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Lists of Favorites

My People of the South Wind Story

A Word About Kerry

A Word About Steve

Robby vs. Ragsdale

A Word About Proto-Kaw

Steve in Anaheim, CA, August 2003
(Photo by Sheri Hastings)


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Lists of Favorites

Favorite Kansas songs:
1. The Wall
2. Reason to Be
3. Distant Vision
4. Song for America
5. Icarus – Born On Wings of Steel
6. On the Other Side
7. A Glimpse of Home
8. Miracles Out of Nowhere
9. Mysteries and Mayhem
10. Hopelessly Human

Favorite Kansas albums:
1. Leftoverture
2. Monolith
3. Freaks of Nature
4. Masque
5. Point of Know Return


My People of the South Wind Story:

I’m an ex-Alaskan...I lived in Fairbanks from 1969 to 1985, minus the 1.5 years I spent living and traveling in other parts of the US. One of the problems of growing up in the wilderness is the isolation/separation from “real” civilization. By the time I was a teenager, I was very restless and yearning to explore the world. Anytime I was able to travel south, even to Seattle for a weekend, was a welcome escape!

Having discovered how wonderful rock music was, I was starved for concerts and conversation. I had very few friends at that time, and they did not share my love for “Prog” in particular except for Louise, who moved away soon after introducing my ears to the likes of Ambrosia and 10cc. She was not a Kansas fan, though.

Most rock bands don’t tour in Alaska, perhaps because of the expense, or the weather, or low human population. I was very lucky, however, to attend my first rock concert in August 1975 when Bachman Turner Overdrive played at the Palmer State Fair! (Wolfman Jack was also there…only people older than 40 know who he is!) That show only stimulated my urge to grow up and get out of Alaska so I could attend more concerts!

Every year, tourists would come up in their RVs and drive Alaska’s highways. As much as I wanted to leave the state, I had become a nature lover and environmentalist, and I was proud that people from all over the world came to see my “backyard”! (I could grumble that rock stars never seem to want to see it, but I won’t be that cheeky!) I often spoke to tourists about where they were from, and I would dream about Chicago, or Phoenix, or New Orleans. Sometimes I wished they’d adopt me and take me back to Denver, or Louisville, or hey, even Topeka!!!

One of the brand names for RVs during those years was “South Wind”, so when the Monolith album came out in 1979 and I heard the song People of the South Wind, I immediately thought of the tourists in their RVs! At that time, I had no idea what the song was about, so my new nickname for tourists became “people of the south wind”…after all, they did come from places south of Alaska and they did drive vehicles with the name “South Wind”. (a little joke there!) Only recently have I learned about the true “People of South Wind”, the Kanza tribe for whom the state of Kansas is named.

Oddly enough, I didn’t leave Alaska right away when I turned 18. I did a lot of traveling around the U.S., but I always came “home”. I saw some good concerts during my adventures, but was never able to catch Kansas. I finally left Alaska for good when I got married in 1985 and moved to California. By then, Progressive Rock had pretty much disappeared, and Kansas became just a fond musical memory for me...until recently, that is!

Now that I have reunited with this wonderful band, I play the Monolith CD often, and whenever I hear People of the South Wind, I remember those warm Alaskan summer days and the lines of RVs going up and down the highways. Sometimes I get homesick, and sometimes I even think of moving back, but no matter what the future holds, at least I finally have seen Kansas in concert!!!

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A Word About Kerry:

I consider Kerry Livgren to be a song-writing genius, and few Kansas fans will disagree that he is the true mastermind behind the group’s overall success. His openness and eagerness to explore diverse religious, literary, and philosophical realms have inspired many Kansas masterpieces. As a solo artist, he continues writing, producing, and performing music in the Christian vein while still penning great tunes for bands like Kansas and Proto-Kaw.

