List of Kansas band members

Last updated

Kansas Full 2.JPG
Kansas (35414233234).jpg
Two lineups of Kansas performing live in 2008 (top) and 2017 (bottom).

Kansas is an American progressive rock band from Topeka, Kansas. The band's current lineup features constant members Rich Williams (currently as lead guitarist) and Phil Ehart, alongside bassist and vocalist Billy Greer (since 1985, co-lead vocalist since 2006), vocalist and keyboardist Ronnie Platt (since 2014), keyboardist Tom Brislin (since 2018), and violinist and rhythm guitarist Joe Deninzon (since 2023)

Contents

History

1970–1984

In 1969, Don Montre and Kerry Livgren (guitars, keyboards, synthesizers) were performing in a band called the Reasons Why in their hometown of Topeka, Kansas. After leaving to form the band Saratoga with Lynn Meredith and Dan Wright, they started playing Livgren's original material, with Scott Kessler playing bass and Zeke Lowe coming in on drums.

In 1970, they changed the band's name to Kansas and merged with members of rival Topeka progressive rock group White Clover. [1] White Clover members Dave Hope (bass) and Phil Ehart (drums, percussion) joined with Livgren, vocalists Meredith and Greg Allen, keyboardists Montre and Wright and saxophonist Larry Baker. [2] This early Kansas group, sometimes called Kansas I, lasted until early 1971 when Ehart, Hope and some of the others left to re-form White Clover.[ citation needed ]

Ehart was replaced by Zeke Lowe and later Brad Schulz, Hope was replaced by Rod Mikinski on bass and Baker was replaced by John Bolton on saxophone and flute. This line-up is sometimes referred to as Kansas II, and 30 years later would re-form under the name Proto-Kaw.

In 1972, after Ehart returned from England (where he had gone to look for other musicians), he and Hope once again re-formed White Clover with Robby Steinhardt (vocals, violin, viola, cello), Steve Walsh (vocals, keyboards, synthesizers, percussion) and Rich Williams (guitars). In early 1973, they recruited Livgren from the second Kansas group, which then folded. [3] Eventually they received a recording contract with Don Kirshner's eponymous label, after Kirshner's assistant, Wally Gold, heard one of their demo tapes and came out to check out the band at one of their local gigs in March 1973 in Ellinwood, Kansas. After signing with Kirshner, the group decided to return to using the name "Kansas".

The group's next 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 . [4] 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." [5]

Steve-Walsh-2012-cropped.jpg
Robby Steinhardt.png
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. [6] After the subsequent concert tour later in 1982, however, Steinhardt followed Walsh in leaving Kansas. [7] 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." [8] His role was not replaced – the band was reduced to a five-piece for Drastic Measures . [9] Livgren, the band's main songwriter to that point, contributed only three compositions to the 1983 release. [10]

Six months after the release of Drastic Measures, both Livgren and Hope left Kansas to form AD, a Christian rock outfit. [11] 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. [12] 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." [6]

1985–1999

After around a year later, 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. [13] 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. [14] [15] 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 . [16]

Following Morse's departure, Kansas parted ways with MCA Records and went on a temporary hiatus, as the remaining members focused on other projects. [17] The following fall, the group embarked on a European tour which featured the return of Livgren and Hope to the lineup. [18] The tour also featured keyboardist Greg Robert, who had joined three years earlier and performed on In the Spirit of Things. [19] 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. [20] 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. [21]

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. [22] In 1997, Steinhardt returned as both Ragsdale and Robert departed. [23] [24] 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. [17] [25]

From 1999

Kansas briefly reunited with original lead guitarist and songwriter Kerry Livgren in 1999 to record the album Somewhere to Elsewhere. Kerry Livgren in Memphis Tennessee with Kansas Monolith tour .jpg
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". [26] 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. [27] 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. [28] Livgren remained only for the recording, with the previous lineup of the group returning to tour later in the year. [29]

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". [8] He was replaced the following month by his previous replacement David Ragsdale. [30] 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." [31]

