[November]
[January]
Last Revised: 18 March 2000
Has anyone ordered / heard the "Heard" CD? I was wondering how it was.
My old-year's resolution was to get an America Fans Search Engine working before the new year rolled in. I made it with about 9 hours to spare. With over 433 documents, 550 photos, and 110 sound files on the America Fans website it can be difficult to find that specific thing that you're looking for. I have written a Search Engine which will allow you to search the entire website or specific portions (such as only the lyrics, chords, or biographies). I hope this will help make it easier to navigate the website and faster to find exactly what you're looking for.
I hope everyone has the most joyous of New Year's celebrations tonight. Those of us who aren't in Jackpot will be thinking of those who are (and anxiously awaiting a review).
Happy New Year!
Steve
I beleive someone else posted this in the past, but it just cracked me up...
Last night I watched an old episode of Suddenly Susan, three of her co-workers were going to Susan Grandfathers funeral and ended up going to the wrong funeral home. They were the only people to attend this mans funeral and didn't have the heart to leave. The Pastor asked them to say a few words and one guy got up and decided to recite a poem he had written for the occasion. Very straight faced he recited the following:
"I've been thru the desert on a horse with no name, It's good to be out of the rain, cause in the desert you can't remember your name..."
They then cut away to the other funeral and when they returned to this funeral he was reciting the following:
"Oz never did give nothing to the tin man, that he didn't already didn't have..."
I know it's not funny here, but it was hillarious on the show. Dewey should be proud that he was quoted in such a setting, ha...
Happy new years to all, God Bless, Mark...
Just wanted to say WELCOME BACK TO NEVADA, guys!!
Good luck at your shows...and to all of you who are going, have a GREAT TIME!!! I really wish I could be there! Can't wait to hear the reviews!
And I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year!
Erin :o)
Go Steve, I second that emotion.
A great job on the Web page for the greatest band on earth, AMERICA.
A Web master for sure !
Steve -
Ten Thousand!!!
Its no surprise really... you have the secret recipe:
Take the best musicians in the History of Classic Rock,
Mix with a state of the art website,
Sprinkle with devoted fans, and
You're Cookin' !!!!
Congratulations on such a fantastic feat!!
We are so fortunate to have sites from the talents of such creative webmasters: our very own Steve & Rick. Keep it comming!!!
Leah
Move over McDonalds, the Big Mac can't hold a candle to the America Fans and their website. Today the ten thousandth visitor stopped by the America Fans website (not bad considering it happened in less than a year). I want to wish all of you wonderful America Fans a happy new year and hope that YOUR website can continue to have what you want!
I look forward to hearing the reviews of the Jackpot concert and hope that the new year will bring all of us the final Capitol CD along with some new material from the band.
Steve
Ok, AmericaFan! Stand up and be counted.....YOU WIN! :-)
Give me your snail address and you will be the proud recipient of an autographed "Hourglass" CD!!!!!!! Thanks to all for your entries, and once again, CONGRATULATIONS Mark!
wysiwyg!
TKH"Maintain thy flight speed, lest the ground rise up and smight thee"....
I can't top that, Steve, but that's alright. Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah and best wishes for a wonderful New Year to all. May this year bring happiness, prosperity and good health to one and all.
Shayne
I, too, want to wish all of the wonderful America fans the happiest of holidays and best wishes for a fantastic new year. I've enjoyed hearing from fans all over the United States and around the world from places such as Italy, Spain, Brazil, The Philippines, Australia, and many other places. Thanks for making the America Fans website the success that it is and lets all watch it continue to grow through the coming year.
Steve
Merry Christmas & Happy Hanukkah to all!!!
To All America Fans:
I just wanted to wish you and your family(s) a very safe and Happy Holidays, and a Happy and Healthy New Year, too. Lets hope for a new CD in 1998. Maureen.
Like everyone else's Christmas wish, I'm hoping for a new CD. A million copy sold of this new CD is very possible, especially if it's released internationally at the same time.
Just the other day, I was standing, queueing at a music store for a Christmas gift when I happen to see a CD by America. It's an import from the Netherlands which I have seen before. I just turned around to check if I can pull away from my line and when I turned back, the CD was gone! It was the last copy on the shelf. Plus,the America CD was also made available a couple of weeks ago while Van Go Gan is still available (I even got one for a present so now I have 2 copies). And, "All My Life" is the number 6 favorite song requested over one radio station.
Just a small but real indication that the market is there. Well, I hope the plans for a media blitz turn out well over there.
I think I share the feeling that '98 is going to be HOT!
Oh, and a Happy Christmas to all you guys.
