What is Peter Cetera’s net worth? Peter Cetera is an American former singer, songwriter, and bassist. He is best known for being a member of the rock band Chicago originals from 1967 to 1985. He has successfully made a total of seventeen albums with the band and eight solo albums. The Chicago band garnered its first Grammy Award thanks to Cetera’s song If You Leave Me Now. Besides winning the award, it was the band’s first single debuted that year.
In his career, as a solo artist, six of his singles have been ranked among the Top 40 Singles, with two reaching first place in the Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, 1996. Cetera has a net worth of $40 million.
Peter Cetera Biography and Early Life
Peter Paul Cetera was born on September 13, 1944, in Chicago, Illinois, United States. His father was a mechanic. Cetera grew up with his other two sibling brothers, Kenny Cetera, who is among the contributing persons of the Chicago band, and Tim Cetera is known for recording a music album with Ricky Nelson in the early 1970s.
Cetera joined Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary and spent one year of high school since his mother wanted him to be a priest. He later transferred to Mendel Catholic Prep High School and graduated in 1962. His name is on the Notable Alumni list.
He was around 12 when he realized that he had a talent for singing. He won in a local talent competition playing his accordion. Cetera started focusing on a singing career while in high school. He bought his acoustic guitar at the age of 15 in Montgomery Ward after watching the Rebel Rockers band. He later played for several groups in Chicago.
Career and Rise to Fame
Cetera’s career kicked off when he started recording his singles as well as EPs. Rock ‘N’ Roll Mass was his first EP comprising five songs made with The Exeptiption band. In 1967, he left The Exception for another band called The Big Thing, which was later renamed The Chicago Transit Authority and later to Chicago. The group became popular with its impressive performance.
Chicago band released a self-titled album with Cetera singing vocals in the song, 24 or 6 to 4. In the 1970s, he used to write songs for the band. His major hit for the group was the 1976’s If You Leave Me Now on Chicago’s tenth album. It was the group’s first single that earned it the first Grammy Award. The group achieved another success following the next of Cetera’s composition of the 1977’s Baby What a Big Surprise. The single ranked #4 on the record charts.
In 1981, Cetera released his first solo album on Warner Bros. A year layer, Chicago revived when their single Chicago 16 rose to No.6 on the Billboards charts. It was followed by another single Hard to Say Am Sorry, co-written by Cetera that peaked at #1 on the charts and was certified Gold. The single was nominated for the Grammy Awards and later featured in the Summer Lovers. Chicago’s most successful album, Chicago 17, was released in 1984 and sold over six million copies in the United States alone.
Following his popularity, Cetera left the Chicago band and set to record his second solo album. He released his first single, later used as the theme song for the film The Karate Kid Part II. The single charted No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1986 and nominated for Best Original Song, Grammy Award, Academy Award, and Golden Globe Award. Cetera won the Best New Artist in February the same year. His subsequent singles: One More Story, World Falling Down, and One Clear Voice, were released from 1992 to 1996.
In 2001 and 2004, Cetera released his two more albums, Another Perfect World and You Just Gotta Love Christmas, respectively. He formed his new band, The Bad Daddies, in 2010. Since then, Cetera has continued collaborating with many other artists on duets and composition. He was inducted as a member of Chicago into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016. Cetera retired from the music industry in 2019.
How He Spends His Money
Real Estate: Cetera acquired a $1.8 million mansion in the countryside in 2016. However, in 2019, he placed the house on sale for $2.2 million. He lives on a 2.32-acre farm located in Hailey, Idaho.
