released his song Take the Money & Run, which became a huge hit. Arista Records then released The Shooting Stars from their contract, and they returned to Kansas City. In 1977 Van persuaded fellow musician Gary West (born Gary Hodgden) to join them as a singer and songwriting partner. Gary, with his brother Ron West, had been a member of the premier Kansas City rock band of the 1960s, The Chesmann Square. After The Chesmann dissolved in 1974, Ron West formed the band Missouri and Gary West moved with the Chesmann's lead guitarist Jim McAllister to New York City. There they formed the group The Beckies with songwriter Michael Brown, formerly of the group The Left Banke, and former Kansas Citian Scott Trusty. The Beckies released one album on Sire Records. Upon Gary's return to Kansas City, he and Van began songwriting in earnest. Later on, in 1977, they added Ron Verlin on bass, Steve Thomas on drums, and Bill Guffey on keyboards for a new lineup of The Shooting Stars. With the addition of Charles Waltz on violin, keyboards, and vocals in early 1978, the name was shortened to Shooting Star and they started recording demos in Gary's garage, all the while playing gigs around the Midwest. After saving enough money and putting a press kit together, they tried to secure another record deal in New York City. Through connections that Gary had made while a member of The Beckies, the band booked a showcase at the punk rock club CBGB. The representative for a New York management firm was in the crowd that night and offered them a contract. With a management deal secured, Shooting Star returned to Kansas City to continue writing new material. Virgin Records Six months later, the band's management arranged for them to play another showcase at the New York City club Tracks. Three record companies, Atlantic Records, Virgin Records, and A&M Records, made offers to sign the band. Virgin, then a small British record label, succeeded. The label was looking for a rock group to break into the US market, and Shooting Star became the first American band on their roster. In May 1979, Shooting Star returned to London to record their eponymous debut album with producer Gus Dudgeon of Elton John fame. The album Shooting Star was released in January 1980, and the band embarked on a national tour opening for Robin