I remember back in the early 80s when Kerry declared his full conversion to Christianity…I can’t remember if this was before or after the Monolith album, but I do remember being very disappointed. Although there had been Christian elements in his music from the beginning, I knew this would change the band in a major way...and it did! The "classic" Kansas line-up soon was gone, and a revolving door was installed for various band members to come and go.

Very few of Kerry’s songs actually turn me off. I have no problem singing the “mark of Cain” lines from Mysteries and Mayhem and The Pinnacle, even though the concept of Original Sin is personally absurd to me. For songs like A Glimpse of Home and Hold On, it’s easy to think in romantic terms.

The one song I truly struggle with, however, is one of my top favorites...Distant Vision. Not only is this song very evangelical in nature, I have since learned that it is a biographical tune about Christopher Columbus. So, not only must I deal with religious subject matter, but I also must deal with a man whom I despise! Even so, Distant Vision is one of my favorite Kansas songs directly because of its stirring and dramatic music and melody. It is a "paradox" I am learning to handle, but it isn't easy. If I could just have a copy of this song without the lyrics, I would be very pleased!

I won’t discuss my own spiritual beliefs here, only to say that my faith is nature-based. I explored Christianity and it didn’t work for me. However, I am able to respect that it works well for Kerry! What I find refreshing about his songwriting for Kansas is that he does not proselytize or force his points of view. He just simply states what he believes without cramming it down the listener’s throat. Another Kansas fan once pointed out that there is a difference between Evangelism and Praise. It seems Kerry’s songs concentrate on Praise, which is why his music works so well for secular audiences.

So, in spite of the dissimilarity in our respective beliefs, I do appreciate and admire Kerry very deeply. His creativity and insight continue to amaze me! One of my biggest dreams came true when I finally got to see him perform with Proto-Kaw, which is his new band, which is actually his old band (see "A Word About Proto-Kaw" on the Kansas Comments page). It was an honor and a privilege to finally meet him! Unfortunately, I was too starstruck to say anything intelligible to him, but I hope to speak with him again someday when my brain is working! :)

For more information about Kerry, please visit www.numavox.com

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A Word About Steve:

When I was a young teenager, I didn’t lust after any rock stars. (Well, maybe Robert Plant!) There certainly were a lot of “cute” guys in the business back in the early/mid-70s, but I focused on the music more than the players. With Kansas, it was definitely the music! I appreciated Robby for his beautiful violin (he is my favorite band member now), but it was Steve who became the main focus of my affection in those early years.

Now these were the days long before music videos and websites, and living in a remote place like Fairbanks, Alaska, further reduced the flow of information. Concerts were definitely out of the question! All I knew about Kansas was what I read in magazines. By the time I entered high school, I had seen many photos of Steve Walsh and a few brief clips on TV, and developed a mild crush on him. Before long, however, Tommy Shaw joined Styx and my heart belonged to Tommy for the rest of that decade. Even so, when Steve dropped out of Kansas in the early 80s, I dropped out, too! It wasn’t until many years later when I discovered he had returned to the band, but my life was much different by then. My old favorites were distant memories.

So, fast forward to "the present tense". I returned to Kansas as a fan in 2001 when I heard them on the radio after God knows how many years. While visiting Steve’s website, I saw a lot of photos and noticed the changes he had undergone over the decades. The years had been rough on him, but he had pulled through just fine. He was still a handsome man, though the baby face and sexy, little pout were gone. I began to hear stories from other fans about his struggle with alcohol and drug abuse...they had taken their toll on his health and his voice. Even so, I was more than willing to be supportive. I bought the Device Voice Drum DVD and finally got to see the band in action. Although I was pleased with Robby’s energetic performance, my eyes kept going to Steve!

Finally, the time came for my first live Kansas concert (Medford, Oregon, July 2003)!!! Seeing him on the DVD was great, but nothing prepared me for the real Steve Walsh in person! When I first saw him on stage before the show, I was busy taking photographs, so the full effect of his presence didn’t hit me right away. Suddenly, though, I felt a very strong pull in his direction. His stage presence was overwhelming to the point that he took my breath away! Even though he was ill that night, his "aura" was still pretty strong.

