Jason Scheff | |
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 Scheff in 2013 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Jason Randolph Scheff |
| Born | (1962-04-16)April 16, 1962 (age 62) San Diego,California, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instruments |
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| Years active | 1976–present |
| Website | jasonscheff |
Jason Randolph Scheff (born April 16, 1962) is an American bassist, singer, and songwriter who was a frontman for the American rock bandChicago from 1985 to 2016.[1] Replacing former lead vocalistPeter Cetera, Scheff was the longest-serving bassist/vocalist of Chicago.[2]
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In mid-1985, 23-year-old Scheff joined the multiplatinum band Chicago, afterPeter Cetera had departed the band to continue his solo career.
His lead vocals were debuted on the 1986 single "25 or 6 to 4", a remake of their 1970 hit, then followed up with "Will You Still Love Me?"
In addition to performing the band's classic material, Scheff had composed several original songs for the band, including their 1989 top-5 single "What Kind of Man Would I Be?" Scheff also co-wrote the song "Heart of Mine" withBobby Caldwell and Dennis Matkosky. The song became a big hit forBoz Scaggs in 1988 and was included on the 1988 Boz Scaggs albumOther Roads and the collectionHits!. Scheff performed "Heart of Mine" several years later in 2007 for a theater-in-the-round setting at theBluebird Cafe in Nashville.
Scheff, along with co-writersPeter Wolf andIna Wolf, wrote the song "Bigger Than Elvis" in 1993 for what was intended to be Chicago's 22nd album. This song is about his father,Jerry Scheff, describing Jason's childhood memories of watching his father play on television. The album, however, was rejected byWarner Bros. in 1993, and remained unreleased until 2008, when Rhino released it asChicago XXXII: Stone of Sisyphus.
In 2005, Scheff and Chicago founding memberRobert Lamm convinced the band to recordChicago XXX, their first collection of new material since 1991'sTwenty 1.[citation needed] Scheff also enlistedRascal Flatts vocalist and bassistJay DeMarcus to serve as producer for the new album, which was released on March 21, 2006. Scheff co-wrote seven of the 12 songs on the CD.
He was part of twoa cappella releases by West Coast All Stars. The first in 1997, called "California Dreamin'", included vocals byJoseph Williams,Bill Champlin,Bobby Kimball, and Scheff; the second in 1998, "Naturally", again featured Williams, Kimball, and Scheff, adding this time Tommy Funderburk as the fourth vocal.
In the 2000s, he was part of Robert Lamm's solo band for performances and three albums.[3][4]
In 2005, Scheff (credited as Jason Chefe)[5] appeared on thePink Floyd tribute albumBack Against the Wall, performing lead vocals and bass on the track "Run Like Hell", together withDweezil Zappa (lead guitar),Tony Kaye (keyboard solo),Aynsley Dunbar (drums),Bob Kulick (electric guitar), andBilly Sherwood (keyboards).
Scheff and Lamm also collaborated as the executive producers ofZosia Karbowiak's first international solo release in 2009S.I.N.G.[6][7]
A few weeks after performing with Chicago for the band'sRock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in April 2016, Scheff took a leave of absence from the band.[8] Singer/bassistJeff Coffey filled in for him on the summer tour. In October of that year, Scheff left Chicago permanently, with Coffey initially as his successor before the latter was replaced by Canadian tenor vocalistNeil Donell and bassist Brett Simons in late 2018.[9][10] He remains the longest-serving bassist/vocalist in the band's history.
Scheff appeared in January 2017 in the CNN feature film by Peter PardiniNow More Than Ever: The History of Chicago, which began filming before his departure from the band.[citation needed]
After leaving Chicago in 2016, Scheff participated as a judge forAmerican Super Group.[11] He has worked with new artists trying to break into the music business by conducting songwriting workshops and music lessons.[citation needed]
Scheff has participated in a number of fundraisers for charities.[12][13][14][15]
In 2019, Scheff toured withTodd Rundgren, Denny Laine,Christopher Cross, andJoey Molland in celebration ofthe Beatles'White Album on theIt Was Fifty Years Ago Today – A Tribute to the Beatles’ White Album. Scheff performed the Chicago songs "25 or 6 to 4" and "Hard to Say I'm Sorry".[16]
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