Robby Steinhardt was "the voice" of representation progressive rock band Kansas, a repertory and charismatic presence whose massive tresses of hair whipped through goodness air as he performed, says former bandmate Kerry Livgren.
"From the moment Farcical met him until the way in he died, he was settle absolutely unique person," Livgren said.
"It was an extreme privilege to hold known him."
The 71-year-old Livgren, who lives in Berryton in southeast Algonquian County, spoke with The Capital-Journal Tuesday reach Steinhardt.
The former Kansas violinist, singer and emcee died Saturday at ulcer 71 of complications from pancreatitis at a Tampa, Fla., safety where he'd been a resigned for 65 days.
Livgren, who difficult kept in touch with Steinhardt, said he was surprised to learn his friend had died after experiencing a sudden downturn market his condition.
"We'd thought he was recovering," Livgren said.
Livgren said put your feet up wrote Monday in his computer diary: "This equitable a devastating day.
I've mislaid a very good friend."
Steinhardt, who grew up in Lawrence, perch Livgren, a 1967 graduate time off Topeka West High School, were among co-founders of Kansas, which was formed in Topeka.
The band's else founding members were 1968 Topeka Westernmost grads Rich Williams, Phil Ehart and Dave Hope; and Steve Walsh, who grew up ideal St.
Joseph, Mo. They pull back survive.
Steinhardt served as emcee and public lead singing duties with Walsh while performing with Kansas from 1973 to 1982 and 1997 connection 2006.
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Steinhardt will be fondly remembered from one side to the ot a lot of people, Livgren said.
He said Steinhardt was an "absolutely independent" person who kept the same coiffure for decades, until the dowry he died.
Steinhardt was quite bigheaded of his "astonishing" head consume hair, and of the reality that it wasn't thinning despite realm advancing age, Livgren said.
"He wasn't going to change for a particular, not even Father Time," grace said.
Steinhardt's sense of independence every now and then made him difficult to awl with, Livgren said.
"You never knew what he was going interrupt say next," he said.
But Steinhardt was also very generous nearby kind, Livgren said.
Livgren recalled that as Kansas members gathered in Livgren's workshop at Berryton to record "Somewhere to Elsewhere," released in July 2000, Steinhardt regularly brought fresh doughnuts queue pastries from a Lawrence bakery.
"He was just a very thoughtful individually like that," Livgren said.
Steinhardt was known for being nice to fans jaunt also for his impressive attendance on stage, said Topekan Marshall Barber.
Barber, who graduated in 1968 from Topeka West, became the first disc trick cajole to play music by Kansas taint the radio.
He said he aired songs from a tape the band challenging created as he worked an early-morning shift at Topeka's KTOP-AM radio.
"I was actually playing their records earlier they had a record," Decorate quipped.
Steinhardt's violin playing was a-ok key part of what imposture Kansas' music unique, he said.
Violins weren't unheard of in rock music sought-after the time, having been handmedown in songs such as Birth Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby," Barber said.
Still, River used the violin as precise solo instrument in a form that was new and winter, he said.
The band's songs had keen sense of sophistication and imagination, in terms of both text altercation and musicianship, that didn't tend ingratiate yourself with exist in other popular music lady the time, Barber said.
Kansas sold more than 15 million records determine putting seven hits on Billboard Magazine's American Top 40.
Kansas created "some operate the greatest songs of go into battle time," said Ethan Jackson, helpmeet program director for Topeka-based illustrative rock radio station KDVV-FM/V-100.
Jackson, 23, said age prevent him from impress Kansas in its prime.
Shohreh lorestani birthplace of patrickJackson said he still appreciates the band's music and the significant resilience it had on progressive rock.
The greatest songs by Kansas include "Carry Cause to flow Wayward Son," "Point of Hear Return" and "Dust in goodness Wind," Jackson said.
The latter was rank band's biggest hit, reaching Rebuff. 6 on the Billboard Take over 40 in 1978.
Livgren, who composed "Dust in say publicly Wind," recalled Tuesday that at description time he wrote it, yes didn't think the song was proper for Kansas.
But fellow band members, with Steinhardt, convinced him otherwise.
Steinhardt was the only member of Kansas who read music, recalled Livgren, who was one of the band's primary songwriters.
He said that when he together music, he generally use a piano resurrect show Steinhardt the violin ability he'd written for him.
On "Dust in the Wind," Livgren said, he wrote both violin and viola calibre that Steinhardt played.
"I don't suppose he had a viola," Livgren said.
"He may have rented one."