List of Kansas band members

Kansas is an American progressive rock band from Topeka, Kansas. Formed in early 1973, the group originally featured lead vocalist and keyboardist Steve Walsh, violinist and co-lead vocalist Robby Steinhardt, lead guitarist and keyboardist Kerry Livgren, rhythm guitarist Rich Williams, bassist Dave Hope and drummer Phil Ehart. The band's current lineup features constant members Williams and Ehart, alongside bassist and vocalist Billy Greer (since 1985, co-lead vocalist since 2006), violinist and guitarist David Ragsdale (from 1991 to 1997, and since 2006), vocalist and keyboardist Ronnie Platt (since 2014), guitarist Zak Rizvi (since 2016) and keyboardist Tom Brislin (since 2018).

Two lineups of Kansas performing live in 2008 (top) and 2017 (bottom).

Members

1973–84

Kansas was formed in early 1973, with the original lineup comprising Steve Walsh, Robby Steinhardt, Kerry Livgren, Rich Williams, Dave Hope and Phil Ehart.[1] Throughout the 1970s, the band issued a series of critically and commercially successful releases, including US Billboard 200 top ten albums Leftoverture and Point of Know Return.[2] The group's first lineup change came in October 1981, when frontman Walsh left the band during the early stages of writing for their eighth studio album Vinyl Confessions.[3] Speaking in a 2015 interview, Ehart recalled that "Things were hurtling so fast that there was no way to avoid hitting a breaking point," agreeing that Livgren's lyrical content influenced Walsh's departure, but adding that "that was one of many things going on that was making it difficult to be a band."[4]

Both lead vocalists, Steve Walsh (top) and Robby Steinhardt (bottom), left Kansas within a year of one another in the early 1980s.

Before the end of the year, Walsh was replaced by John Elefante, who performed on Vinyl Confessions and wrote several songs for the album.[5] After the subsequent concert tour later in 1982, however, Steinhardt followed Walsh in leaving Kansas.[6] Citing Steinhardt's ongoing problems with substance abuse, Ehart has since recalled that "We'd been trying for ages to persuade Robby to clean up. In the end, we told him that he needed to go away for a while."[7] His role was not replaced – the band was reduced to a five-piece for Drastic Measures.[8] Livgren, the band's main songwriter to that point, contributed only three compositions to the 1983 release.[9]

Six months after the release of Drastic Measures, both Livgren and Hope left Kansas to form AD, a Christian rock outfit.[10] In 1984, the remaining trio of Elefante, Williams and Ehart recorded one song, "Perfect Lover", for the compilation album The Best of Kansas issued that year.[11] During a tour of military bases organized by the United Service Organizations (USO) in March 1984, Elefante decided that he would leave Kansas to focus on his own Christian music. The singer claimed that the band's management threatened to take legal action against him if he left, recalling that "I remember having lunch ... with Kansas' management and attorney. They were working me over, giving me a real brow beating, and threatening to sue if I left the band. I finally said, 'Guys, I'm gone. This isn't the place for me anymore.' And that was it."[5]

1985–99

After around a year away, it was announced in July 1985 that Kansas had reformed with original vocalist Steve Walsh, who was then touring with Cheap Trick as their live keyboardist.[12] Alongside returning members Rich Williams and Phil Ehart, the group replaced lead guitarist Kerry Livgren with Steve Morse of Dixie Dregs and his own eponymous band, and bassist Dave Hope with Billy Greer, a former bandmate of Walsh's from his post-Kansas group Streets.[13][14] Morse recorded two albums with the group – Power and In the Spirit of Things – before leaving in 1989 to promote his third solo effort (the first under just his name) High Tension Wires.[15]

Following Morse's departure, Kansas parted ways with MCA Records and went on a temporary hiatus, as the remaining members focused on other projects.[1] The following fall, the group embarked on a European tour which featured the return of Livgren and Hope to the lineup.[16] The tour also featured keyboardist Greg Robert, who had joined three years earlier and performed on In the Spirit of Things.[17] A second leg in North America was scheduled for the following year, with Hope bowing out after the first, before Livgren left again and Morse returned to complete the dates.[18] The 1991 touring cycle also saw the Kansas debut of David Ragsdale, the band's first violinist since Robby Steinhardt left in 1982, who joined in April.[19]

