MORE than 30 years later, Kansas’ hit singles have endured as classic rock staples. The ballad “Dust in the Wind” recently obtained gold status as a digital download and throngs of children and adults alike rock out to “Carry On Wayward Son” on the games Guitar Hero II and Rock Band II.

   Kansas is celebrating the 35th anniversary of its self-titled 1974 debut with the Oct. 13 release of a live DVD, There’s Know Place Like Home. The show was filmed in February in the band’s native state at Washburn University’s White Concert Hall and featured the 50-piece Washburn University Orchestra. Kansas commissioned Larry Baird, who has previously created string arrangements for the band, to score a number of songs for the special event. “He’s the go-to guy for rock symphony shows,” says guitarist Rich Williams, who’s based out of Atlanta.

   For its current tour, Kansas will stop at Patriots Theater at the War Memorial in Trenton Oct. 17 to recreate the classic rock-meets-classical music that was captured on There’s Know Place Like Home. The evening will mark the Greater Trenton Symphony Orchestra’s first performance with a rock band.

   Kansas is no stranger to the concept of meshing the talents of rock band and symphony; in 1998, the group recorded an album with the London Symphony Orchestra, Always Never the Same, followed-up by an orchestral tour. The CD featured mostly covers of Kansas’ previous work, as well as new songs and a cover of the Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby.” “Our music lends itself real well to an orchestra,” Mr. Williams says.

   In addition to Mr. Williams, the band’s current lineup includes singer/guitarist Steve Walsh, violinist David Ragsdale, bassist Billy Greer and drummer Phil Ehart. For the anniversary DVD performance, former members Kerry Livgren (guitar/keyboards) and Steve Morse (guitar) joined the ranks. “It really is like picking up where you left off,” Mr. Williams says of reuniting with the two former bandmates. “Steve and Kerry never really played together before, so it was extra special.”

   Along with Mr. Ehart and Mr. Walsh, Mr. Williams is an original founder of Kansas and has been with the group “since the world was flat,” he says. In the beginning, Kansas’ goal was to land a record deal and release an album with original material that was outside-of-the-box. The members never anticipated that their 1974 debut would reach gold status, followed by Song for America and Masque (1975, both gold) and the multi-platinum selling Leftoverture (1976) and Point of No Return (1977). “At that point we had far exceeded any possible dream we ever had,” Mr. Williams says.

   All these years later, although members have come and gone, Kansas still rules classic rock radio airwaves and continues to tour. The band’s members, save Mr. Walsh, also released the debut of their new side band, Native Window, June 23. The project came to be after Mr. Walsh and Mr. Livgren, Kansas’ two principal songwriters, announced that they didn’t wish to write any new material for the group. Not only does Native Window aim to fill the void and pick up where Kansas left off musically, the band has become Kansas’ own opening act on the road. The members had no idea what the material would ultimately sound like, but the goal was to be creative and make sure it stood separate to Kansas’ signature sound. “It was a pleasant surprise,” Mr. Williams says of the results.

   Like many other rock musicians who grew up in the 1960s, Mr. Williams was inspired by the Beatles first performance on the Ed Sullivan Show. “It ignited something in me and just about everybody I knew,” he says. The summer before starting high school, Rich got his highly coveted first guitar. “When I was much younger, I wanted a trumpet real bad,” he recalls. “I’m so glad my dad didn’t fall for that.”

   Once in high school, he joined a band with Mr. Ehart. For a teenager growing up in Topeka, playing in a band was the perfect hobby. “There was a garage band on every block in town. There were more bands per capita in Topeka than any other city in the world,” he says. “There wasn’t a whole lot else to do.” Other diversions included watching TV with only three channels, the mall, sandlot football or the youth bowling league. “Up until then, my dream was to be a professional bowler,” Mr. William admits.

   With commitment to practices and gigs on weekends, playing in a band kept kids out of trouble, he says. “And you could make 20 bucks, 30 bucks on the weekend back then playing a show, that was big dough.”

   Mr. Williams and Mr. Ehart, along with former classmate Dave Hope, later played in a progressive band called White Clover with Steve Walsh and Robby Steinhardt. Once they recruited Kerry Livgren, another high school friend, the band morphed into Kansas and the rest is history.

   Had Kansas not achieved such great success, Mr. Williams imagines he would be living a much different life. Although he attended Washburn University, he went through a cycle of doing poorly in class, getting suspended, returning to school and then joining a band. In other words, his short-lived college experience was “every parent’s worst nightmare.” “I was doomed for McDonald’s,” he says. “I’m fortunate. I’d probably still live in Topeka and be a bartender there, playing in an oldies band.”

Kansas will perform with the Greater Trenton Symphony Orchestra at the Patriots Theater at the War Memorial, 1 Memorial Drive, Trenton, Oct. 17, 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $35-$75. 609-984-8400; www.thewarmemorial.com; http://kansasband.com/kansasdvd