Kansas is an American rock band that became popular in the 1970s with hit singles such as "Carry On Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind". They have remained a classic rock radio staple and a popular touring act in North America and Europe.
Formed by members Kerry Livgren, Robby Steinhardt, Dave Hope, Phil Ehart, Steve Walsh, and Rich Williams, the group signed a recording contract with Kirshner Records in 1973. The same year they released their self-titled debut album.
After the release of two albums in 1975, including “Masque” (which sold a half a million copies in the United States), the group released “Leftoverture” in October 1976. The album debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200 and spawned the single "Carry On Wayward Son", which reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100, leading the album to sell over five million copies in the United States.
The following year their fifth album “Point of Know Return” was issued and certified four times platinum by the RIAA and spawned the Top 10 single "Dust in the Wind". After the release of a live album, the group sixth studio release “Monolith” was issued in 1979, which spawned two singles.
“Audio-Visions” was released in 1980 and certified gold by the RIAA. Their eighth studio album “Vinyl Confessions” released the single "Play the Game Tonight" which became their first Top 20 single on the Billboard Hot 100 in four years, however the album itself did not sell and eventually after the release of a ninth studio album in 1983, the group disbanded.
Kansas reformed again in 1986 and released the studio album “Power” on MCA Records, whose single "All I Wanted" reached #19 on the Billboard Hot 100 that year. After the release of another album in 1988, the group reunited seven years later for the forming of the album “Freaks of Nature” (1995) on Intersound Records.
In 1998 “Always Never the Same” was released on River North Records, followed by “Somewhere to Elsewhere” in 2000 on Magna Carta Records. In the aughts, Kansas released 2001's "Dust in the Wind," 2002's "Device - Voice - Drum," 2009's "There's Know Place Like Home" and 2017's "Leftoverture: Live and Beyond".