Kansas settled in the early 1990s with the lineup of Walsh, Williams, Greer, Ehart, Robert and Ragsdale, releasing Live at the Whisky in 1992 and Freaks of Nature, their first studio album in seven years, in 1995.[20] For tours alongside Styx and ZZ Top in 1996 and 1997, respectively, Walsh was temporarily replaced by Sugarloaf frontman Jerry Corbetta.[1][21] Also in 1997, Steinhardt returned as both Ragsdale and Robert departed.[22][23] Walsh returned later in the year for an orchestral tour, which led to the recording and release of Always Never the Same with the London Symphony Orchestra.[1][24]

From 1999

Kansas briefly reunited with original lead guitarist and songwriter Kerry Livgren in 1999 to record the album Somewhere to Elsewhere.

In 1999, Kansas reunited with original lead guitarist Kerry Livgren, who had written and produced demos for several new songs described by drummer Phil Ehart as sounding "like classic Kansas".[25] Recording started in early 2000 for a new album, Somewhere to Elsewhere, at the guitarist's own Grandyzine Studios in Topeka, where the group had originally formed.[26] The album was released in July and also featured original bassist Dave Hope on two tracks, marking the first time the band's original lineup had featured together on a recording since 1980.[27] Livgren remained only for the recording, with the previous lineup of the group returning to tour later in the year.[28]

After several more years touring, Kansas parted ways with violinist and vocalist Robby Steinhardt for a second time in March 2006, which Steve Walsh described as "one of the most difficult things we've ever had to do".[7] He was replaced the following month by his previous replacement David Ragsdale.[29] Speaking about the lineup change, Ehart explained that "Robby just got to the end of the road. He was very honest when he talked to me. He said that he had just lost the desire to do this anymore."[30]

On June 30, 2014 it was announced that Walsh would be leaving Kansas, with his final performance scheduled for August 16.[31] After Walsh initially only stated that "it's time for me to go", it was later revealed that the singer was experiencing vocal problems and had lost interest in the band, with guitarist Rich Williams explaining later that "Steve was really struggling ... [he] had been struggling for years with his voice, but besides that, he just wasn't enjoying it any more."[32] In July, Walsh's impending replacement on lead vocals was announced to be Ronnie Platt,[33] while David Manion – a bandmate of Billy Greer's in Seventh Key – was added as the group's new main keyboardist.[34]

Kansas released The Prelude Implicit, its first studio album in 16 years, in September 2016.[35] The album marked the debut of new guitarist Zak Rizvi, who had originally been brought in as a co-producer but was later made a full member of the group.[36] After another live album recorded on a tour to mark the 40th anniversary of Leftoverture,[37] Manion left Kansas "to pursue other musical endeavors" in December 2018, with Tom Brislin taking his place.[38]

Members

Current

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
	Rich Williams	1973–1984 1985–present	lead and rhythm guitars (lead 1984, 1989–90, 1991–99, since 2000) backing vocals	all Kansas releases
	Phil Ehart		drums percussion
	Billy Greer	1985–present	bass acoustic guitar lead and backing vocals (backing until 2006, co-lead since)	all Kansas releases from Power (1986) onwards
	David Ragsdale	1991–1997 2006–present	violin rhythm guitar backing vocals	Live at the Whisky (1992) The Kansas Boxed Set (1994) – new song "Wheels" Freaks of Nature (1995) all Kansas releases from There's Know Place Like Home (2009) onwards
	Ronnie Platt	2014–present	lead and backing vocals keyboards	The Prelude Implicit (2016) Leftoverture: Live and Beyond (2017) The Absence of Presence (2020)
	Zak Rizvi	2016–present	rhythm and lead guitars backing vocals
	Tom Brislin	2018–present	keyboards backing vocals	The Absence of Presence (2020)

