As one of the original members of Kansas, Robby Steinhardt helped craft the band’s distinctive sound from their 1974 debut onwards. Also known for his work with Stormbringer and Jon Anderson, the violinist and singer was working on a new solo album before his untimely death in July 2021 at the age of 71. Prog remembered the virtuoso musician that year.
Robby Steinhardt once blamed Kansas for encouraging bad habits in his violin playing. “It wasn’t the band’s fault,” he explained in 1981. “But I tended to hold my violin onstage in a way that I could hear what the rest of the boys were doing. I was touching the instrument in a way that meant I couldn’t be anywhere near my best.”
