Dan Peek, one of the original members of America, died earlier this week at the age of 60 and Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley remember their fallen friend.
I sent Dan an e mail a few days before his death.I had no idea how ill he was.He replied to me a total stranger.I was and am humbled by the fact he had time for me.The e mail was about John Martin and Americas cover of his song "Head and Heart".He was magnanimous to the end.His and your music has saved my sanity on many occasions.Thank you all for sharing your gift with us.
This incredible group of talented musicians helped me survive my violent, alcoholic mother and my apathetic, non-present father. They helped me imagine a different place and a different life.
Good morning my friend american patroit they did help me to get sober at all but they was one of the greatest band in the 1970's Am your next door Nieghbor am from Canada too
I saw them at the Santa Barbara County Bowl (5k out door venue), where I saw many bands Springsteen/Jefferson Airplane/Joe Walsh/Crosby Still's and Nash......America blew me away, totally the best band I ever heard
Dan's life was a testament to the power of Grace and Overcoming Obstacles. Not only was a man of deep faith but of patriotism and love for his country. Life is but a minute. Thank you for sharing your and letting your light shine.
I love America's music and I adore Mr. Peek's Christian album that he released when he was as a Christian. Wonderful music there as well!! His angelic voice now truly sings with angels. Rest in Peace Dan.
In 1975 at Cal Berkeley I attended a concert there. America was the headliner. Opening was John Sebastian. I went with my girlfriend Pam at the time. I brought my copy of America their first record and Dan took the time to sign it for me. I could say he was a big influence in me to know the Lord as Savior in later years. Whenever I wrote to Dan on his website over the years his dad would reply. I so miss Dan. Thank you! And also thanks to Dewey and Gerry for all the music and carrying on with their amazing music.
I am devastated to know that Dan passed away. I will forever remember him as I enjoy one of the greatest songs of all time, "Sister Golden Hair". R.I.P., Dan.
@Steve Shortridge he said he was Listening to SGH. Remembering Dan. He never said Dan wrote it. Dan played and sang background on SGH, I think that's having something to do with it, wouldn't you?
whenever it's a rainy day....I think of you the way you are.... Thank you, Dan, for all the great music....you will be remembered always. Love&Peace, Cindy
David Dickie, who was also a band member with America for a while has died. David was from the same tiny town of 500 where my father grew up. His dad was the School Principle and his mother was a teacher. How very sad that all of our generation is slowing moving on to their next phase.
So we focus on “Horse with no name” where Dewey was the lead vocalist to honor Dan Peek? They should have highlighted “All the Lonely People” where Dan truly was the lead.
4 года назад
Exactly! This is a news piece, these talking heads don't know jack about the people they memorialize.
America's music is timeless. It brings a huge amount of joy to me and everyone I have known, I have nothing but respects for all the members. I realize like many musicians the ups and downs in Dan's life, drugs, women, fame, temptation. Yet he gave up all he had to embrace GOD. Who else would be willing to do that? I shows where his true heart was. His music, with the joy it brought, reflected his faith and love for those around him. Thank you Dan Peek. The great and meaningful music you,wrote lives on. Many of us musicians continue to play your music and audiences everywhere continue to respond positively.. I wish the remaining band members success, prosperity and happiness, and hope they all recall that your music is a part of their past success, their success since your departure and unfortunate death, and all future success, and that they reserve no animosity toward you at the time you left the band, and their love and the friendship you all share will forever continue as it certainly does for all of AMERICA's fans. I wish AMERICA continued success and thank you all for generations of GREAT MEANINGFUL MUSIC.
What pisses me off is when Dan passed away he didn't get nearly the proper amount of media coverage as per say Glen Frye of the Eagles did and if you ask me every member in America was just as talented as any member of the Eagles! RIP Dan!
Hey man I'm a big Eagles fan and I must agree with your comment,hell I didn't even know the guy died.He and America were every bit as good as the Eagles and together they defined the 70's sound.