Former

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
	Kerry Livgren	1973–1983 1990–1991 1999–2000	lead and rhythm guitars keyboards synthesizers backing vocals	all Kansas releases from Kansas (1974) to Drastic Measures (1983) Live at the Whisky (1992) – guest appearance on three tracks only Somewhere to Elsewhere (2000)
	Dave Hope	1973–1983 1990	bass backing vocals	all Kansas releases from Kansas (1974) to Drastic Measures (1983) Live at the Whisky (1992) – guest appearance on one bonus track only Somewhere to Elsewhere (2000) – two tracks only
	Robby Steinhardt	1973–1982 1997–2006	violin viola cello lead and backing vocals	all Kansas releases from Kansas (1974) to Vinyl Confessions (1982) Always Never the Same (1998) Somewhere to Elsewhere (2000) Device – Voice – Drum (2002)
	Steve Walsh	1973–1981 1985–1996 1997–2014	lead and backing vocals keyboards synthesizers vibraphone percussion	all Kansas releases from Kansas (1974) to Audio-Visions (1980), and from Power (1986) to There's Know Place Like Home (2009)
	John Elefante	1981–1984	lead and backing vocals keyboards synthesizers	Vinyl Confessions (1982) Drastic Measures (1983) The Best of Kansas (1984) – new song "Perfect Lover"
	Steve Morse	1985–1989 1991	lead and rhythm guitars backing vocals	Power (1986) In the Spirit of Things (1988) King Biscuit Flower Hour (1998)
	Greg Robert	1987–1997	keyboards backing vocals	all Kansas releases from In the Spirit of Things (1988) to Freaks of Nature (1995)
	Jerry Corbetta	1996–1997 (died 2016)	lead and backing vocals keyboards	none – live performances only
	David Manion	2014–2018	keyboards backing vocals	The Prelude Implicit (2016) Leftoverture: Live and Beyond (2017)

