Dewey Bunnell, Dan Peek, and Gerry Beckley created the rock Band America in London in 1970. The three met as the kids of US Air Force members stationed in London, where they started performing live.
The three rose to prominence in the 1970s thanks to their close vocal harmonies and light acoustic folk-rock style. The band had a streak of successful albums and songs, with several of them receiving broadcast on pop/soft rock radio stations.
In the late 1960s, the band came together shortly after the members graduated from high school. Peek joined the band in 1970, and Warner Bros. signed them to a record deal. They published their self-titled first album the following year, which featured the international singles ‘A Horse with No Name’ and ‘I Need You.’ The track ‘Ventura Highway’ was included on their sophomore album, Homecoming (1972).
The band proceeded to release hit songs in the following years, including ‘Muskrat Love’ on Hat Trick (1973), ‘Tin Man’ and ‘Lonely People’ on Holiday (1974), and ‘Sister Golden Hair’ and ‘Daisy Jane’ on Hearts (1975). History: America’s Greatest Hits, a compilation of popular singles that was certified multi-platinum in the United States and Australia, was also published in 1975.
Peek quit the group in 1977, and their commercial fortunes plummeted; however, with the single ‘You Can Do Magic,’ they returned to the top 10 in 1982. ‘The Border,’ the band’s final Top 40 song, peaked at number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983.
The band continues to record new music and tours regularly. Here & Now, the band’s 2007 album, was a collaboration with a new generation of musicians who cite the band as an influence.
