#Dan peek leaves america free

The band’s signature song, “Horse With No Name,” is often chided for its banal lyrics (“the heat was hot” and why the hell doesn’t the horse have a name?).

#Dan peek leaves america free

In spite of their enormous success and longevity, America is dismissed in some quarters as being the quintessential white hippie band, a purveyor of mellow sounds that evoke the days of free love and bell bottoms. Three of Peek’s contributions to their repertoire were represented in the set list: “Don’t Cross the River,” “Woman Tonight,” and “Lonely People.” Third original member Dan Peek left the band in 1977 to pursue a solo career as a Christian music artist. Two covers were added, each with some context given: “Eleanor Rigby” by the Beatles, in recognition of the fact that George Martin produced seven consecutive America albums starting in 1974 and “California Dreamin’” by the Mamas and the Papas, representative of the type of bands that were big and who influenced them when they first got together in the late ‘60s.įor those who don’t know, America these days comprises original members Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley. (With the exception of “Muskrat Love,” a song choice they likely regret.) They also played their 1982 comeback hit, “You Can Do Magic,” and a selection of album cuts from their heyday, as well as songs from the ’80s, ‘90s, and ‘00s that are less well known but no less appreciated by the adoring crowd. Playing to a packed, enthusiastic, Centrum Silver-popping crowd who sang along with an impressively deep roster of hits, the band played every song on its multi-platinum greatest hits album from 1975. That terrible coincidence aside, America acquitted itself quite well in concert. As they wailed on “Sandman,” I had one thought on my mind: “Damn, if I closed my eyes this could be the Foo Fighters.”Īt the very moment I made this connection, though I didn’t learn the news until I got home, Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins was dying or already dead. Now on their 50th anniversary tour (half a century ago this week, their debut album and the single “Horse With No Name” both sat at #1 on the Billboard charts), America had energy to spare and a hot band of young bucks behind them.

The band launched into “Sandman” with a heaviness and power most rock fans would not expect of America, those soft-rock superstars of the ‘70s. The enjoyable America concert at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium was nearing its end. The latest version of America in action, live in concert.