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America, the Band: An Authorized Biography
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About America, The Band: An Authorized Biography
Product Description As if recovering from a raucous dream of the 1960s, Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell, and Dan Peek arrived on 1970s American radio with a sound that echoed disenchanted hearts of young people everywhere. The three American boys had named their band after a country they’d watched and dreamt of from their London childhood Air Force base homes. What was this country? This new band? Classic and timeless, America embodied the dreams of a nation desperate to emerge from the desert and finally give their horse a name. Celebrating the band’s fiftieth anniversary, Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell share stories of growing up, growing together, and growing older. Journalist Jude Warne weaves original interviews with Beckley, Bunnell, and many others into a dynamic cultural history of America, the band, and America, the nation. Reliving hits like “Ventura Highway,” “Tin Man,” and of course, “A Horse with No Name” from their 19 studio albums and incomparable live recordings, this book offers readers a new appreciation of what makes some music unforgettable and timeless. As America’s music stays in rhythm with the heartbeats of its millions of fans, new fans feel the draw of a familiar emotion. They’ve felt it before in their hearts and thanks to America, they can now hear it, share it, and sing along. Review . . .a meticulous and entertaining account . . . Drawing from extensive research and interviews, Warne traces the lives of band members Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell, and Dan Peek, all Air Force brats who met in London in the 1960s and bonded over their shared American heritage and love of playing music. . . . Warne’s passion for the band is evident throughout, [and] Classic rock fans will enjoy this easygoing biography. ― Publishers Weekly Music journalist Warne has written the first full-length book about the multiplatinum band America, which despite selling millions of records was much neglected by critics. This authorized and laudatory biography explores the childhoods of band members Dan Peek, Gerry Beckley, and Dewey Bunnell, who, growing up in Air Force families, traveled constantly. In 1970, as students in London’s Central High School, they formed America and in 1972 enjoyed a meteoric rise with the release of their self-titled album and the single “A Horse with No Name,” which featured acoustic guitars and three-part harmonies and reflected the teenagers’ fascination with the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and Neil Young. The group moved to California, and their subsequent megahits embodied a laid-back post-1960s vibe. Finally, Warne outlines the band’s work with noted Beatles producer George Martin, Peek’s exit from the group in 1977, and their increasingly pop-oriented, string-drenched albums of the past four decades. Drawing from interviews with Beckley and Bunnell, Warne has started the process of refurbishing the reputation of America. Fans will be delighted, and those who sold them short will be impressed ― Library Journal With a biography on the band America, an irony-free defence of the oft-maligned hit makers is offered. ― Globe and Mail With a surprisingly crisp forward by long-time fan Billy Bob Thornton, the book launches into a real love letter from a fan . . . the read is light, breezy, and fun – a perfect beach companion to any and all of [America’s] greatest hits.” ― Goldmine Magazine [Warne] outlines how the trio eventually overcame resistance to their mellow soft rock to become as a close to a music institution (in their homeland, mostly) as it’s possible to get . . . For an awareness of how a heritage band can continue testing themselves creatively as well as focusing on the commercial benefits of their maturing demographic, [America is] an educational read. ― The Irish Times In an easily digestible, in-depth look at the thoughtful artistry and idealistic innocence of one of the most enduring acts of the 1970s, author Jude Warne does more than reassess the band’s underappreciate