Timeline

Lineups

Period	Members	Releases
Early 1973 – October 1981	Steve Walsh – vocals, keyboards, percussion Robby Steinhardt – vocals, violin, viola, cello Kerry Livgren – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Rich Williams – guitar, backing vocals Dave Hope – bass, backing vocals Phil Ehart – drums, percussion	Kansas (1974) Song for America (1975) Masque (1975) Leftoverture (1976) Point of Know Return (1977) Two for the Show (1978) Monolith (1979) Audio-Visions (1980)
December 1981 – November 1982	John Elefante – vocals, keyboards Robby Steinhardt – vocals, violin, viola, cello Kerry Livgren – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Rich Williams – guitar, backing vocals Dave Hope – bass, backing vocals Phil Ehart – drums, percussion	Vinyl Confessions (1982)
November 1982 – December 1983	John Elefante – vocals, keyboards Kerry Livgren – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Rich Williams – guitar, backing vocals Dave Hope – bass, backing vocals Phil Ehart – drums, percussion	Drastic Measures (1983)
December 1983 – summer 1984	John Elefante – vocals, keyboards Rich Williams – guitar, backing vocals Phil Ehart – drums, percussion Dino Elefante – bass (session only)	The Best of Kansas (1984) – one new song, "Perfect Lover"
Band inactive summer 1984 – March 1985
March 1985 – early 1987	Steve Walsh – lead vocals, keyboards Steve Morse – guitar, backing vocals Rich Williams – guitar, backing vocals Billy Greer – bass, guitar, backing vocals Phil Ehart – drums, percussion	Power (1986)
Early 1987 – April 1989	Steve Walsh – lead vocals, keyboards Steve Morse – guitar, backing vocals Rich Williams – guitar, backing vocals Billy Greer – bass, guitar, backing vocals Phil Ehart – drums, percussion Greg Robert – keyboards, backing vocals	In the Spirit of Things (1988) King Biscuit Flower Hour (1998)
April 1989 – fall 1990	Steve Walsh – lead vocals, keyboards Rich Williams – guitar, backing vocals Billy Greer – bass, guitar, backing vocals Phil Ehart – drums, percussion Greg Robert – keyboards, backing vocals	none
Fall 1990 (temporary touring lineup)	Steve Walsh – lead vocals, keyboards Rich Williams – guitar, backing vocals Billy Greer – bass, guitar, backing vocals Phil Ehart – drums, percussion Greg Robert – keyboards, backing vocals Kerry Livgren – guitar (select shows only) Dave Hope – bass (select shows only)
Late 1990 – April 1991	Steve Walsh – lead vocals, keyboards Kerry Livgren – guitar, backing vocals Rich Williams – guitar, backing vocals Billy Greer – bass, guitar, backing vocals Phil Ehart – drums, percussion Greg Robert – keyboards, backing vocals
April – summer 1991	Steve Walsh – lead vocals, keyboards Kerry Livgren – guitar, backing vocals Rich Williams – guitar, backing vocals Billy Greer – bass, guitar, backing vocals Phil Ehart – drums, percussion Greg Robert – keyboards, backing vocals David Ragsdale – violin, backing vocals
Summer – fall 1991	Steve Walsh – lead vocals, keyboards Steve Morse – guitar, backing vocals Rich Williams – guitar, backing vocals Billy Greer – bass, guitar, backing vocals Phil Ehart – drums, percussion Greg Robert – keyboards, backing vocals David Ragsdale – violin, backing vocals
Late 1991 – early 1996	Steve Walsh – lead vocals, keyboards Rich Williams – guitar, backing vocals Billy Greer – bass, guitar, backing vocals Phil Ehart – drums, percussion Greg Robert – keyboards, backing vocals David Ragsdale – violin, guitar, backing vocals	Live at the Whisky (1992) The Kansas Boxed Set (1994) – one new song, "Wheels" Freaks of Nature (1995)
Early 1996 – early 1997	Jerry Corbetta – lead vocals, keyboards Rich Williams – guitar, backing vocals Billy Greer – bass, guitar, backing vocals Phil Ehart – drums, percussion Greg Robert – keyboards, backing vocals David Ragsdale – violin, guitar, backing vocals	none
Spring – summer 1997	Jerry Corbetta – vocals, keyboards Robby Steinhardt – vocals, violin, viola Rich Williams – guitar, backing vocals Billy Greer – bass, guitar, backing vocals Phil Ehart – drums, percussion
Summer 1997 – late 1999	Steve Walsh – vocals, keyboards Robby Steinhardt – vocals, violin, viola Rich Williams – guitar, backing vocals Billy Greer – bass, guitar, backing vocals Phil Ehart – drums, percussion	Always Never the Same (1998)
Late 1999 – summer 2000	Steve Walsh – vocals, keyboards Robby Steinhardt – vocals, violin, viola Kerry Livgren – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Rich Williams – guitar, backing vocals Billy Greer – bass, guitar, backing vocals Phil Ehart – drums, percussion	Somewhere to Elsewhere (2000)
Summer 2000 – March 2006	Steve Walsh – vocals, keyboards Robby Steinhardt – vocals, violin, viola Rich Williams – guitar, backing vocals Billy Greer – bass, guitar, backing vocals Phil Ehart – drums, percussion	Device – Voice – Drum (2002)
April 2006 – August 2014	Steve Walsh – lead vocals, keyboards Rich Williams – guitar, backing vocals Billy Greer – bass, guitar, backing vocals Phil Ehart – drums, percussion David Ragsdale – violin, guitar, backing vocals	There's Know Place Like Home (2009)
August 2014 – May 2016	Ronnie Platt – lead vocals, keyboards Rich Williams – guitar, backing vocals Billy Greer – bass, guitar, backing vocals Phil Ehart – drums, percussion David Manion – keyboards, backing vocals David Ragsdale – violin, guitar, backing vocals	none
May 2016 – December 2018	Ronnie Platt – lead vocals, keyboards Rich Williams – guitar, backing vocals Zak Rizvi – guitar, backing vocals Billy Greer – bass, guitar, backing vocals Phil Ehart – drums, percussion David Manion – keyboards, backing vocals David Ragsdale – violin, guitar, backing vocals	The Prelude Implicit (2016) Leftoverture Live & Beyond (2017)
December 2018-present	Ronnie Platt – lead vocals, keyboards Rich Williams – guitar, backing vocals Zak Rizvi – guitar, backing vocals Billy Greer – bass, guitar, backing vocals Phil Ehart – drums, percussion Tom Brislin – keyboards, backing vocals David Ragsdale – violin, guitar, backing vocals	The Absence of Presence (2020)

