Terrence Collier Way - by request from a fan

"Would you be so kind as to tell me where Terrance Callier way is.
I'm a British expat, now living in Chicago, and Terry Callier' s music was very important to me growing up."

Yes, we take requests! - contact us

Terry Collier

Terrence Collier was a musician and vocalist who used his voice as an instrument.  His distinctive style and arrangement was an eclectic blend of Folk, Soul, Jazz, and African music.

For much of his life Terrence was more influential than he was famous. His career began early; in high school he recorded with Chess Records. He released albums between 1968 and 1978 on labels such as Electra and Cadet.  He also wrote songs and arranged music.

In the years before his 1998 comeback with the album "TimePeace," he trained and worked as a computer programmer.  In his late 50s he was able to quit his day job and return to his dream job - performing his music. 

Terrence was born in Chicago and lived in the Cabrini-Green housing projects.  He learned and practiced music in the local Chicago park field house. He was contemporaries with Curtis Mayfield and many other talented Cabrini alumni.  Terrence said this of his early experience and musical influence:

On any summer night you could walk by [the field house] and hear fantastic music – these guys could blow, and there were girl groups that sounded like angels... I learned early on to listen to everything – classical music and ethnic music from Africa and Middle East, and it all comes out in your work.

Listen to Terry Collier on YouTube

Terrence Callier Way

Northwest corner of Sedgwick Street and Elm Street, cul-du-sac of Elm Street just west of pedestrian walkway at Seward Park near field house where Terrence played.

Approved: October 2016
Ward: 27
Alderman: Burnett
Neighborhood: Cabrini/Seward Park
Dedicated: June 16, 2017

May 24, 1945 - October 27, 2012

Crane High School

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Chicago Tribune, Terry Callier: Farewell to a distinctive Chicago voice, October 30, 2012
New York Times