On June 30, 2014 it was announced that Walsh would be leaving Kansas, with his final performance scheduled for August 16. [32] 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." [33] In July, Walsh's impending replacement on lead vocals was announced to be Ronnie Platt, [34] while David Manion – a bandmate of Billy Greer's in Seventh Key – was added as the group's new main keyboardist. [35]

Kansas released The Prelude Implicit , its first studio album in 16 years, in September 2016. [36] 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. [37] After another live album recorded on a tour to mark the 40th anniversary of Leftoverture , [38] Manion left Kansas "to pursue other musical endeavors" in December 2018, with Tom Brislin taking his place. [39]

In April 2021, Kansas announced Zak Rizvi has resigned from the band and that he "looks forward to pursuing new projects". As of now, Kansas will continue as a 6 person band.

In May 2023, Dave Ragsdale was replaced by Stratospheerius frontman Joe Deninzon. [40] [41]

Members

Current

ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributions
Phil Ehart in 2012.jpg
Phil Ehart
  • 1973–1984
  • 1985–present
  • drums
  • percussion
  • manager (not currently touring [42] )
Rich Williams (36113095311).jpg
Rich Williams
  • guitars (lead 1984, 1989–90, 1991–99, 2000-2016, 2021-present, rhythm otherwise)
  • occasional backing vocals
Billy Greer (36113136641).jpg
Billy Greer 1985–present
  • bass
  • acoustic guitar
  • lead and backing vocals (backing until 2006, co-lead since)
all Kansas releases from Power (1986) onwards
Ronnie Platt (35854809740).jpg
Ronnie Platt 2014–present
  • lead and backing vocals
  • keyboards
Zak Rizvi (36113087071).jpg
Zak Rizvi2016–2021, 2024–present
  • lead and rhythm guitars
  • backing vocals
  • The Prelude Implicit (2016)
  • Leftoverture: Live and Beyond (2017)
  • The Absence of Presence (2020)
  • Point of Know Return: Live and Beyond (2021)
Tombrislinliverig.jpg
Tom Brislin 2018–present
  • keyboards
  • backing and lead vocals
  • The Absence of Presence (2020)
  • Point of Know Return: Live and Beyond (2021)
Joe Deninzon.jpg
Joe Deninzon 2023–present
  • violin
  • rhythm guitar
  • vocals
none to date

Former

ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributions
Kerry Livgren in Memphis Tennessee with Kansas Monolith tour .jpg
Kerry Livgren
  • 1973–1983
  • 1990–1991
  • 1999–2000 (guest 2023)
  • 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)
  • There's Know Place Like Home (2009) – guest appearance on four tracks only
Kansas 1976.JPG
Dave Hope
  • 1973–1983
  • 1990
  • 2000 (guest 2023)
  • 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
Kansas 1976.JPG
Robby Steinhardt
  • 1973–1983
  • 1997–2006 (died 2021)
  • violin
  • viola
  • cello
  • lead and backing vocals
Steve Walsh - Kansas 2012.jpg
Steve Walsh
  • 1973–1981
  • 1985–2014
  • 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 at Bam Jam.jpg
John Elefante 1982–1984
  • lead and backing vocals
  • keyboards
  • guitar
  • Vinyl Confessions (1982)
  • Drastic Measures (1983)
  • The Best of Kansas (1984) – new song "Perfect Lover"
Deep Purple - inFinite - The Long Goodbye Tour - Barclaycard Arena Hamburg 2017 000.jpg
Steve Morse
  • 1985–1989
  • 1991
  • lead and rhythm guitars
  • backing vocals
Greg Robert1987–1997
  • keyboards
  • backing vocals
all Kansas releases from In the Spirit of Things (1988) to Freaks of Nature (1995)
David Ragsdale (36247951675).jpg
David Ragsdale
  • 1991–1997
  • 2006–2023
  • violin
  • backing vocals
  • rhythm guitar
David Manion & Billy Greer (35442390983).jpg
David Manion2014–2018
  • keyboards
  • backing vocals
  • The Prelude Implicit (2016)
  • Leftoverture: Live and Beyond (2017)

