America may not have had a hit single in more than 20 years, but the band that won the 1972 Grammy Award for Best New Artist is not forgotten. VOA's Doug Levine tells us about the return of America with an album that mixes old and new.
A great melody goes a long way. Like America's "Horse With No Name," which topped the chart in 19'72, but remains the group's most requested song in concert. Year after year, its haunting imagery continues to captivate audiences.
Fast-forward to July 2006, and the making of Here And Now, America's first major label, full-length studio album in more than two decades. Already praised by critics as marking a return to its signature folk-rock harmonies of the '70s, Here And Now boasts a team of acclaimed producers and musicians years younger than founding members Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley. This unique collaboration helped earn America its highest debut on Billboard's albums chart since 1977, and led one critic to remark that it's "the best America album since the days when Beatles producer George Martin was producing them."
It's just like old times with America riding high on the success of its new single, "Ride On."
The song was co-written by Dewey Bunnell, who revisits his favorite topic, the great outdoors, on "Walk In The Woods."
Of course, America, who still performs 100 concerts a year around the globe, didn't want fans to forget the classics.
So, for Here And Now, the group added a bonus disc from a recent concert, packed with such fan favorites as "Ventura Highway."
