What Happened to Steve Walsh?
Steve Walsh left KANSAS after nearly 41 years as the band’s dynamic lead vocalist and keyboardist.
Why he left:
- Vocal decline
- By the early 2010s, Walsh was struggling with his voice, losing range, power, and confidence.
- Burnout & loss of motivation
- After four decades of touring, recording, and the pressures that come with classic‑rock status, Walsh admitted to losing the passion.
- Creative differences (earlier exit)
- His first departure back in October 1981 was driven by creative tensions with primary songwriter Kerry Livgren, whose shift toward Christian-themed lyrics didn’t align with Walsh’s vision.
What he’s been doing since 2014
Solo projects & collaborations
- In 2015, Walsh contributed vocals to the AOR band Radioactive’s album F4UR, singing on the track “The Piper”.
- In November 2017, he released Black Butterfly, a joint effort with guitarist Tommy Denander.
- Personal life
- Now based in Atlanta, Georgia, Steve lives there with his family. He has three children (born in 1980, 1999, and 2006).
Steve Walsh’s departure from Kansas in mid-2014 marked the end of an iconic era. Now settled in Atlanta with his wife and children, Steve appears content. He’s carved out a more balanced life, fewer tours, more control over projects, and the chance to enjoy music on his own terms.
While modern Kansas continues forward with Ronnie Platt as lead vocalist the chapter that Steve Walsh wrote with his voice lives on in the band’s timeless catalog and in his own ongoing ventures.
