For as long as he can remember, powerhouse vocalist Ronnie Platt was a passionate appreciator of the legendary progressive / classic / melodic rock band Kansas. In fact, the group’ s original singer Steve Walsh helped shape his singing style, which was repeatedly demonstrated while fronting a lengthy list of area bands, such as a particularly fruitful run with west suburban based ARRA. Though Platt could frequently be found gigging all around Illinois throughout the last three decades, he did strike some national gold in 2007 by joining Shooting Star for a few years, including a festival gig where the group crossed paths with Journey, Sheryl Crow and Kansas( the latter of whom’ s original members Rich Williams and Phil Ehart were especially complimentary to the sky-high singer).
Come 2014, Walsh announced his retirement from Kansas and it turns out Platt’ s casual concert connection with that very guitarist and drummer came in handy. He simply shot Williams a message asking to be tossed into the potential pool for replacements, got a phone call the very next day, followed by a face to face meeting with both veterans( more for personality compatibility rather an actual audition). Less than a week after the adventure began, the hopeful was given an official invitation to leave behind his day job of driving an 18-wheeler and join the world class band for the foreseeable future. From then until now, he’ s not only logged more than 200 shows with Kansas, but was also a major motivating factor in its return to the recording studio after a 16-year hiatus.
Although expectations were grand for the aforementioned members, longtime players Billy Greer( bass) and David Ragsdale( violin), plus fellow newcomers David Manion( keyboards) and Zak Rizvi( rhythm guitar), the resulting album The Prelude Implicit( Inside Out Music) is truly worth the wait. Here’ s more from the extremely personable and down to earth Platt about the entire whirlwind in advance of a homecoming show at the Copernicus Center on Friday, November 4, where Kansas will unveil new tunes in tandem with celebrating the 40th anniversary of the landmark Leftoverture album.
Illinois Entertainer: Was joining a major band always in the back of your mind or were you perfectly content with all the groups you’ d been in locally? Ronnie Platt: Truthfully no. Maybe when you’ re 10 years old and you’ re fantasizing about being Mick Jagger or John Lennon, but coming from a musical family, I just fell in love with doing the music. I never really had the preconceived notion of“ I’ m going to be a rock star some day.” I just always enjoyed singing, and whether it’ s in front of 10 people or 10,000, I just want to be better than my last show. One thing I will say is from the age of probably 14, I have never been without a band. At one point when I was in ARRA in the mid‘ 90s, I was in four bands at once. I just couldn’ t get enough, but I didn’ t have the preconceived goal of“ wow, I’ m going to be the lead singer of Kansas or Boston or Journey.” I never ever had that mindset … I’ ve always been persistent in singing, being in a band and wanting to be a better musician and I can’ t complain to where it’ s got me at this point.
IE: Do you feel like you’ re officially a Kansas member now or are you still pinching yourself? RP: Knowing that there’ s a Kansas album [ that just ] released that I’ m not only singing and performing on, but one where I had a major part in lyric writing, oh boy, I’ m pinching myself until I’ m black and blue! But the other aspect of that is it’ s been twoand-a-half years now since I’ ve gotten the call. It’ s gone by like the blink of an eye and I can’ t believe I’ m at 200 shows already with this band, but I feel like I’ m part of the Kansas family now, you know? And it is a family. When we play around the Kansas City area,( original guitarist / keyboard player) Kerry Livgren joins us and will play a song or two on stage with us.( Original violin player / co-vocalist) Robby Steinhardt has been on stage with us a few times. We see( original bassist) Dave Hope a couple of times every now and then and then Budd Carr, Kansas’ old manager, has been out a couple of times. And I’ ve talked to( second singer) John Elefante a few times. We have a close mutual friend in Mr. Kevin Chalfant( The Storm, 707, Two Fires) and John’ s just been so supportive and very complimentary. It really is a big family and now I really
20 illinoisentertainer. com october 2016
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