Kansas - Live - 1974 - Song For America(New York City)

Recorded live at the Bottom Line in New York City - 1974 before the release of SONG FOR AMERICA. This aired on an FM radio broadcast entitled "Retrorock" in early 1975. My favorite Kansas song. Walsh botches the vocals at 9:07.

Kerry Livgren - Keyboards, Guitars
Steve Walsh - Vocals, Keyboards
Robby Steinhardt - Vocals, Violin
Rich Williams - Guitars
Dave Hope - Bass
Phil Ehart - Drums

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Kansas
• Progressive
• Rock
• Live
• 1974
• New
• York
• Academy
• Of
• Music
• Steve
• Walsh
• Kerry
• Livgren
• Robby
• Steinhardt
• Rich
• Williams
• Dave
• Hope
• Phil
• Ehart
• Retrorock
• Song
• For
• America

[MrJoeydano]

Hi' Rickyon

Saw and briefly spoke to Robbie last Feb 2011 at the South florida fair and he was ok but

dealing with a sickness (Thyriod I believe) I recently spoke to a close friend of his who said

he is ok. But not well enough to tour anymore !

[rickyon]

I'm glad that Robby is alright!! I see that he sits in with Rick Moon's band Stormbringer every once in a while.

[MrJoeydano]

Robbie although Dave is a great young talent and i'm glade he is Touring I miss you to no end !

We who Love Kansas Miss you too much too express in words please get well !

[rickyon]

Last I heard Robby was fine. Did you hear something recently?

[Karmkane]

The first time I saw Kansas was on the Masque tour. They opened for BTO. Imagine being 15 at your second concert ever. They opened with "Song for America"... I like to think that experience is what made me the man I am today.

[rickyon]

You saw them on the same tour that I did! Do you remember the venue or the date? I saw them open for Bad Company at The Capital Centre in Maryland. This was my 1st Kansas concert but my 1st concert was in 1969 when I was 11 years old! It was Iron Butterfly.

[Prosciutto14]

I heard this song for the first time about 1990 (20 years ago!!!!!). My knowledge of Kansas that time around was limited to Dust in the Wind, Carry on wayward Son and Hold on. Song for America was such a great impact, a composition as great and majestic as the great works of the British prog bands of the seventies.

From then on I became a huge Kansas fan.

Needless to say that Song for America has remained one of the great moments of progressive rock.

[rickyon]

You haven't listened to too many live performances of Kansas then because there are countless examples of Walsh live that are just stunning! Any singer is at the mercy of the human instrument of the vocal chords but Walsh in his prime was unequaled. Not only did he wow with his vocal chords but also played mean keyboards at the same time.

[Brianp823]

Pretty cool recording. Historical and they played the whole thing not like since 1978 when they truncated out the piano solo and other parts of the instrumental part between the bridge and the last verse. By the way people it is ROBBY not ROBBIE.

[fesstarou]

なつかし～い。

[fraroc]

@MrJoeydano Thyroid issue? Do you think that has anything to do with back in 2006 when he left the band?

[fraroc]

@rickyon Yeah, id expect him to have trouble during the "life is sweet but I took it all for granted" line, even if they'd drop-tuned it.