As the band Kansas was heading to the studio to record its album “Leftoverture,” guitarist Kerry Livgren blurted out, “I’ve got one more song.”
He played it for his bandmates, who, although eager to start the recording process, couldn’t deny there was something special about the song that warranted its last-minute inclusion on the album.
And that’s how “Carry on Wayward Son” came to find its place on an album guitarist Rich Williams said “put (Kansas) on the map.”
“The version you hear on the record is probably the first time we got ‘Wayward Son’ right,” Williams said in an interview with the Deseret News.
In celebration of the album’s 40th anniversary, Kansas has been touring the nation and playing “Leftoverture” in its entirety as part of its set. The band will include Salt Lake City in this celebration on Thursday, April 20, when it performs at the Eccles Theater.
Reflecting on the success “Leftoverture” has brought the band throughout the years, all Williams can really say is, “Who knew?”
“When this album was recorded, how wise were we at that age?” he said. “How wise were 27-year-old kids from Kansas? We were all young and dumb, (but) we bonded together in a right time in our lives and the right time in radio for this to happen. That was a miracle in itself.”
Forty years later, at age 67, Williams said he is playing more than 90 shows a year all over the world as a direct result of the record.
“That was the career-maker, that album,” he said. “It just felt like kind of a game-changer, that all the other albums led to this one. And when we finished listening to it, we thought, ‘Good grief, this is powerful stuff!’ and I guess the world thought so, too.”
In addition to "Leftoverture" songs, Kansas will also be performing hits from other records, as well as songs from its latest album, “Prelude Implicit,” which was released in 2016. It marks the band's first new album since 2000, according to a news release. One of the songs, “Refugee,” has special meaning to Williams, as it was specifically written to raise awareness about human trafficking.
And even with more than 40 years of performing and touring under his belt, Williams said the band still warms up for at least an hour before each show.
“The key to delivering onstage is the practice that gets you there,” he said. “It’s the time that you put into it that you’re not getting paid to do that gives you the ability once the lights go out and the curtains open to actually do what you do and not worry about it.”
For Williams, stepping out onstage is a moment of redemption that compensates for all the traveling, sleep deprivation and bad road food. He came to realize this even more when the band took a break from touring.
“I was enjoying life (during the break), but something was missing,” he said. “There was a hole that nothing else was filling. And all of a sudden (we started touring again) and we stepped out on stage. The lights went out and as I was waiting, I remember thinking, 'This is it! This is the moment that we’ve been missing!’”
It doesn’t matter if the venue is a large amphitheater or a small performing arts center — performing gives Williams the thrill of a lifetime, and he’s looking forward to bringing the Kansas tour to a strong fan base in Utah.
“For all the good things in life, (performing) is the one part that really completes me," he said. "There’s nothing else on earth I could do that would ever fill that void. If I win the lottery tomorrow, my plans don’t change — I’ll continue doing what I do. I’ve got the greatest job in the world, and I’m so grateful for every day of the opportunity of doing this.”
If you go …
What: Kansas
When: Thursday, April 20, 8 p.m.
Where: Eccles Theater, 115 Main St., Salt Lake City
How much: $35-$85