AMERICA: The Grand Cayman Concert

America

The Grand Cayman Concert

© 2002 Human Nature (659057404325)

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Classic rock giants AMERICA record a live acoustic album in The Cayman Islands.

tracks

1 Riverside
2 Ventura Highway
3 Daisy Jane
4 Windwave
5 Another Try
6 Three Roses
7 I Need You
8 Baby It's Up To You
9 Pigeon Song
10 All My Life
11 Tin Man
12 To Each His Own
13 Only In Your Heart
14 Sandman
15 Sister Golden Hair
16 A Horse With No Name

notes

The world discovered America in 1972, when a nameless horse began its gallop across the international airwaves. If this sounds like some sort of fairy tale, it seemed like one for the young musicians who harmonized their way to the top of the charts on the strength of this song. "A Horse With No Name" made the band called America famous in the United States, Europe, and beyond, leading the way for an impressive string of hits to follow. Slightly more than a year after launching their group, Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell, and Dan Peek were riding high, thanks to a sound that mixed rock, pop, and folk elements to instantly appealing effect.

America's journey has taken them into a wide variety of musical terrain, and a look backward seems overdue as they enter their fourth decade. Their best-known tunes--which also include "I Need You," "Ventura Highway," "Don't Cross The River," "Tin Man," "Lonely People," and "Sister Golden Hair"--became a ubiquitous part of 1970s Top 40 and FM Album radio. Yet there was always more to America than the hits indicated. In many ways the band was rooted in the melodic pop rock of the British Invasion, most particularly in Gerry Beckley's hook-laden songwriting. This connection was made explicit when legendary Beatles producer George Martin came on board to help refine their sound. For his part, Dewey Bunnell brought a tinge of folk-jazz, combining Latin-leaning rhythms with playfully rhyming words and impressionistic lyric imagery. Dan Peek's contributions often tapped into a country-rock vein, with a strong element of personal confession.

America's albums--six of them certified gold and/or platinum, with their first greatest hits collection, History, reaching the four-million sales mark--displayed a fuller range of the trio's talents than did their singles. From effects-laden rockers to oddball medleys and soul-bearing ballads, their reach was wide and ambitious.

The singer/songwriter/guitarists found success young, even by the standards of rock artists of the early '70s. They literally learned on the job and grew up amid the madness that is the music business. Earning a #1 record and a Grammy for Best New Artist while barely in your twenties has its perils, and the pressures of the pop-star lifestyle affected each of them.

Personal hassles and a rigorous touring/recording schedule caught up with the band in the middle of the decade. When Peek left the group in 1977, his bandmates rose to the challenge of carrying on as a duo. Shifts in sound, changes in producers and managers, and a renewed dedication to the craft of songwriting came in the '80s. America returned to the upper reaches of the Pop chart in 1982 with "You Can Do Magic" and brought their live show to audiences in new corners of the globe. In many ways Beckley and Bunnell came into their own as mature artists during this time. And their growth has continued into the present day with such impressive releases as 1998's Human Nature.

America's songs have frequently dealt with themes of travel and restlessness--from such early compositions as "A Horse With No Name" and "Ventura Highway" through such recent tunes as "From A Moving Train." Their box set, Highway, released in 2000 captures the highlights of where their music has carried them and chronicles the changes they've gone though both artistically and personally. And change, of course, has always been a very American quality.

From the start, America was a band that could transcend borders with its music and message. Its audience has grown to span several generations and a rainbow of cultures. "I think that the ingredients of the America sound are the basic fundamentals that translate internationally," says Beckley. "The Italians are huge fans of dance music, but they also love a ballad--they're romantic at heart. It's the same in the Far East. A lot of times in these countries, we see people singing along, and they don't really know what the words mean. Music is truly the international language."

More new music can be expected from America in the years ahead. And, as ever, the touring continues; the band reports that 2001 was their best year on the road in over a decade.

It's been a long ride indeed for these two old friends. "We've grown up in a world of show biz, seen styles change, seen technology change," Bunnell muses. "But basically Gerry and I have stayed very much the same. We still have those standards in songwriting that we were hoping to establish. We've lived pretty full lives and managed to hold on to some sanity, although the world seems crazier every day."

