![]() ![]() And it really just dredged up a lot of that anxiety and freakiness of having been that persona at that time. “I was a spectrum drug abuser, alcoholic, you name it,” Peek told Goldmine magazine last year in discussing his 2004 autobiography, “An American Band: The America Story.” “There are times I’d wished I’d never even written it, because as I was writing it I went back in time, and frankly, there were so many ugly parts to being in this. 1 slot for the final time in 1975 with “Sister Golden Hair,” and by 1977 Peek felt compelled to escape the pressures of producing more hits and to give up the self-destructive path he was on at the time. Peek’s writing and lead vocal were featured on the band’s hit “Lonely People,” which peaked at No. Young was on the chart at the time with his yearning hit “Heart of Gold,” which “Horse With No Name” bumped out of the No. Their 1971 debut album, “America,” shot out of the gate with the single “A Horse With No Name,” which many listeners initially mistook as a new Neil Young song. All three were musically inclined, and when they decided to form a band, they wanted to avoid anyone thinking they were Brits trying to sound American, so they settled on the name America. armed services personnel, where he met Bunnell and Beckley. It was at London Central High School, a school for children of U.S. “His mother’s family was very musical, and they got their musical talents from her family.” “Dan Peek went to heaven on July 24, 2011.“He was a pretty prolific songwriter and pretty good guitar player,” Milton Peek said of his son. There is no news as to the cause of death. My sincere condolences go out to Catherine and the entire Peek family. Dan & his music will live on in the great songs he shared with us all. “I am deeply saddened to hear the news of Dans passing. May Dan rest in peace, and his memory be cherished forever.” -Dewey Bunnell My sincere condolences go out to his wife, Catherine, and the entire Peek family. Although we eventually went our separate ways, his contributions to the music of “America” have always been present and will last forever. Dan was an equal and integral part of that early history, and I have never forgotten the good times we spent making that music and learning about life together. ![]() We created lasting music together and experienced a life that we could never have imagined. It was a joyous time for the three of us, full of excitement and laughter. Dan, along with Gerry & myself, formed the band “America” as teenagers after being great friends in high school during the late 60’s. “I am so sorry to learn of Dan’s passing. The following tributes can be found on America’s official webiste: They have toured and recorded as a duo with Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell since Peek left in 1977. Their songs are appealing, engaging and accessible and continue to retain their quality and popularity today. While the band, America, along with their string of hit songs, cannot be regarded innovative, they could be considered carriers of the flame of the folk-rock sound begun in the 60’s by Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills & Nash. America, at the time, was topping the rock music charts. He simply found faith and fullfillment, then left the scene in answer to his own spiritual quest nurtured by his faith in Jesus Christ as his personal savior and redeemer-His Silver Cup.ĭan Peek was among a handful folk-rock celebrities in the mid 70’s including Richie Furay, Barry McGuire, Bob Dylan and Noel Paul Stookey, who openly spoke in their songs of spiritual longing and sought their answers through the Christian faith when it went against the stream of popularity. With only a pair of fine solo albums and autobiography, An American Band, to explain, there’s no great mystery to his leaving the spotlight. After the song found its way to the charts, Peek himself would leave the band in pursuit of that ‘silver cup,’ he mentions in the song. Although he left the popular folk-rock band America many years ago, Dan Peek’s gentle melodies, skillfull, distinctive guitar work, vocal talent and songwriting contributions can still be felt on a band most known for 70’s hit songs like “Horse with No Name,” “Ventura Highway,” and “Sister Golden Hair.” But, it was his “Lonely People,” with it’s hopeful message that still resonates today. ![]()
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