Peter Cetera, the singer who helped make Chicago one of the biggest-selling groups of the '70s and '80s, will reunite with his old bandmates when they're inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year.

12/22 Update: Lamm has now declared that he misinterpreted Cetera's e-mails, and that there will be no reunion. Full details here. So, basically.. ignore all this now:

In a new interview with Radio.com, founding member Robert Lamm confirmed that Cetera will join the band onstage for the first time in more than 30 years. And it's pretty clear from the exchange that Cetera will perform with Chicago:

What about Peter Cetera and [original drummer] Danny Seraphine – are they going to attend?

They will.

Will they perform with you?

Oh yeah.

So, if people buy a ticket to attend the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony, they’ll see Chicago with Danny Seraphine on drums and Peter Cetera singing, if not playing bass.

Right.

Lamm also noted that he doesn't think Cetera will be playing bass at the induction ceremony next year. "Playing an instrument while you’re singing isn’t easy, take it from me," he said. "But if you stop doing it, those skills get rusty. I’m not saying that he couldn’t, I think that he just doesn’t want to."

Cetera sang lead on two of Chicago's three No. 1 hits: 1976's "If You Leave Me Now" and 1982's "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" (the third, 1988's "Look Away," was sung by Bill Champlin, who left the band in 2008). He joined the band in 1967 and stayed through 1985, when he left for a solo career that included two No. 1 songs, "Glory of Love" and "The Next Time I Fall," a duet with Amy Grant.

His return puts to rest the question whether Cetera would join his old group when it's inducted into the Rock Hall at a ceremony in New York on April 8. Lamm said, after Chicago received the news of their induction, that they would be open to a reunion with the singer and bass player.

"I’ve said this before, and I’ve said it to him: If there’s ever a time that we can share the stage again, this is it," Lamm pointed out in the new interview. "I think it could have a huge emotional impact on the audience. And I think that that would be a very moving experience." As for that one night turning into a full-fledged reunion, Lamm admitted, "Anything’s possible, in terms of what could be. From the many conversations I’ve had with him, I don’t expect that he’d want to do that. Even if he has a good time at the induction."

Chicago, who won the Rock Hall's fan vote this year, will join a 2016 class that plays catch-up with some of the most neglected classic-rock artists, including Cheap Trick, Deep Purple and Steve Miller.

Lamm already has his band's set list mapped out for the show: "Probably 'Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?,' 'Saturday in the Park,' maybe 'Beginnings,'" he said. "But I do think if there’s a jam at the end, I’d think '25 or 6 to 4' would be perfect, because of all the guitar players being inducted."

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