Kansas (band)

The 1990s saw a string of barely noticed releases, and Kansas has continued to tour year after year, but the band has never been able to regain any mass popularity or critical notice. In 2000, the techno-dance group "Stars on 54 (Amber)" remade "If You Could Read My Mind" with a slight 'dance' beat to the background. In spite of a successful 1982 album called Vinyl Confessions, the group split in 1983, only to reform in 1986 with the album Power. In 1968, Canadian rockers "The Guess Who" wrote a tune about Lightfoot entitled "Lightfoot", which includes references to Lightfoot's songs. Hope and Livgren became born-again Christians and Walsh formed a new band, replaced by John Elefante. Gordon Lightfoot is also a member of the Order of Ontario, the highest award in the province of Ontario. After a few more albums, Kansas began to fall apart in the early 1980s. He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1986, the Canadian Country Music Hall Of Fame in 2001, and in May 2003 was made a Companion of the Order of Canada, the country's highest honour.

By the time the band's fourth album, Leftoverture (1976) was released, Kansas was popular enough for the album to be a smash hit and a constant presence on the burgeoning AOR radio format, as was the followup Point of Know Return (1977). Lightfoot has received 15 Juno Awards and been nominated for 5 Grammy Awards. Relentless promotion by Kirshner and touring behind the debut album and its two followups slowly brought Kansas' name to households across America. He later returned to the music business with the album Harmony and an appearance on Canadian Idol. A somewhat successful debut album, Kansas, was released in 1974, and showcased Kansas' signature mix of guitars, keyboards, vocals, and Steinhardt's ever-present violin submerging American-style boogie-rock in complex arrangements and changing time signatures. Fall 2002, Lightfoot suffered a near-fatal abdominal hemorrhage, which caused him to go into a comatose state for a short period of time. Upon the arrival of Kerry Livgren (keyboards, guitar) the band's name was changed to Kansas and the group soon won a record deal with Don Kirshner's eponymous label. In June of 1974, his single, "Sundown", went to No.1 on the American charts.

Dave Hope (bass), Phil Ehart (drums), Robby Steinhardt (violin), Steve Walsh (keyboards, vocals) and Rich Williams (guitar) had formed a group called White Clover in their hometown of Topeka, Kansas. He is one of the first Canadian popular singers who achieved real stardom in his own country instead of moving to the United States. In spite of a harsh critical reception then and now, Kansas has remained a classic rock radio staple. In 1966, he released his debut album, Lightfoot. Kansas is a 1970s American rock and roll band, specializing in progressive rock with a distinctly American flavor. He returned to Canada by the 1960s and performed in coffee houses on the Toronto folk scene. 2003 From The Front Row...Live!. He moved to Los Angeles, California during the 1950s where he studied at Hollywood's Westlake College of Music.

2002 Device, Voice, Drum. Lightfoot was born in Orillia, Ontario, Canada. 2000 Somewhere to Elsewhere. (O.C., C.M.), O.ont. (born November 17, 1938) is a Canadian folk singer, composer and lyricist. 1998 King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents. Gordon Meredith Lightfoot C.C. 1998 Always Never the Same. 9, 2004.