Band Kansas, founded in Topeka, still carries on

The progressive rock band Kansas continues to carry on, 46 years after being formed in Topeka.

This week's History Guy video at CJOnline focuses on that band, which in its original form included 1967 Topeka West High School graduate Kerry Livgren and 1968 Topeka West grads Rich Williams, Phil Ehart and Dave Hope.

Williams, Livgren, Ehart and Hope teamed up to form Kansas in 1973 with Robby Steinhardt, who grew up in Lawrence, and Steve Walsh, who grew up in St. Joseph, Mo.

“Kansas is a Band” read the headline of a Topeka Daily Capital article published in April 1974 about the group, which had put out its first album the previous month.

The members of Kansas went on to become rock stars, selling more than 15 million records while having seven top 40 hits with songs that included “Dust in the Wind” and “Carry on Wayward Son.”

Kansas became the state's most commercially successful rock group.

The band has seen various lineup changes over the years, and Williams and Ehart are the only original members who remain. Kansas now makes its home in Atlanta.

But the band hasn’t forgotten the city of its birth. In 2009, it released a live album — "There's Know Place Like Home" — recorded at Washburn University’s White Concert Hall with the Washburn University Symphony Orchestra.

Kansas then performed in 2016 at what is now Stormont Vail Events Center to celebrate Topeka’s completion of a downtown renovation project.

Kansas was joined at that show by former members Steinhardt and Livgren. Livgren turned 70 years old last week and is the only original member of Kansas to still live in Shawnee County.

Kansas comes back to play in Topeka next week. The band will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4, at the Topeka Performing Arts Center, 214 S.E. 8th. Tickets range in price from $40 to $125, according to the TPAC website.