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Original Kansas Members Reunite On Stage for Special Encore in Bonner Springs
Classic rock icons Kansas delivered a memorable surprise to their fans in Bonner Springs last week, as four original members joined the current touring lineup for a special encore performance. The unexpected reunion took place during the band’s September 26 show at the Azura Amphitheater, delighting a hometown crowd.
Original Kansas members Phil Ehart (drums), Richard Williams (guitar), Kerry Livgren (guitar/keyboards), and Dave Hope (bass) appeared on stage alongside the band’s current touring musicians. Together, they performed two of the group’s most beloved hits, “Hold On” and “Carry on Wayward Son,” marking a rare moment for fans who have followed the band through its decades-long career.
The band’s official social media account shared the excitement, posting a series of photos from the night with the caption, “Bonner Springs, KS – it was a special night at Azura Amphitheater that was full of surprises. Thank you and goodnight from KANSAS!” Fans quickly responded with enthusiasm, with one comment noting, “looks like Kansas does it right again, nice seeing original members, with the newer ones.”
While the current touring lineup does not regularly feature original members, Ehart, 74, and Williams, 75, remain officially part of the band. However, both have scaled back their touring commitments.
Ehart retired from regular touring after the band’s 50th-anniversary tour in 2024. Williams, who co-founded the band with Ehart in 1973, experienced a heart attack the same year and has since been replaced on tour by Scott Bernard.
Williams has clarified that he is not fully retiring, but rather “slowing down” due to macular degeneration, which makes travel increasingly difficult. In a statement released in August, he explained, “I will still be at, and perform at, as many concerts as I can.
Adding Scott as a member of KANSAS, alongside Zak Rizvi on guitar, allows the shows that I’m not at, and KANSAS, to go on well into the future. When we all three are there, we will all perform.
In 1974 we made a statement that ‘KANSAS is a Band!’ It was true then and continues to be true now.”
Livgren and Hope were integral to Kansas during its most commercially successful period, from 1973 to 1983. During their tenure, the band released landmark albums such as 1976’s Leftoverture and 1977’s Point of Know Return, which have sold more than 5 million and 4 million copies, respectively. The band’s 1984 greatest hits compilation, The Best of Kansas, also achieved multi-platinum status.