Forty years is a monumental amount of time for any band to be together, but for Kansas guitarist Richard Williams, the milestone event seems almost normal.

In addition to being an integral part of the success of Kansas — a band with record sales in excess of 15 million — Williams’ legacy includes being one of only two members of the band (drummer Phil Ehart being the other) to play on every Kansas album.

Even after four decades, Kansas shows no signs of slowing down. They plan to release a documentary in 2014 and continue to perform as many as 80 shows per year.

I recently spoke to Williams about the band’s milestone anniversary, their hits and his time working with guitarist Steve Morse.

GUITAR WORLD: What can you attribute to the longevity of Kansas?

I think one of the key elements was being fortunate to have songs that have stood the test of time, like “Carry On Wayward Son” and “Dust in the Wind.” We have a catalog of songs that have become the fabric of American life for a lot of people. They’re solidified in history.

Read the rest of my interview with Richard Williams by Clicking Here!