Jessica
One support approach for most fans would be to simply call or write your local DJ & the radio station. I would like to organize a media blitzkrieg to radio, TV, newspaper & magazines via a professional looking announcement of the CD, just like a press kit or simple press release, of course we would say it is from AMERICA'S fans so as not to interfere w/any of AMERICA'S management or record company activities. It would be a combination of e-mail, snail mail, fax & telephone.
A source for radio/TV addresses is under research now. Let's have some of your ideas !
The AMERICA CD will be a million seller in 1998, I can feel it. This will fuel a huge demand for their Capitol,
Rhino & Warners' material. 1998 is the year of AMERICA !
Hi all -
A new CD for 1998 would be great! Jim Nakao mentioned spreading word to the media when a new CD is released. Anyone have any idea as to how that is done in a professional way? It'd be nice to promote our favorite band, but I'd like to see us do it with class. . . Anyway, food for thought for some planning ahead.
Connie
I'd like to extend Seasons Greetings to America Fans all over the world. Click here to see my electronic Christmas card.
Happy holidays,
TKH
All I want to know is this, Steve....
WHERE ON EARTH DID DEWEY GET THAT VEST????????????? I collect Suns, Moons and Stars and have a MAJOR desire to have a vest like that .... sigh .... My new Christmas wish (after Peace on Earth --- attention Gene!) is to find the manufacturer of that piece of clothing!!!! (((((c: LOL
Anyway, Happy Holidays!
wysiwyg!
TKH"Maintain thy flight speed, lest the ground rise up and smight thee"....
Shayne,
I doubt that Barb will reveal her sources. However, I know that she talks to Gerry, Dewey, and other members of the band frequently. Let's hope that she's right.
Steve
I got mine. They sound great. I can finally retire my cassettes. I wonder if the stronger than expected sales of these releases will catch Rhino's or WB's attention and convince them that a box set (with previously unreleased material) is worth doing; or at least a double CD anthology similar to what Three Dog Night did. I HOPE!
Barb,
Maybe I missed something. Where did you hear these rumours? It would be a great way to start a new year.
Shayne
Twas the week before Christmas ...... and all through the studio ...... creatures were stirring.
Rumor has it that our little musical elves have been very busy.
"Hope"fully this means a NEW CD in the new year ...... and terrific stocking stuffers for Christmas 98 ! !
Cause to celebrate ! ! ! !
Barb
Federico was kind enough to send me some photos from the 1996 concert in Barcelona. There are good shots of every member of the band. Thanks a million Federico.
Steve
Congratulations, Steve! A richly deserved honor!!
And what a fine way to end 1997 in style!!
Barb
Steve,
Congratulations to you and thanks for all the information regarding America. I wouldn't have found out about a lot of things without you, Rick or Ike. Keep up the good work and thanks again!
Maureen
Something is screwy, maybe it's on my end, but my last two posts here have disappeared. Congratulations for the third time Steve!
Erin and you other people,
Silent Letter should be one of the CD's released in '98 by One Way Records. Then all our lives will be complete. Man, "Stereo", "Catch That Train", "Someday Woman" sound so-o-o great on CD. In the words of the now-disgraced Marv Albert "YES!".
Peace
Joe B
P.S. Kudos to Steve on his award - and great work by Rick as well.
Way to go Steve! I really like the way the site has developed. Keep up the good work and all the great info. Best wishes for the holidays!!
Peace,
JC
Before anything else, Steve, I'd like to say - "CONGRATULATIONS!" and "THANK YOU!". The Legacy award is a wonderful recognition of the excellent work you've done here. I, and surely the other fans too, want to give you another award, one for just giving us a "space" to enjoy and have fun about America! Here's to greater things for you and us in the coming year.
Okay, this week just keeps getting better! After a LONG wait, I finally got Holiday in the mail today! Now I just need You Can Do Magic and America Live and I'll have everything! Except for Silent Letter on CD. . .does anyone know if that's going to be released?
Erin :o)
It doesn't get any better than this! Heard "Young Moon" in REI (store employees' private stock! No Muzak there), then the French cds arrive (I think the postman thought I was gonna kiss him or something!).
Mags
"Congratulations" Steve,
We are all so proud of you here on the "America" chat folder !! All your time, love, and hard work has truely paid off !! I can't speak for Gerry and Dewey, but I'll bet they're awfully proud of you too !!
You, Rick, and Ike, have done an awesome job keeping past, present, and future info., dates, etc... on your homepages forthcoming ..... thanks to all of you, and a "special" thanks to you Steve. Again "Congratulations" on your "Legacy Choice Award"!! What an accomplishment and well deserved !!
