Gerry Beckley

“The name 'America' was kind of a bold statement. We wanted to represent something bigger than just ourselves.”

“Solo projects are a different kind of challenge. You're the only one making the decisions.”

“The process of songwriting is still a bit of a mystery to me. Sometimes a song just arrives.”

“We were three kids who met in high school. We were sons of American military men, and we were all stationed in England.”

“We were part of that California sound, even though we started in London. It was about the melody and the harmony.”

“'Sister Golden Hair' was an attempt to write a kind of Jackson Browne-type song.”

“We always saw ourselves as a vocal group. The harmonies were the core of our sound.”

“'I Need You' was a very personal song. It was one of the first songs I wrote.”

“Longevity is a rare thing in this business. We're very fortunate to still be doing this.”

“I've always been a fan of great pop music, from The Beatles to Brian Wilson.”

“Touring is a grind, but connecting with the audience makes it all worthwhile.”

“We've had our ups and downs like any band that's been around for decades, but the music has kept us together.”

“We were never a 'political' band. Our songs were more about personal experiences and relationships.”

“'A Horse with No Name' was Dewey's song, but it became our signature. It opened all the doors for us.”

“The first album was very acoustic, very simple. We were just trying to capture the sound of the three of us singing together.”

“George Martin was a genius. Working with him was one of the highlights of my life.”