America – the folk-rock band behind “A Horse With No Name,” “Sister Golden Hair,” “Ventura Highway” and “Tin Man” – will take the stage at 8 p.m. in what is arguably one of the most appropriate venues in the nation to play their desert-inspired hit song.
“That sounds ideal,” says Gerry Beckley, one of the two original members of the band, upon hearing about the red rock venue.
However, since his bandmate Dewey Bunnell wrote the lyrics to “A Horse With No Name,” Beckley says he can’t comment on why the poor horse didn’t have a name.
Beckley is songwriter behind the band’s other No. 1 hit, “Sister Golden Hair.”
He says the song came at advantageous time for the group because it was on the fifth album, well into the band’s nearly 40-year career. It was also the second album produced for the band by legendary Beatles producer George Martin.
America formed in 1970 in England. The three core members, Beckley, Bunnell and Dan Peek were sons of American servicemen and British mothers. “A Horse With No Name” catapulted them into the spotlight in the United States in 1972 when the group released its self-titled debut album.
The group soon became known for its three-part harmonies. Although Peek later left the band – leaving Beckley and Bunnell to carry on as a duo – Beckley says the three-part harmonies remain thanks to the help of other band members.
Jason Velez, a Washington City resident and America fan, plans to attend the show on May 15 with his wife Kimberly. He’s been a fan for about 30 years and saw them live in Los Angeles in 1991.
“They were great,” he says. “They played with Three Dog Night.”
Velez says “Sister Golden Hair” is one of his favorite songs but also enjoys the overall sound of the band. He thinks the ambiance of Tuacahn will match America’s music.
He also attended the Rick Springfield and Foreigner shows at Tuacahn earlier this year and says the venue is doing a good job of bringing in quality concerts this year.
Beckley says fans of his band are in for a good show that is always evolving.
“The shows themselves are fantastic,” Beckley says. “I’d like to think they are as good as ever.”
The band plays about 100 shows each year, which Beckley says helps them to arrange what they play for the best possible effect. They have plenty of ballads so the trick is mixing it up enough that they don’t drag the show down with too many slow numbers.
He says the band’s dozen or so hits are usually among the songs they perform but they also mix in other songs from their catalogue that they enjoy playing. They also pay attention to fan blogs and chat rooms to see which songs the fans want to hear.
Although they’ve been playing some songs like “A Horse With No Name” for nearly 40 years, Beckley says they don’t ever get tired of playing music. He says they even joke that the 90 minutes they are on stage is the only part of the day when they can relax.
“To be honest, the travel is the hardest part,” Beckley says.
They hope to continue playing about 100 shows each year as long as there is the demand and as long as they feel like they can deliver.
America will be the final concert of the spring season before Tuacahn moves its focus to the summer musicals. However, Peter Frampton is scheduled to play a rare autumn concert at the venue on Sept. 16.
source:www.thespectrum.com
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