America- "You Can Do Magic" 1982
Video from Reelinintheyears66
"America" Biography
"When America, the perennial classic-rock favorite, hits the road in 2023, they'll celebrate their 53rd Anniversary with their powerful performances. Founding members, Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell (along with former band mate, the late Dan Peek) met in high school in London in the late 1960s and quickly harmonized their way to the top of the charts on the strength of their signature song "A Horse With No Name." America became a global household name and paved the way with an impressive string of hits following the success of their first #1 single. Forty plus years later, these friends are still making music together, touring the world and thrilling audiences with their timeless sound.
America's journey has found them exploring a wide variety of musical terrain. Their best-known tunes, which also include "I Need You," "Ventura Highway," "Don't Cross The River," "Tin Man," "Lonely People," and "Sister Golden Hair" were cornerstones of 1970's Top 40 and FM rock radio. Yet beyond their impressive catalog of hits, listeners would discover there was always much more to America than surface perceptions. The combination of Gerry Beckley's melodic pop rock and Dewey Bunnell's use of folk-jazz elements, slinky Latin-leaning rhythms and impressionistic lyric imagery contrasted well with Dan Peek's more traditional country-rock leanings and highly personal lyrics.." from their website: venturahighway.com
How many of your remember the beginning of the band "America"?
Well I do when they became popular in 1970 I was a freshman in High School. Those were the days of soft rock and cool jazz. Their music is still fresh and they continue to perform. Thank you Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell (and the late Dan Peek) for your creativity and inspiration! - Andy
Dan Peek of America Dead at 60 (November 1, 1950 – July 24, 2011)
"DAN PEEK, CO-FOUNDER of the folk rock band America, has died at the age of 60. According to his wife, Peek died in his sleep at their home in Farmington, Missouri. The specific cause of death is not yet known.
Peek, a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, formed America in the late Sixties with along with Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley, who he had met at a high school in London, where their fathers were stationed with the United States Air Force. The band’s first album, America, yielded the Number One hit “A Horse with No Name,” which led to a Grammy for best new act later that year." from the article: Peek became a born-again Christian in 1977 and renounced drugs and alcohol, which led to him leaving America the same year. In 1979, he began a career in Christian pop with his first solo album All Things Are Possible, which was recorded for Pat Boone’s Lamb and Lion Records. In recent years, Peek went into semi-retirement while remaining active as a songwriter." from the article: Dan Peek of America Dead at 60
Jude Warne interviews AMERICA about her new book "America, the Band: An Authorized Biography"
Video from America
"Jude Warne interviews Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell about her new book "America, the Band: An Authorized Biography" coming May 15, 2020 Jude Warne is a music journalist with publications in The Observer, The Vinyl District, Live for Live Music, No Depression, and Film International. She has written long and short-form pieces on Bruce Springsteen, Steely Dan, Procol Harum, the Band, the Yardbirds, among others." from video introduction This video took place about the time of the Covid lockdown in 2020.
America (The Band): Surreal Soft-Rock
"Though they were capable of sunny California pop and Beatlesque melodies (both of which were helped along by The Beatles producer George Martin), America were one of the defining soft-rock trios of the late '70s, sporting killer harmonies, strange lyrics, and a knack for pop hooks that could ape just about anybody.
America's Best Known Songs
"A Horse With No Name"
"Ventura Highway"
"Sister Golden Hair"
"Tin Man"
"Lonely People"
"I Need You"
"You Can Do Magic"
"Sandman"
"The Border"
"Daisy Jane"
from the article: America (The Band): Surreal Soft-Rock
America - Sister Golden Hair
Video from Kabé Rossi
"Feb 6, 2007 Sister Golden Hair" from video introduction