MUSICIAN
Terry Kath
1946 - 1978

Terry Kath
Terry Alan Kath (January 31, 1946 – January 23, 1978) was an American guitarist and singer who is best known as a founding member of the rock band Chicago. He played lead guitar and sang lead vocals on many of the band's early hit singles alongside Robert Lamm and Peter Cetera. He has been praised by his bandmates and other musicians for his guitar skills and his Ray Charles–influenced vocal style. Jimi Hendrix cited Terry Kath as one of his favorite guitarists, and considered Kath to be "the best guitarist in the universe." Growing up in a musical family, Kath took up a variety of instruments in his teens, including the drums and banjo. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in 16 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 15 in 2024). Terry Kath is the 1,758th most popular musician (up from 1,829th in 2024), the 9,282nd most popular biography from United States (down from 9,280th in 2019) and the 670th most popular American Musician.
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Among MUSICIANS
Among musicians, Terry Kath ranks 1,757 out of 3,175. Before him are Christoph Brüx, Luca Turilli, Richard Davis, Steve Swallow, and Jimmy Dorsey. After him are Zak Starkey, Warren Zevon, Jim Capaldi, Simon Barere, Brain, Lee Ranaldo, and Nobuko Imai.
Most Popular Musicians in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsChristoph Brüx
1965 - Present
HPI: 53.77
Rank: 1,752
Luca Turilli
1972 - Present
HPI: 53.77
Rank: 1,753
Richard Davis
1930 - 2023
HPI: 53.76
Rank: 1,754
Steve Swallow
1940 - Present
HPI: 53.75
Rank: 1,755
Jimmy Dorsey
1904 - 1957
HPI: 53.75
Rank: 1,756
Terry Kath
1946 - 1978
HPI: 53.75
Rank: 1,757
Zak Starkey
1965 - Present
HPI: 53.74
Rank: 1,758
Warren Zevon
1947 - 2003
HPI: 53.73
Rank: 1,759
Jim Capaldi
1944 - 2005
HPI: 53.72
Rank: 1,760
Simon Barere
1896 - 1951
HPI: 53.72
Rank: 1,761
Brain
1963 - Present
HPI: 53.71
Rank: 1,762
Lee Ranaldo
1956 - Present
HPI: 53.70
Rank: 1,763
Nobuko Imai
1943 - Present
HPI: 53.70
Rank: 1,764
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1946, Terry Kath ranks 637. Before him are Giulio Terzi di Sant'Agata, Mordehai Milgrom, Franz Xaver Kroetz, Aruna Irani, Igor Starygin, and Eduard Novák. After him are Richard Blumenthal, Dean Cundey, Michel Chossudovsky, Marcial Pina, Wiesław Rudkowski, and Shirley Ann Jackson. Among people deceased in 1978, Terry Kath ranks 229. Before him are Blossom Rock, Theo Helfrich, Jorge de Sena, Geoffrey Unsworth, Francisco Mendes, and Károly Levitzky. After him are Mauk Weber, George Moscone, Prvoslav Mihajlović, Vera Maretskaya, Valerian Gracias, and Edgar Bergen.
Others Born in 1946
Go to all RankingsGiulio Terzi di Sant'Agata
POLITICIAN
1946 - Present
HPI: 53.91
Rank: 631
Mordehai Milgrom
PHYSICIST
1946 - Present
HPI: 53.90
Rank: 632
Franz Xaver Kroetz
WRITER
1946 - Present
HPI: 53.85
Rank: 633
Aruna Irani
ACTOR
1946 - Present
HPI: 53.81
Rank: 634
Igor Starygin
ACTOR
1946 - 2009
HPI: 53.81
Rank: 635
Eduard Novák
POLITICIAN
1946 - 2010
HPI: 53.79
Rank: 636
Terry Kath
MUSICIAN
1946 - 1978
HPI: 53.75
Rank: 637
Richard Blumenthal
POLITICIAN
1946 - Present
HPI: 53.73
Rank: 638
Dean Cundey
ACTOR
1946 - Present
HPI: 53.72
Rank: 639
Michel Chossudovsky
ECONOMIST
1946 - Present
HPI: 53.64
Rank: 640
Marcial Pina
