When you think of the cities where great rock & roll acts originated, a few come to mind: London, New York, Los Angeles, Detroit, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, Seattle, Toronto, and even Liverpool. But the midwestern prairie town of Topeka? Yes, it turns out that in the late 1960s and early ’70s, Topeka, Kansas was an incubator of progressive rock. That’s where the band Kansas was born in 1973, and that’s where we’re headed for this Throwback Threesome.
There were actually three Kansases at the beginning. Kansas I came into being when rival Topeka prog rock groups Reasons Why and White Clover joined forces in 1970. That iteration only lasted about a year when founding members Phil Ehart (drums, percussion) and Dave Hope (bass) left to re-form White Clover. The remaining members, including Kerry Livgren (guitars, keyboards), became Kansas II, which was also short-lived.
Finally, in 1973, the White Clover lineup of Ehart, Hope, Robby Steinhardt (vocals, violin, viola, cello), Steve Walsh (vocals, keyboards, synthesizers, percussion), and Rich Williams (guitars) recruited Livgren from the second Kansas, which then folded. After signing their first record deal, the group took on the Kansas name yet again. This time it stuck.
If there were one word to best describe the music of Kansas, it would have to be “enduring.” The band appeared on the U.S. Billboard charts for over 200 weeks throughout the 1970s and 1980s and played to sold-out arenas and stadiums throughout North America, Europe, and Japan. Their signature song, “Carry On Wayward Song,” was the second-most-played track on U.S. classic rock radio in 1995 and No. 1 in 1997. Original members Phil Ehart and Rich Williams are currently leading the band on its 50th anniversary tour.
Throwback Threesome: Kansas