From anonymous horses to fast-moving trains, the music has never stopped for America.

reviews

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  • Rocks!
    author: Petercat

    Great album; nice spare arrangements. Love America and love the Caymans!

  • AMERICA:The Grand Cayman Concert
    author: Robert Sharp

    AMERICA Still Have The Magic That Made Them Great Keep On Rockin!

  • A fabulous acoustic album
    author: Jen

    The Grand Cayman CD is an amazing, impressive "unplugged" acoustic album from America with just Dewey & Gerry strumming their guitars, and their sweet, beautiful, interesting vocals in a great setting on the beach. What could be better? This album really is a gem from America performing all their classic hits, plus some other older great and rarely performed songs such as Pigeon Song, Windwave, Another Try, All My Life, Three Roses and several others. As another reviewer stated the audio is really terrific and each song is enhanced with their clean, crisp, beautiful vocals and I felt like I was right there at the Cayman Islands, and at the beach listening along with the crowd. I wonder if this was recorded near the Three Mile Long Beach? A really gorgeous and scenic setting. It was cool that America finally recorded an acoustic album at this point in their career with just the two of them since Gerry & Dewey first started off years ago sitting on stools strumming their guitars (Dan Peek included at the time) and singing those soothing lush harmonies and performing acoustically. I still continue to pick up the Cayman CD for friends or myself whenever possible. This CD is highly recommended, and highly listenable. Do yourself a favor and pick a copy, you won't be disappointed. Looking forward to the next release. The Grand Cayman CD rocks!!

  • Can't Stop Playing It
    author: Bob LaCross

    Music from the "good old days"; love this CD. Had not heard some of these songs for years. America rocks!!!

  • Great cd. Rccommend to all.

  • Played it 5 times in a row. Danced my socks off.
    author: Sophie

    I remember the night so well (and the gorgeous guy who I was with!)it was a warm caribbean evening as the acoustioc sound of America played to us all and the boats that had gathered behind seemed to rock in time. I love the music of America and the setting at Sea View, watching them perform with the sea behind them, was perfect. From New Zealand I have been looking for this CD for aaaaages and was most pleased and sang my heart out all weekend.

  • America is one of the best acoustic rock bands ever
    author: www.GreatIndieMusic.com

    Live America is fantastic!

  • Timeless
    author: H.S. Germany

    A Wonderful Acoustic Performance Of All Their Hits. I Love This CD !

  • A good add to the growing list of Amercia Live CDs
    author: D. P. Canada

    Terrifc audio, with a good song list, I would have liked to hear a few of the newer tunes like From a Moving Train and given the length of the set more of the interplay on stage of the artists (They say the singers name a few times). All that said; this is a good set by a solid duo. Enjoy!!!

  • I really liked this CD.
    author: Al Stevenson

    This CD brought back a lot of good memories. It felt great to sing along with all of the familiar tunes, because unlike modern rock, one can pick up most of the words. I'll be playing this CD regularly.

  • author: CD Baby

    If you're not old enough to recognize the name, you're bound to recognize the sound of America, classic rock giants that swept the airwaves in 1972. With their hits like, "Horse With No Name," "I Need You," "Ventura Highway," and many others, this is band that history can't forget; and YOU can relive the fun with their album recorded live from the Cayman Islands. Bound to be a top seller.

  • This is FANTASTIC
    author: michael gerardy-sullivan

    I was looking to listen to so songs from the 70's... Always enjoyed America... Then I found this and it brought back so many wonderful memories.. Thank You...>

  • Bound to be a top seller.
    author: Tamara Turner, CDBaby

    If you're not old enough to recognize the name, you're bound to recognize the sound of America, classic rock giants that swept the airwaves in 1972. With their hits like, "Horse With No Name," "I Need You," "Ventura Highway," and many others, this is band that history can't forget; and YOU can relive the fun with their album recorded live from the Cayman Islands. Bound to be a top seller.

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