AMERICA
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Background information
Origin: Texas, U.S.A.
Genres: Folk rock, soft rock, country rock
Years active: 1970 - present
Labels: Warner Bros., Capitol, Burgundy
Members: Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell, Willie Leacox, Michael Woods, Richard Campbell
Past members: Dan Peek, David Dickey, Jim Calire, Tom Walsh, Bryan Garafolo, Brad Palmer.

America is an American folk rock band that originally included members Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell and Dan Peek. The three members were barely out of their teens when they became a musical sensation during 1972, scoring #1 hits and winning a Grammy for best new musical artist. Their recording success stretched throughout the 1970s; some of the band's best known songs are ''A Horse with No Name'', ''Sister Golden Hair'' (both of which reached #1), ''Ventura Highway'', ''Tin Man'', ''Daisy Jane'', and ''Lonely People''. George Martin produced seven of their albums.

The band suffered a heavy blow when Dan Peek quit the group in 1977, right at the bottom of a steep decline in their popularity, but Beckley and Bunnell returned to the top 10 as a duo with ''You Can Do Magic'' in 1982. Continuing to tour, America maintains a loyal fan base and performs over 100 shows per year.