In Memory Dan Peek of America

Dan Peek was born in the U.S. in 1950, and became a member of the group America between 1970 and 1977. There first single hit in the UK came in 1971 with the enjoyable Horse With No Name. The song was a late starter in the U.S. and actually banned by a few radio stations, as the word "horse" is also a street word for drugs.

Dan during his time with the group would be lead singer, guitarist, keyboards and harmonica. Although Dan was born in Florida he was actually educated in the U.K. from 1963. They would become a huge group in America in the 1970s.

The group when the Grammy for the best new group.

The next single to do well in the U.S. was I Need You in 1972.

Also in 1972, group member Dewey Bunnell wrote Ventura Highway, he was also the lead singer on the track too. The song was huge, but only reached No. 43 in the UK.

Sorry to say the rest of the world did not let America enjoy much chart success, and the group became a huge hit in the U.S., but did not at that time have any great international audience. Dan wrote this No. 1 U.S. hit Today's the Day.

        

Dan left the group in 1977 to concentrate on Christian music, but before he left, he wrote and performed the big U.S. hit Lonely People.

Dan died in his sleep aged sixty in July 2011.