Baby, what a big surprise: Look who’s performing at Mill Race Park

Peter Cetera, a Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter and original member of the rock group Chicago, will headline the 30th annual free Labor Day weekend concert at Mill Race Park in Columbus.

The Sept. 3 concert is the largest fundraiser each year for Our Hospice of South Central Indiana.

Cetera was an original member of Chicago, and from 1968 through 1986 was a featured singer and bass player for the popular pop-rock group with a horn section.

Chicago’s first major hit single was “25 or 6 to 4″ in 1970 with Cetera on lead vocals.

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In nearly 20 years with Chicago, Cetera sang lead on “Wishing You Were Here,” 1974; “If You Leave Me Now,” the group’s first No.-1 hit in 1976, which won a Grammy Award; “Baby What a Big Surprise,” 1977; and “Hard to Say I’m Sorry,” a No.1 hit in 1982.

Chicago was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland in April, although Cetera declined to attend the ceremonies with other original members.

As solo artist since 1986, Cetera has also recorded No. 1 hits including the Academy Award-nominated song, “The Glory of Love” from the movie, “The Karate Kid II,” and a duet with Amy Grant, “The Next Time I Fall,” both released in 1986.

Cetera recorded another a duet, “After All,” with Cher from the 1989 motion picture “Chances Are.” Another Cetera recording, “No Explanation,” was on the soundtrack for the 1990 film “Pretty Woman.”

Cetera is on tour with his seven-piece electric band, “The Bad Daddies,” which performs the music of Chicago, songs from Cetera’s solo career and new material. Besides Columbus, some of Cetera’s summer tour stops include Elk Grove Village, Ill., on July 4; Pittsburgh on July 7; and casino shows July 22 in Alberta, Canada, and Sept. 9 in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

“We are very excited to have Peter Cetera perform and look forward to a great community event,” said Laura Hurt, Our Hospice president.

The concert’s opening act will be Indianapolis cover band LemonWheel, which performs pop, rock, disco, rhythm and blues and country from the 1970s to today.

The 2015 Our Hospice concert featuring former Eagles guitarist Don Felder raised slightly more than $100,000. The prior year, the concert featuring former Styx leader Dennis DeYoung raised $67,000.

The concert will be presented by Faurecia as title sponsor, with Columbus Regional Health as partner sponsor for this year’s event.

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For more about Peter Cetera, including his tour and discography, visit petercetera.com

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To learn more about LemonWheel, visit lemonwheel.com

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The annual Labor Day Weekend concert at Mill Race Park in Columbus each year is the biggest fundraiser for Our Hospice of South Central Indiana, a nonprofit agency based in Columbus. Proceeds from sponsors, T-shirt sales and raffle tickets help provide end-of-life care for patients and families in the agency’s 15-county South Central Indiana service area, with locations in Columbus, North Vernon and Greensburg.

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