Soon after that concert, I obtained the Live At the Whiskey video, and got another close look at Steve. It was a totally different experience! I was let down by what I felt was a shoddy performance and certainly did not sense any strong vibes for this man. However, I had also received a tape that had some older concerts and video clips, and I got to see him function in the early Kansas years. He was absolutely adorable! If I had seen these "Kirshner" concerts and music videos back in the 70s, I would have totally forgotten about Tommy Shaw! (The early Kansas videos are now available on the Sail On DVD.) I am happy to have a permanent record of the younger Steve, before his rowdy lifestyle took its toll, but mostly, I am glad that he survived those wild years to become the much wiser, stronger, and better man that he is today!

Does this mean I am now madly and passionately in love with him? Of course not! Perhaps a bit of the old school-girl crush has re-surfaced, but my attraction to Steve is more of a spiritual nature than a sexual one. After purchasing his solo CDs, I now totally respect and admire him as a musician, singer, and songwriter. I was thrilled beyond belief when he signed the Glossolalia CD booklet for me after a show in Tacoma, Washington in October 2003!

I am happy to be a big fan of his once again after all these years. I still find him to be quite handsome! Indeed, there is still much of the young Steve in him, especially when he smiles!

Visit Steve’s official website at www.steve-walsh.de

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Robby vs. Ragsdale:

After careful scrutiny of the Freaks of Nature CD, the Live At the Whiskey video, and various concerts clips, I have come to the conclusion that David Ragsdale is not only an incredibly sexy man, but also an extremely talented and gifted musician! The intensity and emotion he displays while playing the violin and the guitar add to the enchantment. This man FEELS what he is playing. He lays bare his soul in his performance, inviting the listener/observer to FEEL along with him. Rags is a true professional and a delight to watch on tape. In March 2006, saw him perform in Las Vegas with the band Phoenix and got to meet him briefly. He is a very friendly and unpretentious guy.

On the other hand, Robby Steinhardt has a more natural, fluid way of playing. The violin rests comfortably on his shoulder like an old friend. His fingers barely seem to touch the bow and strings, as if there were little effort in creating such powerful melodies. He’s an absolute master and magician at producing beautiful noise! It was Robby’s playing that first attracted me Kansas all those decades ago, one reason why he was favorite band member. (Another reason being that he’s so darn cute and huggable!) I first met Robby in August 2004 and have had spoken with him briefly numerous times since then. His departure in the spring of 2006 devastated the fans, but we wish him all the best in his retirement.

While there is intensity in Robby’s work, it is not as deep as Ragsdale's. Robby’s strength lies in his ability to flow like the smooth surface of a river, whereas Rags plays like the swift current flowing underneath. Robby has grace and energy that comes to him naturally, unlike Rags, who seems to "force" the music out of himself. Neither musician is better than the other, just different in their showmanship. Both are excellent entertainers...Robby often moves around the stage like a house on fire, while Rags can stand still and yet resemble a fierce tornado! Therefore, the difference between the two men is not in their talent, but in their styles.

Robby knows the songs so well and has grown along with them over the decades...they are in his blood. Rags had to learn the music second-hand (except for the Freaks of Nature material, of course). To his credit, he learned to play the Kansas catalog incredibly well. His return to the band in the spring of 2006 was much appreciated by the fans. I cannot think of a better person to fill Robby’s shoes than he.

So which violin player do I prefer in Kansas? The choice is obviously Robby! My emotional history with Kansas goes back many decades and Robby brings much comfort to my soul. However, now that his has retired from the band, I am learning to appreciate Ragsdale even more.

Visit David Ragsdale’s sites at:
www.davidragsdale.com
www.oocities.org/ragsfan

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A Word About Proto-Kaw:

Please visit my Proto-Kaw page!

Visit Proto-Kaw's website at www.protokaw.com.

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