Touring

ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributions and notes
Warren Ham.png
Warren Ham 1982
  • saxophone
  • flute
  • harmonica
  • backing vocals
  • keyboards
Vinyl Confessions (1982), Ham was a candidate to replace Walsh before Elefante was hired, [43] he stayed with the band as session woodwind player. [44]
Michael Gleason 1983
  • keyboards
  • backing vocals
  • guitar
Gleason replaced Ham on keyboards and guitars. [45]
Eric Holmquist
  • 2016
  • 2018
  • 2022–present
  • drums
  • percussion
Phil Ehart's drum tech has filled in for him various times since 2016. [46] [47]

Timeline

List of Kansas band members

Lineups

PeriodMembersReleases
Early 1970 – Mid 1971
  • Lynn Meredith – vocals
  • Greg Allen – vocals
  • Kerry Livgren – guitar, backing vocals
  • Dave Hope – bass, backing vocals
  • Phil Ehart – drums, percussion
  • Don Montre – keyboards, backing vocals
  • Dan Wright – keyboards
  • Larry Baker – saxophone
None
Late 1971 – Early 1972
  • Lynn Meredith – lead vocals
  • Kerry Livgren – guitar, backing vocals
  • Don Montre – keyboards, backing vocals
  • Dan Wright – keyboards
  • Rod Mikinski – bass, backing vocals
  • Zeke Lowe − drums, percussion
  • John Bolton − saxophone
Early 1972 – Late 1972
  • Lynn Meredith – lead vocals
  • Kerry Livgren – guitar, backing vocals
  • Don Montre – keyboards, backing vocals
  • Dan Wright – keyboards
  • Rod Mikinski – bass, backing vocals
  • John Bolton − saxophone
  • Brad Schulz − drums, percussion
  • Early Recordings from Kansas 1971–1973 (2002)
Early 1973 − Mid 1973
  • Dave Hope – bass, backing vocals
  • Phil Ehart – drums, percussion
  • Rich Williams – guitar, backing vocals
  • Steve Walsh – vocals, keyboards, percussion
  • Robby Steinhardt – vocals, violin, viola, cello
None
Mid 1973 – October 1981
  • Kerry Livgren – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
  • Dave Hope – bass, backing vocals
  • Phil Ehart – drums, percussion
  • Steve Walsh – vocals, keyboards, percussion
  • Robby Steinhardt – vocals, violin, viola, cello
  • Rich Williams – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
December 1981 – November 1982
  • Kerry Livgren – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
  • Dave Hope – bass, backing vocals
  • Phil Ehart – drums, percussion
  • Rich Williams – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
  • Robby Steinhardt – vocals, violin, viola, cello
  • John Elefante – vocals, keyboards
November 1982 – December 1983
  • Kerry Livgren – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
  • Dave Hope – bass, backing vocals
  • Phil Ehart – drums, percussion
  • Rich Williams – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
  • John Elefante – lead vocals, keyboards
December 1983 – summer 1984
  • Phil Ehart – drums, percussion
  • Rich Williams – guitar, backing vocals
  • John Elefante – lead vocals, keyboards
  • Dino Elefante – bass (session only)
Band inactive summer 1984 – March 1985
March 1985 – early 1987
  • Phil Ehart – drums, percussion
  • Rich Williams – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
  • Steve Walsh – lead vocals, keyboards
  • Steve Morse – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Billy Greer – bass, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
Early 1987 – April 1989
  • Phil Ehart – drums, percussion
  • Rich Williams – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
  • Steve Walsh – lead vocals, keyboards
  • Steve Morse – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Billy Greer – bass, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
  • Greg Robert – keyboards, backing vocals
April 1989 – fall 1990
  • Phil Ehart – drums, percussion
  • Rich Williams – electric guitar, backing vocals
  • Steve Walsh – lead vocals, keyboards
  • Billy Greer – bass, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
  • Greg Robert – keyboards, backing vocals
none
Fall 1990
(temporary touring lineup)
  • Phil Ehart – drums, percussion
  • Kerry Livgren – electric guitar (select shows only)
  • Dave Hope – bass (select shows only)
  • Rich Williams – electric guitar, backing vocals
  • Steve Walsh – lead vocals, keyboards
  • Billy Greer – bass, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
  • Greg Robert – keyboards, backing vocals
Late 1990 – April 1991
  • Kerry Livgren – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
