Weekend review: America spins a golden 40th anniversary in Morristown

dewey bunnell and Gerry Beckley of America
Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley of America, at Morristown's Community Theatre on Friday. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
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dewey bunnell and Gerry Beckley of America
Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley of America, at Morristown's Community Theatre on Friday. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

What, exactly, was America trying to say in “A Horse With No Name”?

Nearly four decades after that song conquered the airwaves, I still don’t know, and I don’t care. Its hypnotic harmonies made it one of the great make-out tunes of all time, and it still sounds good, all these years later, as performed by Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley.

They are two-thirds of the original America (Dan Peek left in the late ’70s), and they gave a greatest hits show in Morristown on Friday that would be the envy of many classic rock acts.

From 1971 to 1982, America churned out a string of tuneful gems that the Community Theatre audience will be humming for weeks to come. “Tin Man,” “You Can Do Magic,” “Don’t Cross the River,” “Three Roses,” “Riverside,” “I Need You,” “Sandman,” “Lonely People,” “Ventura Highway,” “Only in Your Heart”… 90 minutes passed very quickly.

Video montages of the Vietnam War and the pop scene of the ’60s and ’70s reminded everyone just how long we already have been humming these melodies; the show is billed as America’s 40th Anniversary Tour.

At one point, Dewey and Gerry perched on wooden stools.

“In the 1970s we were a trio, and stools were in,” Gerry said. “We couldn’t wait to get off of them. Now we can’t wait to get on them!”

Sons of U.S. servicemen, the three founding members met in a high school for Americans in London during the late ’60s. In those days, their band played a cover of the Mamas & Papas’ “California Dreaming,” which Dewey sang on Friday. He sounded remarkably like Denny Doherty, who sang lead on the original hit.

Other highlights of Friday’s concert included a recreation of side one from America’s eponymous 1971 debut album, minus “Horse With No Name,” which was saved for the encore. Opening act Maplewood was invited back on stage for that one. America also performed “Indian Summer” by Maplewood.

Rocking versions of “The Border” and “Sister Golden Hair” were crowd-pleasers. America packs a punch thanks to veteran band members Wil Leacox on drums (38 years on the roster), Michael Woods on lead guitar (32 years) and Rich Campbell on bass (eight years).

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