Kansas - A Great American Classic Rock Band

Kansas is a great American classic rock and progressive rock band from Topeka, Kansas which was formed in 1973. Their music is a mixture of progressive rock, art rock, hard rock, and arena rock (their debut self-titled studio album released in 1974 also included boogie rock as one of the genres they played; later albums also included Christian rock, pop rock, and even symphonic rock). They achieved both national and international popularity back in the 1970s, with touching and melancholic songs such as Carry On Wayward Son (1976) and Dust in the Wind (1978). The lyrics of these songs include some serious and important food for thought, having profound philosophical implications. They were initially active between 1973 and 1984 and then once more form 1985 onwards.

Publicity photograph of Kansas by Kirshner Records from 1976. Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Throughout their lengthy and commending career, the band released 16 studio albums, 7 live albums, 9 compilations, and 29 singles. Their highest-selling studio albums were the ones released from 1974 up until 1980, namely (in chronological order): Kansas (1974), Song for America (1975), Masque (1975), Leftoverture (1976), Point of Know Return (1977), Monolith (1979), Audio-Visions (1980).

The band’s guitarist, Kerry Livgren, wrote the hit singles Carry On Wayward Son and Dust in the Wind. He was also interested in the Urantia Book, an esoteric and mystical book which, upon finding it, he claimed it represented the end of a spiritual quest.

Legendary rock guitarist Kerry Livgren of Kansas photographed in 1976. Photo credits: Kirshner Records. Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Apart from the complex and intelligent lyrics and instrumentation of their songs, the bands’ cover artworks were also intricate and thought-provoking, some of them revolving around American history or surreal themes.

Aside from Carry On Wayward Son and Dust in the Wind, Kansas’ best known songs are Point of Know Return (one of my all time most favourite songs from their discography as well as from rock music in general), Fight Fire With Fire, Song for America, No One Together, The Pinnacle, Closet Chronicles, Apercu, or People of the South Wind (a song dedicated to the Kaw or Kanza people, a Native American nation of the Midwestern United States).

Below you can listen to some of my most favourite songs from the discography of Kansas, a great American classic rock and progressive rock band from Topeka, Kansas: