Danny Seraphine – Chicago’s Original Drummer at Copper Cat Books!

Original Chicago drummer Danny Seraphine did a book signing at Copper Cat Books in Henderson on Saturday, November 22, 2025.

Chicago is certainly one of classic rock’s most influential and original bands, having released countless albums and toured the world to many enthusiastic fans. For the first two decades of the band’s existence, their timekeeper was Danny Seraphine, whose percussion work can be heard on every release the band put out until parting ways with the band around 1990. If you hear one of Chicago classic hits on the radio, that’s Mr. Seraphine on the drums.

In more recent years, Seraphine has become a resident of the Las Vegas Valley, and he continues to make music with his own band, California Transit Authority. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Copper Cat Books, one of my favorite local independent book shops, would be hosting a signing with Seraphine. I’d never met any members of Chicago, past or present, and certainly didn’t want to pass up this one-of-a-kind opportunity!

Copper Cat Books has been in business since 2017 and has certainly become a favorite shop of mine over the years, even if I don’t quite get to make as many trips in there as I’d like to with my hectic schedule. In addition to offering a wide selection of books covering various topics, they also occasionally host events. A few years back, original Quiet Riot bassist Kelly Garni did an in-store for his two books, which I’d also attended. The store continues to serve the public despite economic hardships, and recently launched a Go Fund Me page to try to keep their doors open longer and offset these heavier expenses: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-copper-cat-books-survive

This event was slated to run from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM, giving local rock fans three hours to show up and meet Mr. Seraphine, who was promoting his autobiography, STREET PLAYER: MY CHICAGO STORY, which was first published back in 2010. I attended the book signing with two friends, but also made sure to arrive early to beat any potential rush. We actually arrived at the store prior to Mr. Seraphine, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing as the store had plenty of interesting items to keep our interest. My friends and I even walked out the door with a few unexpected finds!

Book signings can be a bit overwhelming at times because the policies can differ so substantially from event to event. Some artists will only sign the book they’re promoting and no other merchandise or memorabilia. Others may sign a single additional item. I’m pleased to say that Mr. Seraphine’s book signing was done the right way. After purchasing a copy of his book, he’d sign the book, and basically as many other pieces of merch as any fan wanted. One of the friends I attended the event with brought an entire stack of vintage Chicago records, and Danny had no problem signing every single one! Additionally, books were being sold in both soft cover for $25, or hardcover for $40, giving those who attended the event some nice affordable options.

While I didn’t stay for the entire event, I did see a wide variety of fans, young and old alike, coming into the store to attend. While there wasn’t a line out the door, there was certainly a respectable crowd and a steady flow of people. Danny also had no problem conversing with fans, even telling some stories from his heyday and letting folks know about his California Transit Authority shows. It’s great to see that, even pushing 80, the guy is still active!

This was a one-of-a-kind day, meeting an original member from one of classic rock’s most iconic bands, and in one of my favorite stores in the Las Vegas Valley; one that I hope will thrive and succeed despite the recent hardships.