10 Facts About Kansas Even Die-Hard Fans Not Know About

Kansas became a well-known American rock band that’s been here since the 70s. The essential element that the band lies more on the orchestra side of things (keyboards, saxophone, and violin) which makes them one of the unique rock bands that inspired a generation. Before Kansas became the Kansas of today, they were already making names in pubs and clubs. Below, we’ll take you on an interesting ride of some of Kansas’ most trivial facts that fans of theirs might not know about. Enjoy!

Kansas is indeed from Kansas

The band went on a humble path and decided to rename their band as Kansas, a tribute to their Midwestern state. Their previous name was White Clover, a sought-after progressive rock band that made names in the locals. Most of the original members graduated from Topeka High School.

They lost their masters of their albums from the 2008 Universal Fire

As frightening as it was, one of the most prized possessions from the band was also erased from existence. The Universal Fire was indeed a pure horror for both its victims of fire and the people who owned something valuable there.

They gave tribute to the Indigenous People of Kansas

The song “People of the South Wind,” became the band’s acknowledgment moment for the tribal people who gave life to the ever-fluttering Kansas State. As a matter of fact, the word “Kansas” is a Sioux word literally translates to “People of the South Wind.” That’s a pretty awesome tribute.

Their ever-iconic cover art

Kansas became famous for its unique cover art that stands out always. They have a knack for producing albums that show a significant impact on a listener’s eye. They also love to incorporate metaphors and easter eggs to make their fans more curious about it.

They took their inspiration from the British progressive rock bands

The likes of Jethro Tull and Yes, they were one of the pioneers of early prog-rock in the UK. Kansas was fascinated by these, but instead, they used King Crimson as their main inspiration to parallel their songs. King Crimson became their heroes due to their lyrical, harmonic sound.

They have their own number 1 fan

From rare memorabilia to everything there is to know about Kansas, Steve Smits is the man for that. It is believed that he had watched all of Kansas’s performances over 150 times. If that’s not a hardcore fan, then we don’t know what is.

They never were a recipient of a Grammy award

It’s one of the biggest snobs in the history of Grammys. They were nominated though, “Best Inspirational Performance” for their work on “Crossfire.”

And never been inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Fans were utterly disappointed that for many years, many albums and singles have passed, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is still yet to recognize Kansas’ efforts in the music industry. Maybe someday in the future, they’ll be awarded, but one can only hope for today.

Christianity is often observed on some of their tracks

It’s no surprise that any Kerry Livegren-penned lyrics have a thing for spirituality. “Carry On, Wayward Son” contained the lyrics, “Now your life’s no longer empty / But surely Heaven waits for you,” which hinted at the afterlife in the Kingdom of God. In 1980, Livegren became an Evangelical Christian and served the good life becoming an Anglican Minister.

The band broke up a few times

It’s no surprise that the longevity of Kansas was often faced with a lot of turmoil in many years that they’ve been together. Few of the band members, more prominently, Steve Walsh and Robby Steinhardt, departed from the band to pursue a solo career and even take a break from all the stress of touring and making albums. The band also broke up over a year and reunited back together.