Jim Peterik might be the hardest-working rock star around.
About 60 years after forming the Ides of March, the 73-year-old has released dozens of solo and collaborative albums, with a new project, “Roots & Shoots Vol. 2,” coming in August. He also continues to tour, with shows coming up in Minocqua, Wis., and Wheaton, according to theidesofmarch.com.
“People say, ‘What’s your best song that you ever wrote?’” said Peterik, of Burr Ridge, also known for creating the band Survivor and writing songs for .38 Special. “I hope I haven’t written it yet. I probably will never exceed the sales and popularity of ‘Eye of the Tiger,’ which came out in 1982 when I was only 31. But you keep striving.”
Peterik’s productivity also has other benefits.
“To me, health and wellness is all about staying creative and staying active,” he said. “I always say, ‘Move it or lose it.’”
Here are his answers to our four questions about physical and mental well-being.
What’s one place in Chicago that always brings back fond memories for you?
I love Graue Mill [& Museum] because I used to go there as a kid and watch the water wheel going around. My parents used to take me there many years ago, when I was 8 years old. And to this day, [my wife] Karen and I go to Graue Mill and we do our nature walks, and it brings back all these great memories of my childhood.
What’s your go-to form of exercise?
Usually in the morning, I try to get to Lifetime Fitness and do a light workout on the treadmill, and then lift some weights. I probably go three times a week. It gets my heart started.
Our main hiking days are Saturday and Sunday. Sometimes, we’ll go to Saugatuck, Michigan, where we have a place, and hike there, which is beautiful.
What is something that you used to worry about when you were younger that doesn’t bother you now?
I was a total worrywart when I was young. It was the ‘50s, and it seemed like there was a mushroom cloud on every horizon, and the threat of war. And there was a lot of turmoil in the world. There’s still a lot of turmoil in the world, but when you’re 6 years old and you see all the stuff on the news, you really get worried. My mother would always go, ‘Jimmy, don’t be a worrier.’ … It took me years to outgrow that. What changed my life was discovering musical talent. And once I learned how to play piano and guitar and started writing songs, all those worries went into remission. And I poured myself into music, and that’s where I’ve stayed ever since.
What is happiness to you?
It’s a lot of things. One that comes to mind is getting together with [our son] Colin, [his wife] Meredith and the grandkids. We’ll get together here at the house and Karen will make dinner. And we’ll just relax, and the kids will be running around the house or sometimes playing with the neighbors’ kids, and we’ll be chilling, having a drink. That’s my idea of Heaven on Earth.
