Editing Kansas (band) (section)

===1997–2006: return of Robby Steinhardt===
In early 1997, Robert and Ragsdale left the band and Steinhardt returned.

In May 1998, Kansas released ''[[Always Never the Same (Kansas album)|Always Never the Same]]'', which featured Larry Baird conducting the [[London Symphony Orchestra]]. The album was a mix of older Kansas material (with new arrangements by Baird), several new songs and a [[cover version|cover]] of "[[Eleanor Rigby]]".

''[[Somewhere to Elsewhere]]'', a new studio album released in July 2000, featured all the original members of Kansas, plus Greer, with all songs written by Kerry Livgren. That same summer, Kansas was the opening act for [[Yes (band)|Yes]] during their "Masterworks" tour.

During the late 1990s and early 2000s, Livgren would occasionally attend Kansas shows and come on stage to play one or more songs with the band. At a March 9, 2002 concert at [[Lake Tahoe]], he played the whole show, subbing for Rich Williams who was "under the weather", and another live album and [[DVD]] from Kansas, entitled ''[[Device - Voice - Drum]]'', which was recorded in the band's present home of [[Atlanta]] on June 15, 2002, was released that October.

Also in 2002, Kansas II (the lineup prior to the recording and release of the first Kansas album) released an album under the name [[Proto-Kaw]], featuring demos and live material recorded from 1971 to 1973. It led to a new studio album, ''[[Before Became After]]'' (2004), with most of the Kansas II members participating. Proto-Kaw released a third album, ''[[The Wait of Glory]]'', in 2006 and their fourth and final studio album, ''[[Proto-Kaw|Forth]]'', was released in 2011, after which the band ceased.