Dave Hope (bass), Phil Ehart (drums, percussion), and Kerry Livgren (guitars, keyboards, synthesizers) formed a progressive rock group named Kansas in 1970 in their hometown of Topeka, Kansas, along with vocalist Lynn Meredith from Manhattan, Kansas, keyboardist Don Montre, keyboardist Dan Wright, and saxophonist Larry Baker.

A year earlier, Meredith, Montre, Wright and Livgren were performing in a band called The Reasons Why. After changing the band's name to Saratoga, they started playing Livgren's original material with Scott Kessler playing bass and Zeke Lowe on drums. In 1970, they changed the band's name again to Kansas and merged with members of a rival Topeka progressive outfit White Clover. This early Kansas group, which lasted until 1971 when Ehart and Hope and some of the others left to reform White Clover, is sometimes referred to as Kansas I.

Ehart was replaced by Zeke Lowe and later Brad Schulz, Hope was replaced by Rod Mikinski on bass, and Baker was replaced by John Bolton on saxophone and flute. In 1972, after Ehart returned from England (where he'd gone to look for other musicians), he and Hope once again reformed White Clover with Robby Steinhardt (vocals, violin, viola, cello), Steve Walsh (vocals, keyboards, synthesizers, percussion) and Rich Williams (guitars). In 1973 they recruited Livgren from the second Kansas group, which then folded. Eventually, they received a record deal with Don Kirshner's eponymous label, and decided to adopt the Kansas name. In early 1974 they recorded their first album.

With classic rock continuing to be a strong genre of music, Kansas's influence has continued to inspire bands. "Carry On Wayward Son" has been covered by bands such as Rachel Rachel, Critical Mass, Dream Theater, The Showdown, Yngwie Malmsteen, and even country superstars The Oak Ridge Boys. The song has appeared on album soundtracks for the movies Heroes and Anchorman, and being played during a scene in the Adam Sandler film Happy Gilmore. (where it is featured as the ending credits song).

"Carry On Wayward Son" is also featured in Guitar Hero II, Rock Band 2 and Rock Band Unplugged . Most recently the song was featured in an episode of the popular animated TV series South Park. It has also been played on the hit tv series Supernatural (TV series). More recently, it was also featured in season 8 of the show Scrubs (TV series). Kansas is mentioned as one of Dean Winchester's favorites; as well as a "major influence" in the liner notes of an early album of the top-selling Country artist of all time, Garth Brooks.

Progressive metal band Vanden Plas has covered Kansas, making a somewhat heavier cover of "Point Of Know Return." That song is currently featured in a State Farm commercial. The band's biggest single, "Dust in the Wind," was used in a Subaru commercial, and in the film Old School. It was also prominently featured in several episodes of the television series Highlander, and was referenced in the film Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure.

The single was certified Gold as a digital download by the RIAA in 2005, almost 30 years after it sold 1 million copies as a single. "Dust In The Wind" has been covered by Sarah Brightman, the German rock band Scorpions (during their 2001 acoustic album Acoustica), Christian artists Billy Smiley and Acappella and by former New York Yankees center fielder and aspiring jazz guitarist Bernie Williams on his 2004 debut album The Journey Within. In 2006, ex-Kansas lead singer John Elefante also covered "Dust In The Wind" as a single.

(from en.wikipedia.org)