1972年葛莱美奖最佳新进团体得主就是这个由三位美国驻英国空军军官的儿子所组成的民谣摇滚团 America。团员在高中时代互相认识， Dan Peek、Gerry Beckley是美国人、Dewey Bunnell是英 国人， 三人皆弹吉他与演唱。1971年底A Horse With No Name首先在英国发行， 随着它的成功， 1972年America搬到美国，开始进攻北美市场，反应更胜英国，A Horse With No Name成为他们 在Billboard上的首支冠军单曲。另一首 单曲I Need You和Sandman都出自第一张同名专辑。眼见 商业的成功，很 快地America着手第二张专辑「Homecoming」。其中畅销曲Ventura Highway 是作 曲者离家踏上高速公路面对未来憧憬的不安却又兴奋的刻划。由于出片 的密集，接着几首单曲 Don't Cross The River、Only In Your Heart、 Muskrat Love还有第三张专辑「Hat Trick」 的表现都只差强人意。此时 America找来披头四合唱团的制作人George Martin帮他们策划第四、 五 张专辑「Holiday」、「Hearts」，果然专辑与单曲Tin Man、Lonely People 都纷纷重回排行 前五名；Sister GoldenHair则在1975年成为他们第二首 也是最后一首冠军单曲。America的民 谣摇滚传奇到此暂时打住，一张 「History」精选为他们三年来的出色的演唱写下一里程碑。

七○年代中期开始民谣已经式微，代之而起的是迪斯科风潮，America在Martin 的带领下仍坚持原 风格，可以想见和流行市场已相行渐远，团员之一Dan Peek 在1977年专辑「Harbor」之后离团单 飞，在日后成为著名的福音歌手。America 决定以二重唱的组合继续维持，而和George Martin的 合作关系持续到1979年的 「Silent Letter」专辑为止。1982年的一张「A View From The Ground」 专 辑突然又将他们带回流行之门，You Can Do Magic是其中畅销单曲，这张专辑 中除了和谐的吉 他与演唱外也加入了电子合成器，算是十年来曲风上最大的突破。 不过这次的反击也只是昙花一现 ，在The Border之后America成为一个十足的 Live Band（现场巡回演唱团），除零星专辑外就是 现场实况收音专辑，二十一 世纪初还继续着他们的旅程。
America was a light folk-rock act of the early '70s who had several Top Ten hits, including the number ones "A Horse with No Name" and "Sister Golden Hair." Vocalists/guitarists Dewey Bunnell, Dan Peek, and Gerry Beckley met while they were still in high school in the late '60s; all three were sons of U.S. Air Force officers who were stationed in the U.K. After they completed school in 1970, they formed an acoustic folk-rock quartet called Daze in London, which was soon pared down to the trio of Bunnell, Peek, and Beckley. Adopting the name America, the group landed a contract with Jeff Dexter, a promoter for the Roundhouse concert venue. Dexter had America open for several major artists and the group soon signed with Warner Bros. Records. By the fall of 1970, the group was recording their debut album in London, with producers Ian Samwell and Jeff Dexter.

"A Horse with No Name," America's debut single, was released at the end of 1971. In January 1972, the song — which strongly recalled the acoustic numbers of Neil Young — became a number three hit in the U.K. The group's self-titled debut album followed the same stylistic pattern and became a hit as well, peaking at number 14. Following their British success, America returned to North America, beginning a supporting tour for the Everly Brothers. "A Horse with No Name" was released in the U.S. that spring, where it soon became a number one single, pushing Neil Young's "Heart of Gold" off the top of the charts; America followed the single to the top of the charts. "I Need You" became another Top Ten hit that summer, and the group began work on their second album. "Ventura Highway," the first single released from this collaboration, became their third straight Top Ten hit in December of 1972. In the beginning of 1973, America won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist of 1972.