Totally agree! i didnt even know Dan had died either. I guess i was because the band had split up and also that Dan had returned to being a christian and the media seems to ignore (even hate) christians. They say Dan died of heart disease but all know is that if you do drugs then if affects/ damages your heart just look at all the stars who took drugs and then had a heart attack from rock stars to WWF wrestlers of the 80's they nearly all died in their 40's from heart attacks only Hulk Hogan is still alive and funnily he didnt take steriods and also funny is he is a christian:)
Kevin Anderson your correct..Dan had great skills vocally and writing of such haunting music..timeless..personally I think their talent was as good or better thAn the eagles
May he rest in peace. America is one of my favorite bands. I still listen to the albums. Love them I just can't give up those classic songs of the 70's that I sort of grew up with. Horse with no name and You can do Magic, and Ventura Highway to name of few of my favorites He will be missed.!!!!
thanks for the great music , a great part of my younger years were spent listening to their music . another star in heaven shining bright . there is one hell of a concert going on up there surely with all the other greats that are there , one day we all will be able to see it . until then godspeed .
America are a great band,they make timeless music.The harmonies,the lyrics and content make you imagine the song as its being sang.You can say they were easy listening,contemporary or whatever,but I still love to hear “Sister Golden Hair” and all their hits,those songs take me back to a far better and gentler time.
I was so sad to hear of Dan's passing. I know he had not been part of the band since 1977, but some of my fondest memories from that time was the Beautiful Music, Songs and Harmonies of "America". May He Rest In Peace.
"I remember meeting Dan Peek at my friend's shop. He was looking for a VW type 2. engine. My friend stepped out of the shop for a moment. Dan Peek and I talked about VW's. He was into VW'S and learned from some German guys and Dan said the German guy would say put these engine blocks here. Telling me they would say you break you buy. I kept looking at him because he looked familiar and he said I'm from the band America. I'm Dan Peek. Dan said he went to school with all the members. I talked about music with Dan and said Harmonica player Norton Buffalo aka Philip Jackson of the Steve Miller Band played with America on one of their records I told him. I said the drummer Gary Mallaber was in his band Stamped and with the Steve Miller Band. Dan Peek told me how they had Gary Mallaber in the studio to record but the engineers were not happy with what he was playing and wanted a certain sound. Dan Peek told me that people that work in the studio know what to look for and what type of sound you should have. We were talking about America and Dan Peek said he inspired Dewy to write a song. My friend and I are into music and he has instruments at his shop and my friend I introduced him to Dan Peek and they first were talking about the engine black he was looking for then were talking about the musical instruments in the room and Dan Peek said it had been a while and that he could play pretty much anything in this room. He later said he had to leave that he had food waiting for his wife who he was taking care of who was on dialysis he said. Time flies that I am trying to remember what year my friend and I meet him because it says that he died at the age of 60. He is older than my friend who is 66. So when they say Dan Peek died at 60. That can't be right. He would be 69. years of age today. Well, I never knew about his heart condition. He said maybe he would come and play sometime. Now I know why I never saw Dan Peek again. Dan Peek seemed fine when I saw him. I really enjoyed talking to Dan Peek. Not everyone has the privilege to meet or talk to Dan Peek. I grew up listening to those songs. I loved their music. Thanks for the great music and sharing your stories with me Dan we will miss you rest in peace. I never dreamed I would ever meet one of the band members of the group America. You are now fulfilled and with God and in a better place. :-)"
I thought that America's members were a few years younger than me instead of a few months, but no Dan died just short of his 61st birthday. He was 4 months younger than me and I'm 69 now. He died in 2011. Yes, he's 3 years older than your 66 year old friend.
I'v been watching all their music videos because I'm trying to learn how to play the guitar. you have to watch the best if you want to one day play like the best. R.I.P. Dan and God Bless America!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RIP Dan Peak. The tracks like Horse with No Name & You can Do Magic were some of the evergreen melodies of the 70s & 80s he sang with his fellow band mates in America...... would immortalize him as one of the great singers of the music world.
