RIP Robby Steinhardt. Progs greatest soloist.

[CEB]

https://progreport.com/legendary-kansas-violinist-robby-steinhardt-passes-away-july-17-2021-in-tampa-florida/?fbclid=IwAR3fDbP2JvevGD69x2ClmJ3ZxQ8TFWQ2qJGMDfmdmxlo4DS7mA3BfJPvkRo

[MusicaL]

RIP Robby!! Kansas was one of the first bands I fell in love with and Robby played an oversized role in that band!! He is surely a legend!

 

aL

[Iconoclast]

I played in a Kansas tribute for years so I'm very familiar with all his stuff.

 

Very original, not afraid to take chances. Played some amazing solos. Had a great singing voice too. He was the secret sauce that Kerry used to make Kansas what it really was in those first 5 or 6 albums. Don't know that we'll see anyone like him in music anytime soon.

 

Robbie's Solo starts at 3:15

[video:youtube]

[Iconoclast]

Then of course there's this ripper, recorded entirely live on TV.

 

I've heard a ton of live versions of this song and I don't think they ever played it slow...

 

[video:youtube]

[EscapeRocks]

Here's a much better Dust in the Wind Live video from back then. The cool violin solo starts around 3:04

 

You can hear Robbie's understated yet great harmony vocal throughout

 

[video:youtube]

[bennyray]

Great band Kerry Livgren was very religious and showed in his lyrics band moved to Atlanta from Kansas

[Old No7]

Dang...

 

Now, don't hang on

Nothin' lasts forever but the earth and sky.

It slips away

And all your money won't another minute buy.

 

Dust in the wind

All we are is dust in the wind

(All we are is dust in the wind)

 

Dust in the wind

(Everything is dust in the wind)

Everything is dust in the wind

The wind

 

I love covering his violin solo on my MODX6; I might have to fire it up tonight in his memory...

 

Old No7

[o0Ampy0o]

I first saw Kansas as an opening act at Winterland in San Francisco. They have been a band of strong musicians. I cannot recall the drummer ever doing a solo or even being featured in any special way in one of their songs (you could say he was featured in almost every one of their songs) but this has been a band trading off leads from every other member. Two great guitarists, two great keyboardists, a great rhythm section yet somehow even though he was frequently in the spotlight with his leads and vocals and he was a big man on stage with big hair including beard, Robby Steinhardt was the communicator who conveyed a level of humility and class each member seemed to share. Their music was so strong and dynamic. Steve Walsh could have stolen the spotlight but even when he was bursting over the top with more coke in his veins than blood** everyone including Walsh kept their place through exceptional musicianship.

 

 

 

[video:youtube]

 

**exaggeration

[Iconoclast]

I believe that Canada Jam was the largest crowd they ever played for. Headlined a stadium festival with 85,000 I think.

[The Real MC]

Great musician, what a loss. And AFAIK Robby did not play on Carry On Wayward Son.

[mate stubb]

This hits close to home. In '72-'73 I was rock and rolling all over the Midwest and we chewed a lot of the same ground. I would see their posters right next to ours in all the rock bars in places like Hutchinson, McPherson, Dodge City, and Liberal.

 

We rubbed elbows with them at various festival shows now and then. We absolutely loved those guys. Robby (along with Jerry Goodman of the Flock) was a pioneer of his instrument in rock along with being their main lead singer in the early days. Such a loss.

[Shamanczarek]

I've always loved rock bands with great violin players. I saw It's a Beautiful Day and Curved Air back in the day and had two albums by The Flock. When the first Kansas album came out I was blown away and listened to it every day for a long time. "Journey From Mariabronn" rivaled much of the best British Prog-Rock of the time. Robby's violin and vocals are outstanding on "Miracles Out of Nowhere" from Leftoverture.