SOCCER PLAYER
1946 - Present
HPI: 53.63
Rank: 641
Wiesław Rudkowski
ATHLETE
1946 - 2016
HPI: 53.63
Rank: 642
Shirley Ann Jackson
PHYSICIST
1946 - Present
HPI: 53.62
Rank: 643
Others Deceased in 1978
Go to all RankingsBlossom Rock
ACTOR
1895 - 1978
HPI: 53.97
Rank: 223
Theo Helfrich
RACING DRIVER
1913 - 1978
HPI: 53.93
Rank: 224
Jorge de Sena
WRITER
1919 - 1978
HPI: 53.91
Rank: 225
Geoffrey Unsworth
FILM DIRECTOR
1914 - 1978
HPI: 53.88
Rank: 226
Francisco Mendes
POLITICIAN
1939 - 1978
HPI: 53.85
Rank: 227
Károly Levitzky
ATHLETE
1885 - 1978
HPI: 53.76
Rank: 228
Terry Kath
MUSICIAN
1946 - 1978
HPI: 53.75
Rank: 229
Mauk Weber
SOCCER PLAYER
1914 - 1978
HPI: 53.70
Rank: 230
George Moscone
POLITICIAN
1929 - 1978
HPI: 53.55
Rank: 231
Prvoslav Mihajlović
SOCCER PLAYER
1921 - 1978
HPI: 53.54
Rank: 232
Vera Maretskaya
ACTOR
1906 - 1978
HPI: 53.53
Rank: 233
Valerian Gracias
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1900 - 1978
HPI: 53.28
Rank: 234
Edgar Bergen
ACTOR
1903 - 1978
HPI: 53.20
Rank: 235
In United States
Among people born in United States, Terry Kath ranks 9,282 out of 20,380. Before him are Aida Turturro (1962), Midori (1968), Sterling Price (1809), and William J. Casey (1913). After him are Dick Barnett (1936), Michael Paul Chan (1950), Ben Burtt (1948), Lisa Marie (1968), Paul A. Rothchild (1935), Mike Miller (1980), Saundra Santiago (1957), and Wade Dominguez (1966).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsAida Turturro
ACTOR
1962 - Present
HPI: 53.75
Rank: 9,278
Midori
SINGER
1968 - Present
HPI: 53.75
Rank: 9,279
Sterling Price
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1809 - 1867
HPI: 53.75
Rank: 9,280
William J. Casey
POLITICIAN
1913 - 1987
HPI: 53.75
Rank: 9,281
Terry Kath
MUSICIAN
1946 - 1978
HPI: 53.75
Rank: 9,282
Dick Barnett
BASKETBALL PLAYER
1936 - 2025
HPI: 53.75
Rank: 9,283
Michael Paul Chan
ACTOR
1950 - Present
HPI: 53.75
Rank: 9,284
Ben Burtt
ACTOR
1948 - Present
HPI: 53.75
Rank: 9,285
Lisa Marie
ACTOR
1968 - Present
HPI: 53.75
Rank: 9,286
Paul A. Rothchild
PRODUCER
1935 - 1995
HPI: 53.75
Rank: 9,287
Mike Miller
BASKETBALL PLAYER
1980 - Present
HPI: 53.75
Rank: 9,288
Saundra Santiago
ACTOR
1957 - Present
HPI: 53.74
Rank: 9,289
Wade Dominguez
ACTOR
1966 - 1998
HPI: 53.74
Rank: 9,290
Among MUSICIANS In United States
Among musicians born in United States, Terry Kath ranks 669. Before him are Larry Van Kriedt (1954), Richie Ramone (1957), Richard Davis (1930), Steve Swallow (1940), and Jimmy Dorsey (1904). After him are Warren Zevon (1947), Brain (1963), Lee Ranaldo (1956), Shelly Manne (1920), Mike Mills (1958), Chuck Mangione (1940), and Camilla Wicks (1928).
Larry Van Kriedt
1954 - Present
HPI: 53.80
Rank: 664
Richie Ramone
1957 - Present
HPI: 53.77
Rank: 665
Richard Davis
1930 - 2023
HPI: 53.76
Rank: 666
Steve Swallow
1940 - Present
HPI: 53.75
Rank: 667
Jimmy Dorsey
1904 - 1957
HPI: 53.75
Rank: 668
Terry Kath
1946 - 1978
HPI: 53.75
Rank: 669
Warren Zevon
1947 - 2003
HPI: 53.73
Rank: 670
Brain
1963 - Present
HPI: 53.71
Rank: 671
Lee Ranaldo
1956 - Present
HPI: 53.70
Rank: 672
Shelly Manne
1920 - 1984
HPI: 53.69
Rank: 673
Mike Mills
1958 - Present
HPI: 53.63
Rank: 674
Chuck Mangione
1940 - 2025
HPI: 53.61
Rank: 675
Camilla Wicks
1928 - 2020
HPI: 53.60
Rank: 676






















