Kelly
Ho-ho-ho.......Merrrrrry Christmas to me !!
I have recieved my 2nd round of the "French CD's" too !! And an extra surprise, another "Hourglass"........Merci Scott !!
Kelly
CD special right now at American Gramaphone for just $9.98.
(2 CDs for the price of one.........or two tapes ($7.98) for the price of one)
Limited to one special only......although you can purchase a CD 2fer special AND a 2fer tape special from what I understand.
Am. Gramaphone's number is: 1 800 446 6860 ........ and they said up to two weeks for delivery.
Glad my mother-in-law and inlaws/outlaws like America!
Rick
Looks like everyone went out and bought what they *really wanted* for Christmas!!
That's the best way to do it.........help Santa out a little. :)
Rick
We got ours!!!!
G & B
Well, our local Kmart finally put out the Christmas CDs! Hubby and daughter found them yesterday and went through all of them. No luck. Not trusting them (especially since none of us knew what we were looking for) I went in there today and went through all the boxes. FOUND IT!!! Actually, I found Hark on Christmas Classics and on The Holiday Collection, Vol. I. Bought both! Now I can get on with the rest of my shopping!
Ginny
I got mine today too!!!!
Today is a great day!!!
Erin :o)
Just received mine in the mail! The sound is so fresh as compared to my warped LPs, it is like listening to three new America CDs. What a great beginning to the holiday.
One more to go!
JC
I got mine!
G.
They also arrived in my mailbox today!
Now all we need is Silent Letter.
Viva La France!
Rick
Well deserved Steve!
Your page is a first class tribute to a first class band!
Rick
Congratulations Steve. It's well deserved. This site (and Rick's) are the best on the net. Keep up the good work. Now if only WebTV offered Java (so I could join the chat room)!
Shayne
"Congratulations Steve! That's terrific!
Keep up the great work!"
DITTO!!!
I have only seen a fraction of your site, and it's great! I really need to visit more often.
Ginny
Congratulations Steve! Without a doubt, yours and Rick's sites are the two best on the web.
Sincerely,
Walt
Go Steve, Go Ricky.
Also,
When the NEW CD(s) come out, we've all got to pitch in & spread the word to the media & the people of the good earth.
A media blitz of unprecedented proportions ! All by fans of AMERICA.
I can see the headlines now in Variety:
"NEW AMERICA CD GOES TRIPLE PLATINUM !"
Congratulations Steve! That's terrific!
Keep up the great work!
Erin :o)
Yeah Steve!!!!
Congratulations on a Fine site! It is well deserved, along with Rick's site!!!!!
(((((c:
wysiwyg!
TKH"Maintain thy flight speed, lest the ground rise up and smight thee"....
Steve -
CONGRATULATIONS!!! You certainly deserve this honor. You've done a "fan"tastic job here. Many thanks for your hard work.
Connie
My copies of "Your Move", "Alibi", and "Perspective" arrived in the mail today. What a great, early, Christmas present!! Thank you Thoughtscape Sounds for going to all the trouble to get them imported from France.
Steve
The America Fans website has been recognized as one of the best or most unique Rock & Roll sites on the Web (joining the America home page in that recognition). As such, it has been awarded the Legacy Choice Award For Excellence. Thanks to all the fans who have helped to make the website a success.
Steve
Happy holidays to all my America friends on the web. Best wishes for a safe, happy new year.
Gerry and Dewey send their very best for the Holidays:
America Christmas
About Walnut Creek...you can fly into Oakland (East Bay), on same side of Bay as Walnut Creek. You can take the Bay Bridge if you fly into San Francisco. If you fly into San Jose, there are many ways to get to the East Bay (around 680, San Mateo Bridge, etc.).
Mags
FINALLY I learn more about one of my favorite drummers. Thanks for the great article. Willie's work with America both live and in the studio has always been first rate. I did get to meet him very briefly following a concert in Erie Pa about 10 years ago. Unfortunately we didn't have time to do much "drummer talk". I'd love to have gotten the inside scoop on how he created some of those great drum parts...like on "Woman Tonight" and "Seasons" to name just a couple. The article mentioned session work. What other projects has he worked on? Does he get a chance to do any outside projects these days? Is any of the work he did prior to America still available? Again...thanks for the great article.
Jim...Erie, PA
I received some Photos from Jessica of the May 21-24, 1997 concert in Manila, Philippines. I have taken the review that she wrote of that 4 day concert and incorporated the photos (manila.htm). Many thanks to Jessica for making them available (I believe she'll be sending more in the future).
Steve
Scheduled for 1/10/98 in Walnut Creek Ca for the Rescue Fund Benefit. AMERICA to do around 8 songs, other bands will be there. Walnut Creek is just outside of SF. More details as they become known.
