"Make Me Smile" is a song written by James Pankow

James Pankow

James Carter "Jimmy" Pankow is an American trombone player, songwriter and brass instrument arranger best known as a founding member of the rock band Chicago.-Early life:...

 for the rock band Chicago

Chicago (band)

Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...

. Part of Pankow's Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon

Ballet For A Girl In Buchannon

"Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon" , a nearly thirteen-minute song cycle/suite from Chicago's 1970 album Chicago II, was the group's first attempt at a long-format multi-part work....

song cycle

Song cycle

A song cycle is a group of songs designed to be performed in a sequence as a single entity. As a rule, all of the songs are by the same composer and often use words from the same poet or lyricist. Unification can be achieved by a narrative or a persona common to the songs, or even, as in Schumann's...

/suite, it was recorded for their second album Chicago II

Chicago (album)

Chicago is the second album by Chicago-based rock band Chicago. It was released in 1970 after the band had shortened its name from The Chicago Transit Authority after releasing their same-titled debut album the previous year.-History:...

(1970). Terry Kath

Terry Kath

Terry Alan Kath , born in Chicago, Illinois, was the original guitarist and founding member of the rock band Chicago...

 sang the lead vocal.

A radio-friendly edit of "Make Me Smile" (incorporating the end of "Now More Than Ever," another track from the Ballet) was released as a single in March 1970, becoming the band's first Top 10 record, peaking at number nine on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100

Billboard Hot 100

The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

 chart.

Since the death of Terry Kath in 1978, the vocals for live performances of "Make Me Smile" were handled by Bill Champlin

Bill Champlin

William Bradford "Bill" Champlin is an American singer, guitarist, keyboard player, arranger, producer, and songwriter. His performance work is principally associated with the bands Chicago and the Sons of Champlin...

, who joined the band for the recording of Chicago 16

Chicago 16

Chicago 16 is the 16th album by American rock band Chicago and was released in 1982. The album marks the beginning of a new era for Chicago. It is the first album in a decade-long association with new label Warner Bros...

, until he departed the group in August 2009. On shows that Champlin didn't attend, Robert Lamm

Robert Lamm

Robert William Lamm is an American keyboardist, singer and songwriter who came to fame as a founding member of the pop rock band Chicago...

 sang the lead vocal. Champlin's replacement Lou Pardini

Lou Pardini

Lou Pardini is an American Grammy-nominated keyboardist, songwriter, and vocalist. He has worked with notable musicians such as Stevie Wonder and Santana, and, as of August 2009, has replaced Bill Champlin in the band Chicago. He has also written songs for artists such as Smokey Robinson, Patti...

has now taken over the singing of "Make Me Smile".