Robby Steinhardt
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| Robby Steinhardt | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 25, 1950 |
| Origin | Lawrence, Kansas |
| Genres | rock |
| Associated acts | Kansas |
| Notable instruments | |
| violin | |
Robert Eugene Steinhardt (born May 25, 1950) is a rock violinist and singer best known for his work with the group Kansas, for which he was co-lead singer / "frontman" and emcee along with keyboardist Steve Walsh, from 1973–1982 and 1997–2006.[1] He is the only original member of the band who is not from Topeka.[2]
[edit] Early life
Steinhardt grew up in Lawrence, Kansas and was the adopted son of Milton Steinhardt, director of music history at the University of Kansas. He started violin lessons at age eight and was classically trained. When his family traveled to Europe, the young Steinhardt played with some orchestras there.[2][3] Steinhardt attended Lawrence High School and was the concertmaster during his high school years.[2] He has often said that joining a rock band caused him to develop poor playing habits, one of which is awkwardly holding his violin to the side of his head in order to hear himself better through the guitar amps and PA system. Steve Walsh is not from Topeka but grew up in St. Joseph, Mo
[edit] Work with Kansas
Steinhardt's violin sound, and its interplay with the guitar and keyboards, helped define the Kansas sound. His lead vocals provided a contrast to the high tenor of singer Steve Walsh. The two often sang in harmony, with Steinhardt taking the lower voice. He has said that unless he has a writing credit on a song—his credits include about a half dozen songs—the violin (and occasional viola) part was written out for him, usually by Kerry Livgren.
Steinhardt joined a re-formed White Clover in 1972, with the group adopting the Kansas name before their first album in 1974. In 1983, he failed to show up to record the next Kansas album.[4] His departure from the band after the Vinyl Confessions tour in 1982 was for personal reasons. In the interim, he fronted his own band, Steinhardt-Moon and was a member of the Stormbringer Band from 1990 to 1996, recording two CDs with the group during his membership.[5] He also contributed to a Jethro Tull tribute album, To Cry You a Song: A Collection of Tull Tales on Magna Carta Records.[6]
Steinhardt was also the victim of a special effect gone wrong during the band's "Point of Know Return" tour. Kerry Livgren describes what happened:[1]
Well these people contacted us, and they said "Look you guys - we've got - we think we've got exactly what you need. You got this song - Lightning's Hand. We've invented a lightning machine, that will make bolts of lightning in the concert hall." So we rented this huge warehouse down by the Atlanta airport, and we said "OK, you bring the machine down out there - we'll set up the band - let's try this thing out. The guy came up to Robby, who sang that song - Lightning's Hand, he said "OK. What you do is you hold this sword in your hand, and there's a cord that runs out of the sword down to your foot to ground you", and he says "When you get to that line in the song where you say 'I command the lightning's hand', you hold out the sword, we'll flip the switch, and the bolt of lightning will jump across the stage and hit your sword, and go right out through the cord, and you won't feel anything."
All of a sudden the guy turns on the machine, and Robby's mountain of hair starts sticking straight up, moving all over the place, and he looked really bizarre. And he got to that line in the song, and the bolt of lightning jumped out, and bit him right on the neck. Knocked him down on the ground,- he's lying writhing around on the ground, and this thing's going bzzzt, bzzzt, bzzzt - and we're going "SHUT IT OFF! SHUT IT OFF!" and scared the devil out of him. We tried it at one concert, the first concert on that tour - on the Point of Know Return tour - we were in Miami, we turn on the lightning machine, and it jumped out and it blew about half the speakers and the PA.
In early 2006, Steinhardt once again left Kansas, due mostly to overtouring and conflict with other band members. Since Steinhardt rejoined the band in 1997,[3] the touring pace had been pretty hectic, averaging almost 100 shows per year. As part of a mutual agreement, he left Kansas once again.[7] Robby served as the emcee for the band's concerts when he was a member, with his fellow band member, Kerry Livgren describing his role like this: "Robby had a totally unique function as a violinist, second vocalist, and MC in a live situation. Robby was the link between the band on the stage and the audience."[1][4] Violinist David Ragsdale (Steinhardt's original replacement) quickly replaced him again.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c "In the Studio with Point of Know Return, featuring Kansas". In The Studio. 7 September 1992. Archived from the original on 28 December 2004. http://web.archive.org/web/20041228111915/http://www.potsw.org/InTheStudio-POKR.html. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
- ^ a b c "Kansas". Artist Facts. http://www.artistfacts.com/detail.php?id=39. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
- ^ a b "Kansas". Rock n' Resort. http://www.claysparkrocks.com/artist-kansas.html. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
- ^ a b "Kansas Biography". LyricsFreak. http://www.lyricsfreak.com/k/kansas/biography.html. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
- ^ "Stormbridger Band History". Stormbringer Band. http://www.stormbringerband.com/stormbringer-history.html. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
- ^ "To Cry You a Song: A Collection of Tull Tales". Magna Carta Records. http://www.magnacarta.net/albums_profile.asp?Band_ID=41&Album_ID=53. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
- ^ "Michelle LaRose Talks With Rich Williams". Road to Jacksonville. http://phantomphotography.com/I_Kansas.html. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
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