They're going to be in San Francisco??? YEAH!!! Do you happen to know where they'll be playing and the ticket prices? SF is only four hours from my house and this just happens to be during my winter break! Maybe I can make this one!!
Erin :o)
Great article Jim! I printed it and gave it to our daughter (big Willie fan). Her reaction was something like Wow, how many pages is this? (drool, drool)
Ginny
AMERICA to participate in a charity event in SF w/other groups, around 1/12/98, details to follow - who's going ?
I just received a message from Terri at Thoughtscape Sounds informing me that the French CD's ("Alibi", "Your Move", and "Perspective") are in! Those of you haven't pre-ordered your copies can still place an order by calling Thoughtscape at 1-800-435-6185. Those of you who have pre-ordered your copies may want to send a mail message reconfirming your order.
Merry Christmas to all!!
Steve
Jim's piece about Willie is great! Thanks to Jim, us fans know more about Willie, and he's now more a person to us than a figure who's always hidden by the drums. It's good to know something about the guy who gave me the drumsticks last May.
I received the following mail message from John Conto this afternoon:
I just talked to Thoughtscape and they reported that the CDs are due in either tomorrow or Friday with shipping out the following week. Hope that this time it is for real!!!
JC
Jim Nakao had the opportunity to inteview Willie last week and he has written a short biography which you can find on the America Fans website. The biography can be accessed from the Museum (Willie's Room) or the Biographies page. Thanks to Jim for the great write up and the fantastic pictures.
Steve
For those of you who were NOT able to make it to the Live Chat session, the answer to the trivia question is David Dickey. The next Live Chat session won't be until January 15 so everyone have an enoyable Christmas and a wonderful New Year. In the meantime, we can still keep things lively here on the Chat Folder.
Steve
Who is this member/former member of America????
1. Originally from Oklahoma
2. Lived in Houston 3 or 4 years ago after his breakup with Libby Hurly (her brother was world champion steer roper a couple of years in a row)
3. Got married and is now living in Sweetwater, Texas
4. Taught a year of school in Sweetwater
5. Has a dance studio (actually, it's his wife's studio)
6. Is now teaching guitar/music
Go ahead and post the answer here if you think you know it. I'll give the answer out tonight during the Live Chat session.
Steve
The next Live Chat Session will be tomorrow (Tuesday) at 9 pm Eastern time. The URL is amchat.htm.
Hope to see lots of you there.
Steve
A 1977 (that's right, 1977) America Live Tour Guide is available for $15. Visit http://www.sonic.net/~rocktoys/1423.htm for details.
Let me know if you happen to be the lucky one to get it and we'll see about including some of the photos on this website.
Steve
If the Gerry Beckley solo CD is going to be released in a few months, that means the studio work should already be done. Does anybody know if Gerry has been in the studio recording a new album? If not, then the CD to be released is probably a domestic release of Van Go Gan. Anybody have any more details?
"Ring in the New Year with the incredible sounds of Grammy Award winners America. You'll be treated to a once-in-a-lifetime performance of the music that captured the heart and soul of a generation as they electrify you with their chart-topping hits like A Horse With No Name, Sister Golden Hair, Tin Man, Lonely People, and You Can Do Magic."
From an advertising brochure for Cactus Pete's where AMERICA's exclusive New Year's "limited engagement" has received top billing.
GO AMERICA GO ! ! ! !
Barb
As many of you know GERRY has said that AMERICA always comes 1st, however if a new AMERICA CD does not materialize, then he will pursue another solo CD. Let's hope the following is true & GERRY can unleash more of his creative energies to the people of the good earth. GERRY prefers a domestic distributor. Remember w/a new AMERICA or GERRY CD we all become communications support to the rest of the world as to all the goodness in their work.
HOURGLASS & VAN GO GAN (GERRY debut solo) are the latest contributions to all the good things in this world.
Onward & upward for 1998 !
Great web site, Steve. First place I went to was the lyrics to see if you have Wind Wave. I've never seen the words sung by Gerry for the counter melody toward the end of the song. Does anybody have an idea what he's singing? I have the words/music to Wind Wave in a music book called America Anthology, but it doesn't list Gerry's words.
Thanks.
Tim
The making of the HARBOR LP was quite an experience as Kelly points out. For Sir George Martin AMERICA'S producer it was somewhat difficult as a place for keeping everyone's nose to the grindstone. There was a 1/2 hour TV show done on the making of the HARBOR LP, hope some of you caught it many moons ago. HARBOR contains the smash hits GOD OF THE SON, SARAH, ARE YOU THERE & SERGEANT DARKNESS just to mention a few.
