America (band)
1970s and now best known for their #1 hit "A Horse With No Name".
Dewey Bunnell, Dan Peek and Gerry Beckley, all singers and guitarists, met in high school and formed a folk rock group called "Daze." After changing their name to "America", the group received a contract with Warner Brothers Records. "A Horse With No Name" was the group's debut single, and it peaked at #3 in the United Kingdom. Their first album, America, reached #14. After the group moved to the United States, "A Horse With No Name" hit #1 there and so did the album soon after. "Ventura Highway", the first single off their next album, Homecoming, also became a huge hit. America won Best New Artist at the 1972 Grammy Awards. Homecoming became a huge hit in the US, and slightly less so in the UK.
The group's third album Hat Trick was a relative failure, but their fourth album Holiday (with new producer George Martin) became a hit. The next album Hearts featured "Sister Golden Hair," the band's second #1 single in the US. But then Hideaway marked the beginning of America's decline. Dan Peek left the group. The remaining duo produced a few more albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s to little fanfare, but had one more significant hit, "You Can Do Magic", in 1982.
Discography
- America - 1972
- America in Concert Live - 1973
- Homecoming - 1973
- Hat Trick - 1973
- Holiday - 1974
- Hearts - 1975
- Hideaway - 1976
- America Live - 1977
- Harbor - 1977
- Silent Letter - 1979
- Alibi - 1980
- A View from the Ground - 1982
- The Last Unicorn (movie soundtrack) - 1982
- Your Move - 1983
- Perspective - 1984
- In Concert - 1990
- Ventura Highway & Other Favorites - 1992
- Hourglass - 1994
- King Biscuit Flower Hour - 1996
- Human Nature - 1998
- Live (album) - 1999
- Hits You Remember Live - 2001
- Holiday Harmony - 2002
- Horse with No Name - 2002
