[Update: Great comments below from Dan's brother, Tom]
Right now I am listening to America, the band. They are one of my favorite bands of all time. I am a BIG FAN of their hugely successful songs from the early 70's including . .
Ventura Highway (one of my personal favorites, a song with incredible accoustic guitar riffs and the one song I insist on playing when I am in California)
Sister Golden Hair
A Horse With No Name
Tin Man
I Need You.
Muskrat Love . . . no . . maybe not that one.
Lonely People
America was a band formed in London by military kids who had American dads and British mums. They did really well as a band until one of their key musicians, Dan Peek, the guy behind bringing them all together as a band, somehow, by some weird set of circumstances, became a follower of Jesus and was not able to integrate the life of a rock musician with his new life.
So in 1977 Dan left the band and America never quite reached their previous fame.
In July this year, Dan Peek passed away. He leaves behind him some of the best kick-ass music of the 70's.
Dan went on to write more music and even had a number one hit in the Contemporary Christian Music world and a album on Pat Boone's label entitled "All Things are Possible". You can access some of that music on his site.
I am glad he made his own way but somehow I am saddened that he did not find a way to be a musician in a famous secular rock band AND a follower of Jesus at the same time.
Wish I could rewind that one and play an alternative scenario . . .
Know what I mean?
Check out Dan's book: An American Band - The American Story
