Kansas Bassist Departs After Nearly 40 Years in the Band

Billy Greer, the bassist and co-lead vocalist for Kansas, has retired after nearly 40 years in the band.

In a message announcing his departure, Kansas thanked Greer for his decades of service.

“For 39 years, Billy has been a loyal, dedicated, and immensely talented bandmate. He’s traveled around the world with us including USO tours,” drummer Phil Ehart wrote.

Guitarist Richard Williams added that Greer “stood shoulder to shoulder with us through both the ups and the downs. His voice, both singing and emceeing, has been a constant with us on stage. The entire Kansas family will miss him.”

Who Is Billy Greer?

Though he was not an original member, Greer’s tenure was the third longest in Kansas history behind Ehart and Williams. The bassist joined in 1985, part of a new lineup following the group’s brief hiatus. He appeared on seven of the band’s studio albums: Power (1986), In The Spirit of Things (1988), Freaks of Nature (1995), Always Never the Same (1998), Somewhere to Elsewhere (2000), The Prelude Implicit (2016) and The Absence of Presence (2020). For the last 18 years, Greer has also taken a prominent role in Kansas’ live shows, serving as emcee.

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“I consider myself lucky. There have been a couple of incarnations along the way, but we’ve managed to push through the rough times,” Greer explained during a 2023 interview with 100% Rock Magazine. “I was part of those rough times. In the ‘90s when grunge became the flavor of the month, that set us on a course for doom.”

“We kept going. Those were some dark times. Playing small clubs from Tuesday through Thursday to get to the good gigs on the weekends,” he continued. “It was a rough go for a lot of years, but we slowly made our way back.”

Greer’s final performance with Kansas took place Sept. 1 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The band has not announced a replacement, but assured fans that Greer’s departure “will not impact any Kansas performance scheduling.” The group’s next show is Sept. 7 in Spencer, Iowa.