The band gained national exposure when a number of songs garnered moderate airplay on album-oriented rock radio stations in the US.
[1][2] They created a band with their brothers, Craig McLain and John Verlin, and played Beatles records in Ron's grandmother's garage.
The band then made their way to Morgan Studios to record their first single, Take the Money & Run (shortly before the Steve Miller hit of the same name).
And with the addition of Charles Waltz on violin, keyboards and vocals in May 1977, the name was eventually shortened to Shooting Star later the following year and they started recording demos in Gary's garage, all the while playing gigs around the Midwest.
The album Shooting Star was released in January 1980 and the band embarked on a national tour opening for Robin Trower and Triumph.
In support of the album, the band toured with ZZ Top, Cheap Trick, Todd Rundgren, Jefferson Starship and Journey.
In 1982 Shooting Star released their third album, III Wishes (July 1982), then returned to touring with such acts as REO Speedwagon, John Mellencamp, Jefferson Starship, Kansas and others.
But bassist Ron Verlin, who had become disenchanted with the music industry, departed in early 1984; Norm Dahlor was recruited to take over.
Guitarist McLain, in a 2013 interview with Goldmine Magazine, explained why the group disbanded:We signed with Geffen, and we put out Silent Scream.
Enigma Records, a heavy metal label that was starting to acquire more mainstream artists, bought the rights to the album and retitled it Touch Me Tonight – The Best Of Shooting Star.
After the album's release, Ron Verlin was replaced on bass by Eric Johnson (not the famous guitarist) and the band toured with Bad English, Bryan Adams, and 38 Special.
After selling about 10,000 copies of It's Not Over, the group was contacted by JRS Records (whose parent company was SCS Music), which agreed to take over distribution of the album nationally.
But the group became dissatisfied with JRS, claiming they did very little to promote the album, and filed a lawsuit against them on October 14, 1992, in Johnson County, Kansas District Court.
By 1993, disappointed over the collapse of Enigma, the JRS fiasco and the general decline in popularity of classic rock music, the band went into semi-retirement but resurfaced each year to play occasional concerts with Verlin back on bass.
In 1997 the violin became a part of their sound again with the addition of violinist Terry Brock (not the same man who performed as a background vocalist with Kansas on their Drastic Measures tour).
Out of this chance meeting grew the plans to record and release Shooting Star's seventh album, Leap of Faith (July 2000).
Original drummer Steve Thomas returned to the fold in late 2003 and singer Keith Mitchell left in the summer of 2005 after reported voice problems.
[5] Violinist Shane Michaels left the band in June 2008 to concentrate on another project, Flannigan's Right Hook, and was replaced by Janet Jameson.
The band performed at Liberty Hall in Lawrence, Kansas with the McLain, Thomas, Lafoon, Platt, Jameson lineup, with special guest Ron Verlin on bass, and for two songs, original vocalist Gary West.
Topeka, Kansas native Todd Pettygrove, from the band Vandelyn Kross, then joined in June 2013 as the new lead singer, making his live debut with the group the following month at Moondance Jam in Walker, Minnesota.
[7] Marking 35 years since their first album, Shooting Star released Into the Night in July 2015, which was initially available as a free download at the band's website.
[9] On September 24, 2017 a special Shooting Star Relief Fund concert was held in Kansas City to assist McLain with his continuing recovery from West Nile fever.
The concert featured members of the KC music scene including The Elders, 2nd House, members of The Rainmakers and a Shooting Star Past & Present performance with Steve Thomas, Dennis Laffoon and Todd Pettygrove performing with guests Gary West, Ron Verlin, Norm Dahlor, Janet Jameson and Pettygrove's former bandmate Chet Galloway, handpicked and standing in for Van on guitar.
[11][12] Shooting Star announced in late 2018 they would play a concert on January 19, 2019 in Kansas City with a revamped lineup to include former violin player Janet Jameson and new guitarist/vocalist Chet Galloway.
According to the band's official website, McLain's family fully supported a reforming and continuation of Shooting Star, and the current lineup planned to announce additional shows.