References

1. Jones, Tim. "We are in Kansas". Record Collector. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
2. Ankeny, Jason. "Kansas: Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
3. Olson, Carl (June 2, 2013). "30 years after taking "Drastic Measures", John Elefante revisits Kansas". Progarchy. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
4. Prasad, Anil (2015). "Kansas: River of Destiny". Innerviews. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
5. Mansfield, Ken; Terrill, Marshall (May 1, 2015). Rock and a Heart Place: A Rock 'n' Roller-Coaster Ride from Rebellion to Sweet Salvation. Savage, Minnesota: BroadStreet Publishing. pp. 95–100. ISBN 978-1424550203. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
6. Iwasaki, Scott (June 17, 1995). "Constantly Touring Kansas Performs In S.L. Thursday". Deseret News. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
7. Giles, Jeff (August 12, 2013). "Kansas Violinist Robby Steinhardt Suffers Heart Attack". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
8. Ling, Dave (June 2005). "Kansas". Dave Ling. Archived from the original on January 24, 2010. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
9. Ruhlmann, William. "Drastic Measures - Kansas: Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
10. Blackard, Cap (February 28, 2009). "Audio Archaeology: Drastic Measures (1983)". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
11. Lifton, Dave (June 20, 2017). "One of Donald Trump's Lawyers Is in a Rock Band with Former Kansas Singer John Elefante". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
12. "The Rock Report" (PDF). The Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report. Cherry Hill, New Jersey: Kal Rudman. July 12, 1985. p. 16. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
13. "The Rock Report" (PDF). The Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report. Cherry Hill, New Jersey: Kal Rudman. September 6, 1985. p. 16. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
14. Beller, Jim (September 4, 2015). "Kansas to perform at Niswonger: Legendary rock band features Surgoinsville native Billy Greer". The Rogersville Review. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
15. Rene, Sheila (June 16, 1989). "Hear & There" (PDF). Gavin Report. No. 1761. p. 18. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
16. Fletcher, Tim (February 15, 2019). "Bass Transcription: Dave Hope's Bass Line on "Carry on Wayward Son" by Kansas". No Treble. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
17. "Carry On Wayward Band". Glen DiCrocco. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
18. Herrmann, Brenda (August 21, 1991). "Back In Kansas". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
19. "Kansas". M&M Group Entertainment. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
20. Ehrbar, Joe (June 23, 1995). "Kansas Still A Rock-Solid Band". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
21. Seremet, Justin (June 10, 1996). "Styx, Kansas Play Their Music Hard, Turn Meadows Into A Rockin' Place". Hartford Courant. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
22. Capriglione, Camille (October 23, 2013). "Kansas knows return". Northwestern Press. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
23. Mervis, Scott (August 9, 2012). "Preview: Arena-rock titans Boston, Kansas and Styx all hit Pittsburgh on the same weekend". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
24. Jehnzen, Daevid. "Always Never the Same - Kansas: Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
25. Rusk, Bruce (October 23, 2008). "Somewhere To Elsewhere: Kansas". Daily Vault. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
26. Blakenship, Bill (April 7, 2000). "Kansas comes back to Kansas". The Topeka Capital-Journal. Archived from the original on July 21, 2001. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
27. Giles, Jeff (July 11, 2015). "15 Years Ago: Kansas Release 'Somewhere to Elsewhere'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
28. Wilson, David L. (2000). "Kansas Interview". BallBuster Music. Archived from the original on July 16, 2015. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
29. "David Ragsdale". Yamaha Corporation. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
30. Wright, Jeb (2006). "Phil Ehart of Kansas Interview 2006". Classic Rock Revisited. Archived from the original on October 13, 2007. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
31. DeRiso, Nick (July 4, 2014). "Steve Walsh On His Exit From Kansas: 'Time For Me To Go'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
32. Wilson, Rich (September 26, 2016). "What really happened when Steve Walsh left Kansas". Prog. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
33. "Kansas Welcomes Ronnie Platt as Its New Lead Singer". ABC NewsRadio. July 16, 2014. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
34. "Kansas Welcomes New Keyboard Player, David Manion, to Band's Lineup". ABC NewsRadio. July 29, 2014. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
35. Bobbitt, Melissa (June 21, 2016). "Kansas Announce First New Album in 16 Years, 'The Prelude Implicit'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
36. "Rock Band Kansas Adds Zak Rizvi as 2nd Guitarist". Kansas. May 2, 2016. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
37. Ainscoe, Mike (November 3, 2017). "Kansas: Leftoverture Live & Beyond – album review". Louder Than War. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
38. Rheubottom, Robert (December 21, 2018). "Kansas announces new keyboard player Tom Brislin". AXS. Retrieved May 19, 2020.

External links

• Kansas official website