That made me cry. He was part of this magic thing called America. Now and forever. He hard a hard and troubled life. Reading the biography now. America The Band by Judy Warne. I have been a fan my entire life, From 15 til now, 64.No group has ever made music as beautiful as these three, now two guys.
Looking back in the 70's during my high school days, this folkrock group America has influenced us a lot. We used to play their songs at school and pub houses. You may not know us but your music really made us better musicians. Thank you Jerry, Dewey and to Dan (who is now in a much better place). God bless you America.
RIP Mr Peek. Your music lives on. Your music made so many special times during my teenage years in the 70s...and still here listening and still special RIP..... 🇲🇾
Just seeing this as well. I did get to see "America" when they came to Canada. they were the "first band " before the headliners at the time ...but they were THE BEST! Their music and sound are iconic and will always resound in all that have a romantic, poetic side to us. Rest in peace Dan...
Dan Peek was amazing and gifted in so many ways. Dan is now playing with the "Heavenly Band" he was always meant to be with..............Have fun Dan....
A few years ago I saw a video documentary of the making of the Harbor record- on youtube. I can no longer find it. Anyone know where it might be found?
Well, I think they have done an absolutely great job and I love their music I love Riverside one of my favorite songs but it’s so hard to decide because I love 98% of it’s like when I hear their music I stop and listen and enjoy👍 My condolences for them for their great loss never forgotten.🙏
@SgtCrom, Another thing is that I am still discovering "old music" that I missed during those great years from the 1960's through the 1980's. Counting on "radio play" to present all the good music has never been sufficient or even feasible. It's much worse today of course. And who could afford to buy all the albums and or tapes that were produced. Which brings us back to RU-vid. I'm very thankful for it. Now I can find oldie goldies that I never knew existed and see and discuss them. Good deal!
Sad news, have been a fan for a lifetime. Will remember driving a MGB with the top down back from Bognor Regis in the sun listening to the great America harmonies on the band's first album. RIP
You played in honolulu and i was there early seventies, hardly anyone showed up, it was just before you hit it big. Remember??? Anyway as a young G.I. i wanted to thank you for the great time.
They were the sons of three military men stationed in Europe and got together with their talent.. That was how they came up with the name-- "AMERICA"....Dan Peek later on became a Christian after several hits America had ..He left the group and had his own Album which I still have.. Just a little trivia... As America,, all their album Titles started with an " H ". Homecoming,, Hat Trick,, Etc...
Just for the record - your Channel Column photo has DEWY BUNNELL in the camera shot .... He and Gerry Beckley were the original AMERICA trio .... Dan left when drugs were destroying him, returned after a good while and as a Christian again did his own music ... honoring the Lord . We miss and know Dan Peek is in paradise !!! GBjj
I became aware of Dan Peek's Electrovoice recording thru a friend who had picked it up in record somewhere like Nashville. I recognized the name as soon as I heard the "Christian" version of Lonely People. I was hooked. I ended up writing Dan a letter to tell him what his music had meant to me. Sometime later I received a one page handwritten letter from the Cayman Islands dated December 25, 199?(forget what year exactly). I was estatic, finding it hard to believe a superstar would write me, an
Beautiful, wonderful, unique memories of a special coming of age time in my.life which seemed would last forever as GOD, family & friends made a Wonderful Trio seing me thru the other side of life. Namaste 🦁🐑❤🎉😊
I am 51+ & grew up on the tail end of those late 60s-early 70s stuff. I think the 70s with the extended jams were the bomb. America came across to me as soft pop good boys music. Little did I know all they struggled with, like 95% of the rest of entertainers. I always loved their harmonies & acoustically driven tunes. Thank God for vinyl & reel-to-reel, dinosaur as it was compared to today.
Dan hit bottom from all the drug involvement, became desperate, cried out to the Lord, received salvation through Jesus! No doubt he will rest in peace, and be in the presence of the Lord!
Ah crap. I just found out. Growing up, America was my favorite group. I did get to see them in concert just after Peek left. (Fantastic concert!) I'm disappointed that there never was a reunion. :-(
