Song of the Day 7/30: Kansas, “Dust in the Wind”

Robby Steinhardt, second vocalist and violinist for the band Kansas, died last week of pancreatitis, aged 71. He wasn’t the group’s leader, but his violin was the most distinctive element of their prog-rock sound, and his wild mane was its most arresting visual feature. He also served as front man during their concerts, making the classically trained violinist something of a co-leader despite being one of the last members to join their hit-making lineup. On this, the band’s only Top 10 hit (No. 6, 1978), Steinhardt’s call-and-response on viola and violin have a lot to do with the song’s air of profundity.

I often poke record executives for not recognizing a hit when they hear one, but sometimes even the musicians themselves can be obtuse. “Dust in the Wind” was recorded for Kansas’ “Point of Know Return” album only at the last minute. Guitarist and principle songwriter Guitarist Kerry Livgren hadn’t brought it in because he thought it “didn’t sound like Kansas” — in fact, it started out as an exercise he played while teaching himself to finger-pick. His wife heard him playing it and told him it was beautiful and that he should put some words to it. When Livgren played a tape of it for the rest of the band, they sat silent for several seconds until someone said, “That’s our next single.”

In concert the song became even more of a Steinhardt showcase.

Kansas didn’t really have a leader per se, but Livgren wrote the majority of their songs. After he became a born-again Christian in the early ’80s, lead vocalist Steve Walsh got sick of singing his lyrics and quit; Steinhardt soon followed, though the band reformed in various configurations in later years. Steinhardt last played with them in 2006, and had recently completed what was going to be his first solo album.