America the band an authorized biography
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Who names their band America?
America weren't necessarily trying to represent an entire country (let alone a continent or two) when they picked their moniker, but they haven't exactly steered away from that conceit either. Throughout Jude Warne's authorized biography (buy now), there are confusing moments — for example, when an artist is "introduced to America" or a song is criticized for being "un-American." You just kind of have to roll with it.
The new book marks the half-century mark for the trio, who have been a duo since founding member Dan Peek was fired in That means we've moved beyond celebrating quinquagenaries from the '60s, and on to marking those big anniversaries for occurrences of the Me Decade. America's name, in fact, might be the most quintessentially '70s thing about them.
If the young male military brats of largely U.S. extraction had come together in the '60s, they might have called themselves the Redcoats or Full English Breakfast. By the '70s, though, the Beatles were essentially done and the British Invasion was long gone. Laurel Canyon's soft and socially aware clarion call had reached the U.K. shores, so London residents Peek, Gerry Beckley, and Dewey Bunnell chose to play up the
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America, The Band
Refugees of the turbulent s came out of that wilderness traumatized and weary. The breezy, soft-rock therapy peddled by America had the power to heal and blow away the pollution of cynicism, even if the trio of Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell and the dearly departed Dan Peek was unaware of the medicinal potency their acoustic, folky sounds—so light and lyrical—possessed.
In an easily digestible, in-depth look at the thoughtful artistry and idealistic innocence of one of the most enduring acts of the s, author Jude Warne does more than reassess the band’s underappreciated cultural impact in her richly detailed and absorbing read “America, The Band: An Authorized Biography.” Skillfully and passionately weaving together refreshingly honest, insightful interviews with exhaustive research, Warne demystifies this “logo band,” picking the locks of each complex personality to reveal much about their humanity and integrity, as well as their musical motivations and influences.
Almost overnight, America was a feel-good sensation. Upon leaving high school, they got a record deal with Warner Bros. Records. Their debut album, America, yielded the worldwide hits “A Horse with No Name” and “I Need You,” with ’s Homecoming and its single “Ventura Highway” following suit
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America, the Band: An Certified Biography
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