Tim Bales

I’ve been fortunate to play in the horn section behind Jim Peterik for almost 15 years. It has been a privilege to work for him and The Ides Of March.

In 2011, when I got the call from Dave Stahlberg asking if I would consider playing with The Ides of March, I was sleeping on the floor near the lockers in the DePaul School of Music between classes. I had my winter coat on and my phone on my chest so that I wouldn't look like I was homeless to the campus police if they came through.

I had just met Dave a week or so earlier while he was subbing in on a one-off with Tom Van Kanagan's band. We played the job, had a good time, and I guess Dave liked how I sounded. The Ides of March had lost John Larson, their primary trumpet player, who passed away, and then the other trumpet player left, which created an opportunity for me.

The only thing I knew about The Ides of March was that I had purchased their album back in 1970. I didn’t know Jim Peterik from bupkis.

When I came off the road in April 1979, I didn’t listen to music, nor did I try to play music. I was all done. My tired 1971 Datsun wagon didn’t even have a radio. (I didn't play again for 21 years)

So I asked Dave, “Do they suck?” He laughed and said no. I figured they were just another flaccid dinosaur band from the past. Then I asked him a question that musicians don’t typically ask about jobs: "How much does it pay?" It was a big number for me at the time, so I said, "Absolutely. Count me in."

I’m very grateful to Dave Stahlberg for this and many other things in my life and career. I also did my MFA thesis documentary about the challenges Dave (and all teachers) faced as a high school band instructor.

Over time, I came to realize how prolific Jim Peterik has been as a songwriter, and the sheer volume of his work is mind-blowing. To many people, he’s kind of invisible. They know the songs, but they don’t really know him. He’s like an undercover Paul McCartney—though people in the industry know!

This photo is from last night’s gig playing a festival in a suburban town for an appreciative audience. The food in the green room had been sitting out all day, and the air-conditioned tent serving as the green room had a door that wouldn’t close. Let’s put it this way: it wasn’t fancy, but Jim suits up, shows up, steps onto the field, and swings the bat with full conviction every single gig. I always tell him he carries us on his back every show.

He is a consummate musician and entertainer. He is right at home at that microphone on that stage with a guitar in his hand, and it’s been a privilege to stand behind him all these years. This summer, I asked him to write a letter of recommendation for a job I was looking at, and he wrote a fantastic one for me that I’m going to ask my kids to read at my funeral.

So, here’s a list of Jim's top songs that AI spit out for me, and it’s pretty goddamn impressive. I’m lucky to work with him, and yes, I am bragging about it. 

“Jim Peterik's catalog spans over 1,000 published songs across several decades. Ranking his signature compositions and notable co-writes by popularity and chart success highlights the hits that defined his career:

Chart Toppers & Iconic Anthems (Billboard Top 10)

* "Eye of the Tiger" — Survivor (#1 Billboard Hot 100, Grammy Award winner, Oscar nominee)

* "Vehicle" — The Ides of March (#2 Billboard Hot 100)

* "Burning Heart" — Survivor (#2 Billboard Hot 100; Rocky IV soundtrack)

* "The Search Is Over" — Survivor (#4 Billboard Hot 100, #1 Adult Contemporary)

* "Caught Up in You" — .38 Special (#1 Mainstream Rock, #10 Billboard Hot 100)

* "Is This Love" — Survivor (#9 Billboard Hot 100)

* "High on You" — Survivor (#8 Billboard Hot 100)Rock Radio Classics & Notable Hits (Top 40 / Mainstream Rock)

* "Hold On Loosely" — .38 Special (#3 Mainstream Rock, #27 Billboard Hot 100)

* "Rockin' Into the Night" — .38 Special (#7 Mainstream Rock)

* "I Can't Hold Back" — Survivor (#1 Mainstream Rock, #13 Billboard Hot 100)

* "Heavy Metal" — Sammy Hagar (#22 Mainstream Rock; Heavy Metal soundtrack)

* "Fantasy Girl" — .38 Special (#30 Mainstream Rock)

* "Wild-Eyed Southern Boys" — .38 Special (#35 Mainstream Rock)

* "If I'd Been the One" — .38 Special (#1 Mainstream Rock, #19 Billboard Hot 100)

* "You Wouldn't Listen" — The Ides of March (#42 Billboard Hot 100)

* "L.A. Goodbye" — The Ides of March (#73 Billboard Hot 100)

* "American Heartbeat" — Survivor (#31 Billboard Hot 100)

* "Poor Man's Son" — Survivor (#33 Billboard Hot 100)

* "The Moment of Truth" — Survivor (The Karate Kid soundtrack)

Notable Co-Writes for Other Major Artists

* "That's Why God Made the Radio" — The Beach Boys (#3 Billboard 200 album title track)

* "You're All I Wanna Do" — Cheap Trick

* "Proof of Heaven" — Dennis DeYoung

* "Boys and Girls Together" — Chase” 

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