Kansas

Appropriately taking shape in Topeka, Kansas, the rock band Kansas, came together 1970 when a trio of high school buddies began playing together. Kelly Livgren (guitar), Phil Ehart (drums), and Dave Hope (bass) were eventually joined by singer Steve Walsh, violinist Robbie Steinhardt, and guitarist Richard Williams and settled on their home state as the name of their band. Their 1974 eponymously titled debut LP and 1975’s Masque, along with their busy tour schedule, started to earn them a fanbase. Their breakthrough came with 1976’s Leftoverture, a top 5 album that spawned the smash single “Carry on Wayward Son” which would become a classic rock staple. They capitalized on their new fame with 1977’s Point of Know Return, another top 5 LP and the single “Dust in the Wind”, a gentle, philosophical ballad that reached number 6. 1979’s Monolith was their final top 10 album, and they enjoyed a pair of top 20 singles in the 80s, 1982’s “Play the Game Tonight” and 1986’s “All I Wanted”. Half the original lineup left, but they continued to tour and release new albums until going on a long recording hiatus after 2000’s Somewhere to Elsewhere. 2016’s The Prelude Implicit was their first new work in 16 years and climbed to number 41 on the album charts. Four years later they issued The Absence of Presence.

Please enable Javascript to view this page competely.