Rest in peace, Mr. Peek

Musician Dan Peek died on Sunday, July 24, from severe heart disease and an enlarged heart. Peek, whose wife found him dead in bed in their home in Farmington, Missouri, was just 60.

His death was overshadowed by Amy Winehouse’s the day before but he played a much more important role in my life than she did.

When I fell in love with music as a child, Peek’s band, America, was one of my lovers. From 1970 to 1977, Peek, together with bandmates Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell, introduced me to such enthralling favorites as “A Horse with No Name,” “Sister Golden Hair,” “Ventura Highway,” Tin Man,” “Don’t Cross the River,” “Only in Your Heart,” “Sandman,” and “Lonely People,” among other great songs.

The Grammy-winning band’s fantastic three-part harmonies and cool lyrics caused me to wear out my America tape in my eight-track player and beg my mom to replace it. She used this opportunity to make the case that she wasn’t made of money, nor did it grow on trees in our backyard, so I needed to get a paper route if I needed money for music. You might say the Detroit Free Press owes Dan, Gerry and Dewey a debt of gratitude for compelling me to become a carrier in my Royal Oak neighborhood every morning at 6:30.

Dan Peek quit the group in 1977, when I was 15, and went on to become successful with Christian music. Beckley and Bunnell shouldered on but it wasn’t the same. I moved on to Bread and Seals & Crofts and Aerosmith and Styx and Boston and Chicago and Fleetwood Mac, and traded in my eight-tracks for cassettes.

Rest in peace, Mr. Peek. Thanks for the awesome tunes.


Lonely People by Dan Peek

This is for all the lonely people
Thinking that life has passed them by
Don't give up until you drink from the silver cup
And ride that highway in the sky

This is for all the single people
Thinking that love has left them dry
Don't give up until you drink from the silver cup
You never know until you try

Well, I'm on my way
Yes, I'm back to stay
Well, I'm on my way back home (Hit it)

This is for all the lonely people
Thinking that life has passed them by
Don't give up until you drink from the silver cup
And never take you down or never give you up
You never know until you try