Homecoming was released in January of 1973, becoming a Top Ten hit in the U.S. and peaking at number 21 in the U.K. America's essential sound didn't change with this record; it just became more polished. However, the hits stopped coming fairly soon — they had only one minor Top 40 hit in 1973. Hat Trick, the group's third album, was released toward the end of 1973; it failed to make it past number 28 on the American charts. Released in the late fall of 1974, Holiday was the first record the group made with producer George Martin. Holiday returned America to the top of the charts, peaking at number three and launching the hit singles "Tin Man" and "Lonely People." "Sister Golden Hair," pulled from 1975's Hearts, became their second number one single. That same year, the group released History: America's Greatest Hits, which would eventually sell over four million copies.

Although America's 1976 effort Hideaway went gold and peaked at number 11, the group's audience was beginning to decline. After releasing Harbor to a lukewarm reception, Dan Peek left the group, deciding to become a contemporary Christian recording artist. The group continued as a duo; their last Martin-produced record, Silent Letter, was released in 1979 to little attention. America returned to the Top Ten in 1982 with "You Can Do Magic," an adult contemporary pop number that featured synthesizers along with their trademark harmonies. "The Border" became their last Top 40 hit in 1983, peaking at number 33. After releasing America in Concert in the summer of 1985, the group continued to tour successfully into the '90s, resurfacing in 1998 with Human Nature.

The early part of the new millenium saw America release not only a handful of live albums as well as a holiday-themed studio recording, but also the exhaustive, career-spanning box set Highway, released in 2000. On the heels of this renewed interest, America was tempted back into the studio in 2006 by longtime fans and musicians Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne and James Iha of the Smashing Pumpkins. Although encouraging Bunnell and Beckley to stick to America's core sound, producers Schlesinger and Iha brought in younger musicians influenced by America to guest on the album including Ryan Adams, Nada Surf, and others. With a release date set for early 2007, Here & Now features new material by America as well as covers written by bands heavily influenced by the soft rock pioneers.


AMERICA是七○年代初期最受欢迎的民谣摇滚三重唱,1972年葛莱美奖最佳新进团体得主就是这个由三位美国驻英国空军军官的儿子所组成的民谣摇滚团。清新的木吉他伴奏、出色的和声加上精心的制作乃是他们的最大本钱.团员在高中时代互相认识，Dan Peek、Gerry Beckley是美国人、Dewey Bunnell是英国人，三人皆弹吉他与演唱。1971年底A Horse With No Name首先在英国发行，随着它的成功，1972年America搬到美国，开始进攻北美市场，反应更胜英国，A Horse With No Name成为他们在Billboard上的首支冠军单曲。另一首单曲I Need You和Sandman都出自第一张同名专辑。眼见商业的成功，很快地America着手第二张专辑「Homecoming」。其中畅销曲Ventura Highway是作曲者离家踏上高速公路面对未来憧憬的不安却又兴奋的刻划。由于出片的密集，接着几首单曲Don't Cross The River、Only In Your Heart、Muskrat Love还有第三张专辑「Hat Trick」的表现都只差强人意。此时America找来披头四合唱团的制作人George Martin帮他们策划第四、五张专辑「Holiday」、「Hearts」，果然专辑与单曲Tin Man、Lonely People都纷纷重回排行前五名；Sister Golden Hair则在1975年成为他们第二首也是最后一首冠军单曲。America的民谣摇滚传奇到此暂时打住，一张「History」精选为他们三年来的出色的演唱写下一里程碑。

　　七○年代中期开始民谣已经式微，代之而起的是迪斯科风潮，America在Martin的带领下仍坚持原风格，可以想见和流行市场已相行渐远，团员之一Dan Peek在1977年专辑「Harbor」之后离团单飞，在日后成为著名的福音歌手。America决定以二重唱的组合继续维持，而和George Martin的合作关系持续到1979年的「Silent Letter」专辑为止。1982年的一张「A View From The Ground」专辑突然又将他们带回流行之门，You Can Do Magic是其中畅销单曲，这张专辑中除了和谐的吉他与演唱外也加入了电子合成器，算是十年来曲风上最大的突破。不过这次的反击也只是昙花一现，在The Border之后America成为一个十足的Live Band（现场巡回演唱团），除零星专辑外就是现场实况收音专辑，二十一世纪初还继续着他们的旅程。