Kansas Co-Lead Vocalist Stepping Away After Nearly 40 Years

Although not an original member of the rock band Kansas, Billy Greer spent nearly 40 years with the band starting in 1985. He made his Kansas debut on the album Power, which was released in 1986. While thrilled about his success in the music industry and his career with Kansas, Greer, who is 72 years old, decided to retire. Ending his prosperous career, Kansas took a moment to honor his legacy and his contributions to the band’s success.

Richard Williams, who is the original guitarist for Kansas, praised Greer for helping the band gain fame over the years. “[Billy] stood shoulder to shoulder with us through both the ups and the downs. His voice, both singing and emceeing, has been a constant with us on stage. The entire KANSAS family will miss him.” 

Adding his voice to the conversation, drummer Phil Ehart shared Greer’s dedication to Kansas even when it meant traveling overseas. “For 39 years, Billy has been a loyal, dedicated, and immensely talented bandmate. He’s traveled around the world with us including USO tours.”

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Billy Greer Considers Himself Lucky For His Time With Kansas

Just last year, Greer opened up about his time with Kansas and how lucky he felt to play such a crucial part in their history. “I consider myself lucky. There have been a couple of incarnations along the way, but we’ve managed to push through the rough times. I was part of those rough times. In the ‘90s when grunge became the flavor of the month, that set us on a course for doom.”

While loving his time with Kansas, not all memories were great. Greer recalled, “We kept going. Those were some dark times. Playing small clubs from Tuesday through Thursday to get to the good gigs on the weekends. It was a rough go for a lot of years, but we slowly made our way back.”

Ending his time with Kansas, Greer performed one last time on September 1st when he took the stage in Canada. Although the band has yet to announce a replacement for Greer, they reassured fans that his departure will not impact future shows. 

(Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)