<P> In 1972 the band released its first single - disc release, Chicago V, which reached No. 1 on both the Billboard pop and jazz album charts . It features "Saturday in the Park", written by Robert Lamm, which mixes everyday life and political yearning in a more subtle way . It peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1972 . The second single released from the album was the Lamm - composed "Dialogue (Part I & II)", which featured a musical "debate" between a political activist (sung by Kath) and a blasé college student (sung by Cetera). It peaked at No. 24 on the Hot 100 chart . </P> <P> Other albums and singles followed in each of the succeeding years . 1973's Chicago VI was the first of several albums to include Brazilian jazz percussionist Laudir de Oliveira and saw Cetera emerge as the main lead singer . According to William James Ruhlmann, de Oliveira was a "sideman" on Chicago VI, and became an official member of the group in 1974 . Chicago VI featured two top ten singles, "Just You' n' Me", written by Pankow, and "Feelin' Stronger Every Day", written by Pankow and Cetera . Chicago VII was the band's double - disc 1974 release . Three singles were released from this album: "(I've Been) Searchin' So Long", written by Pankow, and "Call On Me", written by Loughnane, which both made it into the top ten; and the Beach Boys - infused "Wishing You Were Here", written by Cetera, which peaked at number eleven . Their 1975 release, Chicago VIII, featured the political allegory "Harry Truman" (No. 13, Top 100 chart) and the nostalgic Pankow - composed "Old Days" (No. 5, Top 100 chart). That summer also saw a joint tour across America with the Beach Boys, with the two acts performing separately, then coming together for a finale . Chicago VI, VII and VIII all made it to No. 1 on the Billboard 200, all were certified gold the years they were released, and all have since been certified platinum . Chicago VI was certified two times multi-platinum in 1986 . Chicago IX: Chicago's Greatest Hits was released in 1975 and became the band's fifth consecutive No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 . </P> <P> 1976's Chicago X features Cetera's ballad "If You Leave Me Now", which held the top spot in the U.S. charts for two weeks and the UK charts for three weeks . It was the group's first No. 1 single, and won Chicago their only Grammy Award to date, the 1976 Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus, at the 19th Annual Grammy Awards held on February 19, 1977 . The single was certified gold by the RIAA the same year of its release . The song almost did not make the cut for the album . "If You Leave Me Now" was recorded at the very last minute . The success of the song, according to William James Ruhlmann, foreshadowed a later reliance on ballads . The album was commercially successful . It reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200, was certified both gold and platinum by the RIAA the same year of its release and two times multi-platinum since, and was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year . 1976 was the first year that albums were certified platinum by the RIAA . Chicago X was the first platinum album for Columbia Records, which awarded the group a 25 - pound bar of pure platinum, made by Cartier, to mark the event . (Billboard magazine reported it as a 30 - pound bar .) At the 4th Annual American Music Awards, a fan - voted awards show, held January 31, 1977, Chicago won the award for Favorite Pop / Rock Band / Duo / Group, the group's first of two American Music Awards they have received . </P> <P> The group's 1977 release, Chicago XI, includes Cetera's ballad "Baby, What a Big Surprise", a No. 4 U.S. hit which became the group's last top 10 hit of the decade . Chicago XI performed well commercially, peaking at No. 6 on the Billboard 200, and reaching platinum status during the year of its release . </P>

Touring saxophonist ray herrmann also became an official member at that time