Music debate: Does Kansas have a place in Cleveland?

To the legion of Wheatheads, loyal fans of the rock band Kansas, the group's upcoming June 21 induction into the Kansas Hall of Fame in Topeka is nothing less than overdue.

The bigger debate comes in asking if the progressive rock group founded in Topeka in 1973 deserves inclusion in an even bigger Hall of Fame. Specifically, one housed in a pyramid-shaped building in Cleveland.

It isn’t unreasonable to ask, Wheatheads say, that if there is room in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for Blondie, why isn't there a place for Kansas, a group that blended rock rhythms with complicated, symphonic, almost-orchestral backing into a style of music that — while not completely groundbreaking in the mid-1970s — was certainly innovative.

Devotees also point to eight gold albums, three multiplatinum albums and two Top 20 singles — “Carry On Wayward Son” and “Dust in the Wind” — that have been covered by artists as diverse as Sarah Brightman and in venues as varied as “Guitar Hero II” and a Suburu commercial. They correctly note outstanding musicality in the spiritual lyrics of Kerry Livgren, the tenor vocals and keyboard work of Steve Walsh, and the memorable violin performances of Robby Steinhardt.

For the record, the question of whether Kansas ranks among the greats of rock and roll history is a subject of little interest to one of the group's founders.

“It means next to nothing to me,” Livgren said of the Rock and Roll HOF issue. “It really means more to me to be inducted in my home state's Hall of Fame.”

The question will be left to others to debate, and Bill Lee, a Lawrence resident and longtime radio personality who heads the Kansas Music Hall of Fame, has heard plenty of discussions.

“They're obviously important to our state, which is why they were in our first class when we formed our Hall (in 2005),” Lee said. “They were an obvious selection for us as musical ambassadors around the world for our state for a very long time.”

“They certainly represent the progressive wing of rock music, so they need to be considered from that point of view,” Lee added. “I'm prejudiced in their favor, but I also understand why someone in a different part of the world might not be as emotionally connected to their music.

“They've had some great songs, and Kerry Livgren has written a lot of great music. They had the two big hits and several subsequent lesser hits, though good songs nonetheless. They have a lot going for them, and the talent is certainly there. They played the game and got the (recording) deal and played on TV and in big arenas all over the world.

“The problem is, there aren't a lot of bands that list them as an inspiration.”

It sounds, someone suggested to Lee, like the classic battle between what the heart wants and the head thinks is likely.

“It is,” Lee agreed, “but the head is starting to come around.”