Kansas Frontman Ronnie Platt Reveals Cancer Diagnosis, Cancels Tour Dates

Legendary rock band Kansas has paused their 50th anniversary “Another Fork in the Road” tour following lead singer Ronnie Platt’s thyroid cancer diagnosis, though the frontman remains optimistic about his recovery. The 64-year-old vocalist shared the news with fans in an upbeat Facebook post on Feb. 16, emphasizing the highly treatable nature of his condition.

“For all of you asking, Tuesday I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer but before everyone gets all excited, it has a 99% survival rate, it has not spread,” Platt wrote. “It’s contained to my thyroid. I just have to have my thyroid removed. Go through some rehab time and be right back in the saddle… I have some absolutely amazing people going to bat for me!! as it has been put to me, this is just a bump in the road and will be behind me very soon! so everyone please CARRY ON!”

The band has already rescheduled their Feb. 14 and 15 concerts to November 2025 while completely canceling upcoming shows in New Orleans on Feb. 21 and Lake Charles on March 1. “Due to band illness and doctor advisement, the upcoming KANSAS show on Saturday, March 1, 2025, in Lake Charles, LA has been cancelled,” the band announced on X. Assistant band manager J.R. Rees told Ultimate Classic Rock, “Our goal is to be back on the road as soon as possible. Right now, we’re all focused on supporting Ronnie through this.”

Platt, who joined Kansas in 2014 following original vocalist Steve Walsh’s retirement, has maintained his characteristic positivity throughout the diagnosis. When he first joined the band, Platt described himself as a Kansas fan “first and foremost,” stating, “I’m a blue collar guy that rides a Harley and I’ve spent most of my adult life earning a living by driving a truck. I’m a long time fan of the music and have always looked up to Steve Walsh.”

The singer’s journey with Kansas began unconventionally – as a truck driver and longtime fan, he secured his position by sending a Facebook message to lead guitarist Williams requesting “some consideration.” “It was all a matter of four or five days [before they hired me]. After they revived me, put the paddles on my chest, I got to work,” he jokingly told PBS Panhandle in 2017.

The band, famous for classics like “Dust In The Wind” and “Carry On Wayward Son,” has sold over 30 million records throughout their career, with eight gold albums and three reaching sextuple-platinum status. Original members Richard Williams and Phil Ehart continue to lead the group, which has seen various lineup changes since its 1973 formation. As Ehart previously told Billboard, “There’s a small paragraph on the cover of our first album that says, ‘Kansas is a band.’ It’s not Kansas featuring somebody or certain people. When Kansas plays, it sounds like Kansas.”

The tour interruption comes during the band’s milestone 50th anniversary celebrations, with dates originally scheduled through November 2025. Fans holding tickets for canceled shows will receive refunds at their point of purchase.