This message was just posted on the Chicago Records (www.chirecords.com) chat board by their Web site administrator. YEAH!
From: HAROLD
12/03/97_13:51:12
THERE SHOULD BE A GERRY BECKLEY CD ON CHICAGO
RECORDS RELEASED LATE IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1998
Those of you who own the vinyl album "Harbor" will notice that the words "Harry Goes Surfing" are inscribed near the inside hub of the album. "Harry Goes Surfing" was a working title for this album based on the feeling that America had when they arrived in Hawaii for a month. The guys all sort of felt like tourists in paradise (i.e., "Harry")! Gerry and Dewey learned to scuba dive there and everyone had some tourist-like distractions such as learning to surf etc. The guys made patches for their tour jackets with a guy on a surfboard and used the aforementioned phrase to describe any silly attempt to seem like a local!
Kelly
Here is an experience I had in March of 1997 during my holiday:
I was at Canazei, a tourist city for skiing situated on Alpi's mountain. It was March 1997 and I was there with my cousin and two friends. We often go there for three or four days every year and at night we always go to Gatto nero, a pub which has live music played by two guys. When we all go there, every year, the owner always says "ooohhh noooooo" because we usually take the hand of all the people who are there chatting and, following the music, we invite them to dance all together (the pub is very, very small!!!! and the waiters can't work well if we dance).
One evening when we were very tired (because we have much sky during the morning and noon) we decided to go to the pub without doing anything. That night I sat down close to the guitarist and the whole time he was playing I kept saying to him "You can't play Horse With No Name, it's too difficult for you. If you try to sing and play it, you could ruin it ....." ..... and I kept saying this the entire time! After a while, when everyone was sitting and talking they started to play and sing Horse. I'm telling the truth ..... everyone stood up from their tables and started to sing, shout, and dance. They all started clapping their hands to the rhythm and dancing on the tables!!!! I couldn't believe my eyes. All that was happening because they were playing Horse!
That night was a strange night, I couldn't remember anything else that happened in that pub!!!! My friends said "If those guys could liven everyone up so much, imagine what the real America could do?" I answered them, "You can't imagine, you really can't!!"
Federico
Kelly,
I got VGG from Thoughtscape, too. You're right...they're super people...very helpful and friendly, and I received my order in a week. Now, if we could just be so lucky about getting that shipment from France... :)
Mags
Hi all,
I ordered a Van-Go-Gan from "Thoughtscape Sounds" last week and recieved it today. It is a gift for a friend of mine, but in case you didn't know it IS available through this fine establishment !! Very nice people out there in Fort Smith, AR.
VGG........ makes a really great and different gift for friends and loved ones for Christmas.......(just in case you need an excellent idea...go for it if you dare !!)
Kelly
As you know GERRY always puts AMERICA first & he has said that if a new AMERICA CD does not materialize, then he will pursue another solo. GERRY is always working & he has quite a bit of quality material ready to be recorded. I know that he prefers to have a domestic distributor of his next solo but haven't heard of a distribution deal w/Chicago Records yet. I sure hope that rumor is true. You know he is good friends w/Robert Lamm of Chicago, so heck who knows. Let's all hope that GERRY can unleash some more of his creative energies in a new CD. The world awaits. Solo #1 is titled VAN GO GAN on Polystar records of Japan.
Perhaps this is just the U.S. release of VAN GO GAN????
This message was listed on a Chicago Records chat board this week. Know anything about a new Gerry Beckley solo album to be released on Chicago Records?
Thanks.
Marshall Smith
marshall.smith@hsc.utah.edu
http://www.chirecords.com/chitalk/TheBoard.cgi
"I've heard that Gerry Beckley (of America) has a solo album that will be released on the Chicago Records label."
Rob Guinan sent me some photos of America from a 1979 concert in Bridgeport, Connecticut. If you'd like to take a look go to robgfoto.htm. Many thanks to Rob.
Steve
There is a Dan Peek Christmas song entitled "The Star" on a 1979 MCA/Songbird record called "On This Christmas Night" which also features other artists such as B.J. Thomas and Amy Grant. I picked it up in a used record store.
For all you west coasters, Eckerds is the equivilent of, let's say, Thrifty's. They reside mainly in Florida, Ga, SC, etc.
G.
Like most of America, I was in the mall over the weekend and a Christmas song they were playing over the speakers caught my ear. It sounded just like Dan Peek! The song went something like "Thanks for Christmas." Does anybody know if it actually was Dan or was my imagination getting the best of me?
[November]
[January]
Last Revised: 18 March 2000