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When Jim moved on from Survivor in 1996, he started designing a project
that would center around duets with many of the great singers that had
become his songwriting collaborators and close friends over the years
- like Don Barnes of 38 Special, Kevin Cronin of REO Speedwagon, Henry
Paul of The Outlaws and Blackhawk, Dennis DeYoung of Styx, Kelly Keagy
of Night Ranger and Johnny VanZant of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Additional singers,
artists that Jim has helped to develop, like Chicago's own Cathy Richardson
(current star of popular theater production "Love, Janis"), local bluesman
Anthony Gomes, rocker David Carl and alternative artist Jeff Boyle,
also lend their talents to the disc. In addition, Jim was fortunate
enough to be able to work with some of the artists that he has always
especially admired - like EMI Christian artist Margaret Becker, and
international blues legend and fellow Chicagoan, Buddy Guy.
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WORLD STAGE is the culmination of Jim Peterik's 35-year love affair
with music. In that time he was responsible for writing or co-writing
an incredible array of top-10 songs such as "Hold On Loosely", "Caught
Up In You", "Rockin' Into The Night", "Wild-Eyed Southern Boys" and
"Fantasy Girl" with 38 Special, "Heavy Metal" with Sammy Hagar, (theme
for the cult-classic animation of the same name), and the entire catalog
of Survivor of which Jim was a founding member, including classics like
"High On You", "I Can't Hold Back", "The Search Is Over", "Is This Love",
"Burning Heart" from Rocky IV, and of course, the multi-platinum, Grammy-winning,
Oscar-nominated theme from Rocky III - "Eye Of The Tiger". 
The album also features musical guests like Jeff Carlisi, one of the founders
of 38 Special, Tom Kiefer of Cinderella, Paul Mertens of Poi Dog Pondering
and the Ides of March brass. The core of the WORLD STAGE band features
some of the best musicians and singers Chicago and Nashville have to offer.
"The songs included on WORLD STAGE are all ones that I have some deep
connection with - songs I wrote from the heart, usually from real personal
experience. Musically, it's kind of a tapestry of the musical styles I
love the most from straight-ahead rock, to pop, to blues." But the whole
album is united by Jim's unique sense of melody and by the way he looks
at life. Most of the songs are recent and are being presented for the
first time. A few songs, however, are from Jim's vast back catalogue recast
in Jim's current vision. "You can't improve on the original, but it's
fun to try to reinvent a song and let people hear it in a whole different
light." A good example is Jim's million-seller from when he was lead singer
and guitarist with Chicago's Ides of March. "Vehicle", originally released
in 1970 when Jim was 19, is given a vibrant blues reworking for the year
2000 with Buddy Guy trading off vocal phrases and guitar licks with Jim.
Other highlights include the reflective "Changed By Love" with Don Barnes,
the anthemic "Can't Say It Loud Enough" with Johnny VanZant, and "Diamonds
For Stones", a powerful ballad in the tradition of "The Search Is Over"
sung with Cathy Richardson.
The album was produced by Jim and long-time associate, Larry Millas, founder
of the Ides of March. On January 15th, 2000, at the Norris Center in St.
Charles, Illinois Jim presented the "NIGHT OF THE WORLD STAGE". An electrifying
performer in his own right, Jim brought up on stage many of the artists
featured on the disc to help premier this dynamic new music. As a bonus,
each artist performed one of his own songs that made a mark in Rock &
Roll history. The show was filmed as a companion piece to the CD and for
possible usage on VH1 and other entertainment formats. After a lifetime
of music, Jim is suddenly a new artist again - but this time with the
advantage of the wisdom and experience that only living the years can
bring. WORLD STAGE is the next stage in the continuing story of a man
who has always followed his dream and worked his gift relentlessly - that
man is Jim Peterik.