  • Phil Ehart – drums, percussion
  • Rich Williams – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
  • Steve Walsh – lead vocals, keyboards
  • Billy Greer – bass, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
  • Greg Robert – keyboards, backing vocals
April – summer 1991
  • Kerry Livgren – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
  • Phil Ehart – drums, percussion
  • Rich Williams – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
  • Steve Walsh – lead vocals, keyboards
  • Billy Greer – bass, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
  • Greg Robert – keyboards, backing vocals
  • David Ragsdale – violin, backing vocals
Summer – fall 1991
  • Phil Ehart – drums, percussion
  • Rich Williams – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
  • Steve Walsh – lead vocals, keyboards
  • Billy Greer – bass, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
  • Steve Morse – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Greg Robert – keyboards, backing vocals
  • David Ragsdale – violin, backing vocals
Fall 1991 – early 1997
  • Phil Ehart – drums, percussion
  • Rich Williams – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Steve Walsh – lead vocals, keyboards
  • Billy Greer – bass, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
  • Greg Robert – keyboards, backing vocals
  • David Ragsdale – violin, rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Early 1997 – late 1999
  • Phil Ehart – drums, percussion
  • Rich Williams – electric guitar, backing vocals
  • Steve Walsh – vocals, keyboards
  • Robby Steinhardt – vocals, violin, viola
  • Billy Greer – bass, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
Late 1999 – summer 2000
  • Kerry Livgren – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
  • Phil Ehart – drums, percussion
  • Rich Williams – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
  • Steve Walsh – vocals, keyboards
  • Robby Steinhardt – vocals, violin, viola
  • Billy Greer – bass, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
Summer 2000 – March 2006
  • Phil Ehart – drums, percussion
  • Rich Williams – electric guitar, backing vocals
  • Steve Walsh – vocals, keyboards
  • Robby Steinhardt – vocals, violin, viola
  • Billy Greer – bass, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
April 2006 – August 2014
  • Phil Ehart – drums, percussion
  • Rich Williams – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Steve Walsh – vocals, keyboards
  • Billy Greer – bass, acoustic guitar, vocals
  • David Ragsdale – violin, rhythm guitar, backing vocals
August 2014 – May 2016
  • Phil Ehart – drums, percussion
  • Rich Williams – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Billy Greer – bass, acoustic guitar, vocals
  • David Ragsdale – violin, rhythm guitar, backing vocals
  • Ronnie Platt – vocals, keyboards
  • David Manion – keyboards, backing vocals
none
May 2016 – December 2018
  • Phil Ehart – drums, percussion
  • Rich Williams – rhythm and lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Billy Greer – bass, acoustic guitar, vocals
  • David Ragsdale – violin, rhythm guitar, backing vocals
  • Ronnie Platt – vocals, keyboards
  • David Manion – keyboards, backing vocals
  • Zak Rizvi – lead guitar, backing vocals
December 2018 – April 2021
  • Phil Ehart – drums, percussion
  • Rich Williams – rhythm and lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Billy Greer – bass, acoustic guitar, vocals
  • David Ragsdale – violin, rhythm guitar, backing vocals
  • Ronnie Platt – vocals, keyboards
  • Zak Rizvi – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Tom Brislin – keyboards, vocals
April 2021 – May 2023
  • Phil Ehart – drums, percussion
  • Rich Williams – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Billy Greer – bass, acoustic guitar, vocals
  • David Ragsdale – violin, rhythm guitar, backing vocals
  • Ronnie Platt – vocals, keyboards
  • Tom Brislin – keyboards, vocals
none
May 2023 – present
  • Phil Ehart – drums, percussion
  • Rich Williams – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Billy Greer – bass, acoustic guitar, vocals
  • Ronnie Platt – vocals, keyboards
  • Tom Brislin – keyboards, vocals
  • Joe Deninzon – violin, rhythm guitar, backing vocals
none to date

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