Call'' with
Lisa Whelchel
Lisa Diane Whelchel (born May 29, 1963) is an American actress, singer, songwriter, author, and life coach. She is known for her appearances as a Mouseketeer on ''The New Mickey Mouse Club'' and her nine-year role as the preppy and wealthy Blai ...
,
showing off part of his collection of 193 guitars.
Peterik resides in
Western Springs, Illinois
Western Springs is a village located in Cook County, Illinois, United States, and is a suburb of Chicago. As of the 2010 census, the village had a total population of 12,975. It is twinned with Rugeley, Staffordshire, United Kingdom. In July 1962 ...
.
Discography
Solo
* ''Don't Fight the Feeling'' (1976)
* ''Above the Storm'' (2006)
* ''The Songs'' (2016)
Songs with Chase
* "Boys and Girls Together" (1971)
* "Love Is on the Way" (1974)
* "Run Back to Mama" (1974)
* "Pure Music" (1974) (unreleased)
With The Ides of March
*''
Vehicle
A vehicle (from la, vehiculum) is a machine that transports people or cargo. Vehicles include wagons, bicycles, motor vehicles (motorcycles, cars, trucks, buses, mobility scooters for disabled people), railed vehicles (trains, trams), wa ...
'' (1970)
*''Common Bond'' (1971)
*''World Woven'' (1972)
*''Midnight Oil'' (1973)
*''Still 19'' (2010)
*''Last Band Standing'' (box set) (2015)
*''Outside the Box'' (select tracks from "Last Band Standing") (2016)
*''Play On'' (2019)
With Henry Paul Band
* ''Feel the Heat'' (1980)
* ''Anytime'' (1981)
With Survivor
* ''
Survivor'' (1979)
* ''
Premonition
A premonition is a feeling that some event will happen, typically a forewarning of something unwelcome.
Premonition(s) or The Premonition may also refer to:
Film and television
* "Premonition" (''Alfred Hitchcock Presents''), an episode of ' ...
'' (1981)
* ''
Eye of the Tiger
"Eye of the Tiger" is a song by American rock band Survivor. It was released as a single from their third album of the same name and was also the theme song for the 1982 film ''Rocky III'', which was released a day before the single. The song ...
'' (1982)
* ''
Caught in the Game
''Caught in the Game'' is the fourth album by American rock band Survivor, released in October 1983. It features guest appearances by Mr. Mister's Richard Page and REO Speedwagon's Kevin Cronin. It is the band's last album to-date to feature ...
'' (1983)
* ''
Vital Signs
Vital signs (also known as vitals) are a group of the four to six most crucial medical signs that indicate the status of the body's vital (life-sustaining) functions. These measurements are taken to help assess the general physical health of a ...
'' (1984)
* ''
When Seconds Count
''When Seconds Count'' is the sixth studio album by the American rock band Survivor, released in October 1986. It is the second album featuring vocalist Jimi Jamison. The album included the hit single, " Is This Love", which peaked at #9 in the ...
'' (1986)
* ''
Too Hot to Sleep
''Too Hot to Sleep'' is the seventh studio album from rock band Survivor, released in 1988. It was a relative commercial disappointment, reaching only #187 on the Billboard album charts,Time Passes
''Time Passes'' is the debut solo album by Kelly Keagy.
The track "Wrong Again" was written and demoed by the Gary Moon-led Night Ranger in the early 1990s.
Track listing
# "Anything Goes" – 4:19 (Jack Blades, Kelly Keagy, Tim Pierce, Jeff W ...
'' (2001)
* ''
I'm Alive'' (2007)
With Pride of Lions
*''Pride of Lions'' (2003)
*''Sound of Home'' (2003)
*''Black Ribbons (Voices of the World)'' (2003)
*''The Destiny Stone'' (2004)
*''Live in Belgium'' (2006)
*''The Roaring of Dreams'' (2007)
*''Immortal'' (2012)
*''Fearless'' (2017)
*''Lion Heart'' (2020)
With Jim Peterik's Lifeforce
* ''Lifeforce'' (2009)
* ''Forces at Play'' (2011)
With Jimi Jamison
* ''Crossroads Moment'' (2008)
* ''Extra Moments'' (2010)
With Marc Scherer
* ''Risk Everything'' (2015)
With Marc Scherer and
Jennifer Batten
Jennifer Batten (born November 29, 1957) is an American guitarist who has worked as a session musician and solo artist. From 1987 to 1997 she played on all three of Michael Jackson's world tours, and from 1999 to 2001 she toured and recorded wit ...
as Scherer/Batten
* ''BattleZone'' (2017)
Books
Peterik co-authored ''Songwriting for Dummies'', published 2002, with Dave Austin and Mary Ellen Bickford. His autobiography, ''Through the Eye of the Tiger'', co-written with Lisa Torem, was released by BenBella Books in September 2014.
References
External links
Official website*
Jim Peterick – Nakedly Examined Music Podcast (2020)Jim Peterik Interview honoring Jimi Jamison, from August 2015 with Pods & SodsJim Peterik InterviewNAMM Oral History Library (2018)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Peterik, Jim
1950 births
Living people
American rock keyboardists
American rock guitarists
American male guitarists
American male singers
American rock singers
People from Berwyn, Illinois
Singers from Chicago
American people of Slovak descent
American people of Russian descent
Survivor (band) members
People from Burr Ridge, Illinois
Songwriters from Illinois
Guitarists from Chicago
20th-century American guitarists
20th-century American male musicians
20th-century American keyboardists
Frontiers Records artists
American male songwriters