On September 1st, guitarist, keyboardist and founding member of Kansas, Kerry Livgren had a stroke. The progress in his recovery has been positive, but the most recent news has said that while he can play the keys with his better side, he cannot at this juncture handle the ambidexterity necessary to play his guitar. As with almost every aspect of his life, Livgren has soldiered on undaunted.
We here at Popdose recognize Livgren’s talent and would like to extend this, the Friday Mixtape salute to his output over the years not just with Kansas, but with his other groups AD, Proto Kaw as well as solo ventures. We sought to set up a reader donation address to support not only Kerry but his family in this time of trial, but his publicist asked us instead to remind the readership about the necessity of health care for all, especially those who cannot afford it. Kerry Livgren is managing to make it work out, but there are many who will also have catastrophic events like these occur, yet have no way of dealing with them, or the staggering bills such needs will incur.
It’s food for thought.
Chasing Shadows – Kansas, from Vinyl Confessions (1982)
Distant Vision – Kansas, from Somewhere to Elsewhere (2000)
Dust in the Wind – Kansas, from Point of Know Return (1977)
Exiles – AD, from Reconstructions (1986)
Fight Fire With Fire – Kansas, from Drastic Measures (1983)
Heartland – AD, from Art of the State (1985)
Leaven – Proto Kaw, from Before Became After (2004)
Life of Crime – AD, from Reconstructions
Mask of the Great Deceiver – Kerry Livgren featuring Ronnie James Dio, from Seeds of Change (1980)
One More Song – AD, from Prime Mover (1988)
Play the Game Tonight – Kansas, from The Best of Kansas (1989)
Beyond the Pale – AD, from Time Line (1984)
The music of Kerry Livgren is available from Amazon.com and at his label’s website, Numavox Records.
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