Editing Kansas (band) (section)

===1970–1973: early years===
In 1969, Don Montre and [[Kerry Livgren]] (guitars, keyboards, synthesizers) were performing in a band called the Reasons Why in their hometown of Topeka. After leaving to form the band Saratoga with [[Lynn Meredith]] and [[Dan Wright (musician)|Dan Wright]], 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 to Kansas and merged with members of rival Topeka [[progressive rock]] group White Clover.<ref name="Larkin">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=1997|edition=Concise|isbn=1-85227-745-9|page=696}}</ref> White Clover members [[Dave Hope]] (bass) and [[Phil Ehart]] (drums, percussion) joined with Livgren, vocalists Meredith and Greg Allen, keyboardists Montre and Wright and saxophonist Larry Baker.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography" />  This early Kansas group, sometimes called Kansas I, lasted until early 1971 when Ehart, Hope and some of the others left to re-form White Clover.{{citation needed|date= November 2019}}

Ehart was replaced by Zeke Lowe and later Brad Schulz, Hope was replaced by Rod Mikinski and Baker was replaced by John Bolton on saxophone and flute. This lineup is sometimes referred to as Kansas II, and 30 years later would re-form under the name [[Proto-Kaw]].

In 1972, after Ehart returned from England (where he had gone to look for other musicians), he and Hope once again re-formed White Clover with [[Robby Steinhardt]] (vocals, violin, viola, cello), [[Steve Walsh (musician)|Steve Walsh]] (vocals, keyboards, synthesizers, percussion) and [[Rich Williams]] (guitars). In early 1973 they recruited Livgren from the second Kansas group, which then folded.<ref>Rock Movers & Shakers by Dafydd Rees & Luke Crampton, 1991 Billboard Books.</ref> Eventually they received a [[recording contract]] with [[Don Kirshner]]'s eponymous label, after Kirshner's assistant, [[Wally Gold]], heard one of their demo tapes and came out to check out the band at one of their local gigs in March 1973 in [[Ellinwood, Kansas]]. After signing with Kirshner, the group decided to return to using the name "Kansas".