Kansas Celebrates Their 40-Year Career with the Columbus Symphony Tonight

In 2013, Kansas celebrates the 40th birthday of its career which has produced eight Gold albums, three sextuple Platinum albums, one platinum live album, and a million-selling Gold single, "Dust in the Wind." As part of the 2013 Nationwide Insurance Picnic with the Pops, Kansas will join the Columbus Symphony to perform legendary hits such as "Carry On My Wayward Son" and "Point of Know Return."

Nationwide Insurance Picnic with the Pops presents Kansas at the Columbus Bicentennial Pavilion (160 S. High St.) in the Columbus Commons tonight, July 6. Gates open at 6 pm. Concert begins at 8 pm. Tickets are $23 for adults when purchased in advance by phone at 614.228.8600, online at www.PicnicWithThePops.com or www.ticketmaster.com, or in person at the CAPA Ticket Center(39 E. State St.). Adult tickets are $25 at the gate on the night of the show. Tickets for children ages 3-14 are always $8 regardless of when or where they are purchased. Children 2 and under are free.

Kansas appeared on the Billboard charts for more than 200 weeks throughout the '70s and '80s, playing to sold-out arenas and stadiums throughout North America, Europe, and Japan. In fact, "Carry On Wayward Son" was the #2 most played track on classic rock radio in 1995 and went to #1 in 1997.

In 1998, Kansas released an orchestral album, ALWAYS NEVER THE SAME, recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios in London. They followed with an orchestral tour accompanied by top-caliber symphony orchestras.

In 2000, Kansas went back into the studio with original band member and songwriter Kerry Livgren to produce Somewhere to Elsewhere, the first album featuring all six of the original players in 20 years.

In 2002, Kansas released a state-of-the-art DVD using the latest technology in film, audio, and visual design entitled Device-Voice-Drum. The DVD was the driving force behind the 2002-03 tour.

In 2009, in their hometown of Topeka, Kansas celebrated their 35th anniversary with a symphonic concert accompanied by the Washburn University Symphony Orchestra and conducted by Larry Baird.

In 2010, Kansas began their Collegiate Symphony Tour, performing their hits accompanied by various college and university symphonies throughout the US to help raise funds and awareness for collegiate music programs. In 2011, this tour lead to a special collaboration with the US Army Orchestra, culminating in the Carry On Concert honoring America's veterans on Veteran's Day at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, DC.

The band, which is currently comprised of original drummer Phil Ehart, bassist Billy Greer, violinist David Ragsdale, original singer/keyboardist Steve Walsh, and original guitarist Richard Williams, continued their Collegiate Symphony Tour through the spring of 2012 and headlined a package tour with the band Kings X in the fall of 2012.

Coinciding with the celebration of their 40th anniversary, Kansas was inducted into the Kansas Historical Hall of Fame in 2013.

Today, Kansas continues to tour and remains a fixture of classic rock radio, but has also reached a whole new audience through their unmistakable presence on popular video games (ROCK BAND and GUITAR HERO) and inclusion of their songs in various television shows (SUPERNATURAL and SOUTH PARK) and films (OLD SCHOOL and ANCHORMAN).

For more information, visit www.KansasBand.com

Founded in 1951, the Columbus Symphony is the longest-running, professional symphony in central Ohio. Through an array of innovative artistic, educational, and community outreach programming, the Columbus Symphony is reaching an expanding, more diverse audience each year. This season, the Columbus Symphony will share classical music with more than 175,000 people in central Ohio through concerts, radio broadcasts, and special programming. For more information, visit www.columbussymphony.com.

The CSO is grateful for the financial support provided by Franklin County and the City of Columbus. The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this program with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, education excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The CSO also appreciates the support of the Greater Columbus Arts Council, supporting the city's artists and arts organizations since 1973, and the Charlotte R. Haller, James W. Overstreet, Kenneth L. Coe, and Jack Barrow funds of The Columbus Foundation, assisting donors and others in strengthening our community for the benefit of all its citizens