Dan Peek, Founder of Rock Band America, Dies at Age 60

[Hissyspit]

Source: AFP

Dan Peek, founder of rock band America, dies at age 60
Published on July 27th, 2011
Written by: Agence France-Presse

LOS ANGELES — Dan Peek, a founder member of folk-rock band America — who had a worldwide hit with the song “A Horse with No Name” — has died at the age of 60, his former bandmates said Wednesday.

US-born Peek, who formed the Grammy-winning band with fellow musicians Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell after meeting in London in the late 60s, died in his sleep on Sunday, they said.

“I am so sorry to learn of Dan’s passing,” said Bunnell in a statement on the band’s website, recalling how the three of them had a “joyous time, full of excitement and laughter” together.

The trio, who met at the London Central High School, shot to fame with the single “A Horse with No Name,” taken from their self-titled debut album “America” released in 1971, according to their website.

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/07/27/dan-peek-founder-of-rock-band-america-dies-at-age-60

[Tikki]

1. May he ride peacefully into the sunset on a Horse With No Name....

RIP...Dan


Tikki

[ixion]

2. A timeless album. I still listen to it today.

safe travels, Dan.

[cbdo2007]

3. "This is for all the lonely people..."

RIP Dan!

[TygrBright]

4. Great music. Great guy. Great song. I believe it made the 100 Weirdest Lyrics list. n/t

[callous taoboy]

8. I agree. I was 6 when that song came out, and I was enchanted by it.

[Uncle Joe]

5. RIP Dan and thanks for the music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I0d29s6GCc&feature=related

Thanks for the thread, Hissyspit.

[n2doc]

6. My favorite was 'Ventura Highway"

Some of the greatest harmonies ever. RIP.

[VWolf]

10. Yep. I also loved Sister Golden Hair. n/t

[PuffedMica]

7. Sad News

I always liked "Sister Golden Hair"

[Jefferson23]

9. At 60 in his sleeep? Too young. RIP n/t

[mahatmakanejeeves]

11. Laurel Canyon connections

Inside The LC: The Strange but Mostly True Story of Laurel Canyon and the Birth of the Hippie Generation

Inside The LC: The Strange but Mostly True Story of Laurel Canyon and the Birth of the Hippie Generation
Part I
May 8, 2008

....
Let’s talk instead about three other Laurel Canyon vocalists who will rise to dizzying heights of fame and fortune: Gerry Beckley, Dan Peek and Dewey Bunnell. Individually, these three names are probably unknown to virtually all readers; but collectively, as the band America, the three will score huge hits in the early ‘70s with such songs as “Ventura Highway,” “A Horse With No Name,” and the Wizard of Oz-themed “The Tin Man.” I guess I probably don’t need to add here that all three of these lads were products of the military/intelligence community. Beckley’s dad was the commander of the now-defunct West Ruislip USAF base near London, England, a facility deeply immersed in intelligence operations. Bunnell’s and Peek’s fathers were both career Air Force officers serving under Beckley’s dad at West Ruislip, which is where the three boys first met.

[gratuitous]

12. I remember a radio program from the 1980s or so

I think it was Dewey Bunnell being interviewed (Peek had left America by that time to go into Christian rock), and he was talking about touring. They had a date at an outdoor venue in West Germany or someplace, and it started raining. Really raining. He talked about playing piano, and the hammer coming down on the strings *splash/plink!* as the soundboard started filling with rain. Someone got the bright idea of covering them with an enormous hunk of plastic sheeting, and Bunnell was laughing to remember playing and wondering what the audience was thinking as they watched this plastic bubble pumping out music, and thinking "It was us under there, but nobody could see it."

I heard the story and couldn't help thinking that one frayed cord would have meant the end of the concert, the band, and maybe the first five rows of people.

I loved their music, and even now can be transported right back to high school hearing any number of their songs on a sunny day.