This is a beginning attempt to provide a listing with links to information on Kansas musicians and music on the Internet. It is far from complete in its coverage of people, places, time and genres.
The information here was provided by librarians primarily from Kansas as a basic resource.
Messiah Festival of Music & Art (Lindsborg, Kansas)
http://www.bethanylb.edu/events/messiah_index.html
RockKansas.com
http://www.rockkansas.com/
(provided by the Topeka Capital Journal)
Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival
http://www.wakarusa.com/
(Held at Clinton Reservoir near Lawrence, Kansas, during the summer)
Country Stampede
http://www.countrystampede.com/
(Country music concert held at Manhattan, Kansas, each summer)
The Winfield Music Home Page
http://www.ausbcomp.com/~bbott/music/
(Winfield is famous for its Blue Grass Festival)
Walnut Valley Music Festival (Winfield, Kansas)
http://wvfest.com/
Some Kansas bands and singers listed on the site (check under performers): Last Kansas Exit, Spontaneous Combustion, The Plaid Family, Bluegrass Country Boys, Prairie Rose Wranglers, Connie Dover, Live Bait with Mackie Redd,
"They're Playing Our Song: Community Bands in Kansas"
http://www.kshs.org/exhibits/bands/bands.htm
(A great online exhibit provided by the Kansas State Historical Society of the various bands that have entertained Kansans through the years)
The Society also has a transcription of an article online, "The First Kansas Band" at:
http://www.kshs.org/publicat/khq/1936/36_3_bumgardner.htm
African Americans in Kansas
http://www.kshs.org/people/african_americans.htm
(Some of the entries made a name for themselves in music)
Byron Berline (fiddler - born in Wichita, Kansas)
Buck Clayton (jazz musician - 1911-1991)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buck_Clayton
Dodge City Cowboy Band
http://www.kshs.org/portraits/dodge_city_cowboy_band.htm
http://www.kshs.org/publicat/khq/1951/51_1_westermeier.htm
Melissa Etheridge (singer - born 1961)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melissa_Etheridge
http://www.melissaetheridge.com/
Merle Evans (Ringling Bros. Circus band leader/composer - 1892-1987)
http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/cherokee/library2/biography/MEvans.html
Jared Pete Gile (country musician of Pete Gile Band)
http://www.rockkansas.com/jaredgile/
Louis T. "Moondog" Hardin (musician and beat poet - 1916-1999)
http://www.moondogscorner.de/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moondog
Coleman Hawkins (jazz musician - 1904-1969)
http://www.kshs.org/people/african_americans.htm#hawkins
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleman_Hawkins
Eric Hansen (lute and electric bass)
Former member of Mannheim Steamroller and former recording session player.
Howard Haskin (operatic tenor)
http://www.howardhaskin.com/
Kelley Hunt (singer and song writer)
http://www.kelleyhunt.com/biography.html
Eva Jessye (choral conductor/director - 1895-1992)
http://library.pittstate.edu/spcoll/ndxjessye.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eva_Jessye
Charles L. Johnson (composer of ragtime and popular music - 1876-1950)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_L._Johnson
Freedy Johnston (singer and song writer)
http://www.freedyjohnston.com/
Kansas (rock band with members from Kansas)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas_%28band%29
Band member: Kerry Livgren
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerry_Livgren
(Other bands which came out of this group, Kansas II and Proto-Kaw are mentioned in this article
too)
Stan Kenton (jazz pianist, and bandleader - 1911-1979)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stan_Kenton
James A. King (operatic tenor - born: 1925)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_King_%28tenor%29
Jennifer Knapp (Christian Folk-Rock musician - born: 1980)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Knapp
http://www.jenniferknapp.net/
Gail Kubik (1914-1984)
http://www.nhptv.org/kn/itv/mcd/kubik.htm
Brian Lewis (violinist)
http://www.music.utexas.edu/directory/details.aspx?id=147
Thurlow Lieurance (1978-1963)
http://www.kshs.org/portraits/lieurance_thurlow.htm
Marshall's Civic Band (Topeka, Kansas)
http://skyways.lib.ks.us/orgs/mcb/
Martina McBride (country musician - born: 1966)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martina_McBride
Chuck Mead (country music, member of BR5-49 band)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BR549
http://www.lawrence.com/news/2004/jun/15/chuck_mead/
Arnold Moore (blues singer - 1914-2004)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Moore
Karen Mueller (autoharpist)
http://www.karenmueller.com/
http://www.karenmueller.com/showrelease.html?id=6
Charlie Parker (jazz musician and composer - 1920-1955)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Parker
http://www.kshs.org/features/feat297c.htm
Pleasant Valley Gang
http://www.kshs.org/portraits/pleasant_valley.htm
Samuel Ramey (opera singer - born: 1942)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Ramey
John Joseph (J.J.) Richards (band music)
http://www.marineband.usmc.mil/learning_tools/hall_of_composers/richards.htm
Carson J. Robison (cowboy musician - 1890-1959)
http://www.kansasfolk.org/stories/sp00307.htm
http://library.pittstate.edu/spcoll/ndxrobison.html
Mark Schultz (contemporary Christian musician)
http://markschultzmusic.com/main.php
Heather Shelley (country musician)
http://www.heathershelley.com/
Chester Allen Thomas (jazz musician - born: 1957)
http://www.smooth-jazz.de/Artists4/Thomas.htm
Gerald Trimble (early music with jazzy, upbeat arrangements and unusual rhythmic patterns)
http://geraldtrimble.com/
Joe Walsh (guitarist and rock musician - 1947- )
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Walsh
Johnny Western (cowboy music)
http://www.johnnywestern.com/
Chely Wright (country music)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chely_Wright
http://music.yahoo.com/ar-268890---Chely-Wright
Ann Zimmerman (guitarist, singer and composer)
http://www.annzimmerman.com/
Kansas Library Catalog
http://ksuc-agent.auto-graphics.com/agent/login.asp?cid=ksuc&lid=ksuc&mode=g
---Click on BEGIN.
---In the menu bar at the top of the new page click on BROWSE
---In the drop down box on the right hand side select SUBJECT and in the blank search box to the left type in MUSIC KANSAS. Then click on the SEARCH button
If you have correction, additions or comments contact Bill Sowers at the State Library of Kansas
ksdocs@kslib.info
STATE LIBRARY OF KANSAS
300 SW 10th, Room 343-N
Topeka, KS 66612
1-785-296-3296
1-800-432-3919
http://www.kslib.info/ref/
Last updated: September 22, 2005