America, the Band: An Authorized Biography

Journalist Warne debuts with a meticulous and entertaining account of 1970s folk rock band America. Drawing from extensive research and interviews, Warne traces the lives of band members Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell, and Dan Peek, all Air Force brats who met in London in the 1960s and bonded over their shared American heritage and love of playing music. Following in the footsteps of their musical heroes—the Beatles, Beach Boys, and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young—they began writing music with what Warne describes as “timeless human themes of love, joy, and celebration of the natural world.” America moved from England to California soon after starting, and Warne blends their story into that of the L.A. music scene, where they met and worked with such notables as David Geffen, Brian Wilson, and Harry Nilsson. She tracks their career from the 1971 smash hit “A Horse with No Name,” through their decline in the 1980s when their recording began to sound “corporate,” to their resurgence in the 1990s and their 50th anniversary in 2020. Warne’s passion for the band is evident throughout, as when she describes “A Horse with No Name”—“it highlighted overarching life themes like freedom, truth, and the power of nature.” Classic rock fans will enjoy this easygoing biography. (May)