Dan Peek
American musician (1950–2011)
title: "Dan Peek" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1950-births", "2011-deaths", "people-from-panama-city,-florida", "american-rock-musicians", "american-performers-of-christian-music", "american-soft-rock-musicians", "american-expatriates-in-the-united-kingdom", "america-(band)-members", "people-from-farmington,-missouri", "american-rock-singers", "american-rock-guitarists", "american-folk-guitarists", "american-male-guitarists", "american-country-guitarists", "american-multi-instrumentalists", "singer-songwriters-from-florida", "singer-songwriters-from-missouri", "guitarists-from-missouri", "20th-century-american-guitarists", "country-musicians-from-florida", "country-musicians-from-missouri", "20th-century-american-male-musicians", "american-male-singer-songwriters"] description: "American musician (1950–2011)" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Peek" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary American musician (1950–2011) ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox musical artist"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Dan Peek |
| image | Dan Peek on TopPop 1972.png |
| caption | Peek performing in 1972 |
| birth_name | Daniel Milton Peek |
| birth_date | |
| birth_place | Panama City, Florida, U.S. |
| death_date | |
| death_place | Farmington, Missouri, U.S. |
| genre | |
| instrument | |
| years_active | 1969–2011 |
| label | |
| past_member_of | America |
| :: |
| name = Dan Peek | image = Dan Peek on TopPop 1972.png | caption = Peek performing in 1972 | birth_name = Daniel Milton Peek | birth_date = | birth_place = Panama City, Florida, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = Farmington, Missouri, U.S. | genre = | instrument = | years_active = 1969–2011 | label = | past_member_of = America Daniel Milton Peek () was an American musician, singer, and songwriter, best known as the co-founder of the band America, and later a "pioneer" in contemporary Christian music.
Early life
Peek was born in Panama City, Florida, on November 1, 1950, while his father was in the U.S. Air Force.
Beginning in 1963, Peek was educated at London Central Elementary High School at Bushey Hall in North London. For the 1965–66 school year, Peek attended San Angelo Central High School after his family relocated from Pakistan earlier that year. He moved again to England in 1968 with his family when his father was assigned to a base in London. It was there that he met Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley at London Central High School.
In 1973, he married Catherine Maberry (d. March 11, 2021), with whom he would write a number of songs, including "Lonely People".
When Peek was young he suffered from rheumatoid arthritis and had to be hospitalized 100 mi away from the family home; his parents could visit only occasionally. Peek remembered this experience when, about a year before he died, he decided to dispose of five of his vintage guitars. Because the Ronald McDonald Houses exist to provide housing for families of hospitalized children close to hospitals around the United States and the world, Peek donated these five guitars to the San Diego house, where they were subsequently sold to a collector, resulting in a $50,000 donation ().
Career
America
Main article: America (band)
After a brief stint at Old Dominion University in Virginia during 1969, Peek returned to London. Soon afterwards, the three former London Central High School classmates Peek, Beckley, and Bunnell began making music together. Known for singing the high harmonies, Peek contributed lead and backing vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, and harmonica to their recordings during his tenure in the band. As a member of America, Peek wrote or co-wrote four Top 100 singles: "Don't Cross the River" (No. 35), "Lonely People" (No. 5), "Woman Tonight" (No. 44), and "Today's the Day" (No. 23), for all of which he also sang lead vocals. "Lonely People" and "Today's the Day" also hit No. 1 on the Billboard AC charts.
Peek abused alcohol and other drugs during his time touring with the band and elected to leave shortly after America's February 1977 release of the Harbor album, disenchanted with the travel, recreational drug use, and female groupies. In 2004, he released an autobiography about that era entitled An American Band: The America Story which was "very difficult" for him to write because of the bad memories it brought up.
Contemporary Christian music
Years of life on the road with America had taken a toll on him.
Peek's debut solo album, All Things Are Possible, was released in 1979. Chris Christian co-wrote, produced, and contributed acoustic guitar and backing vocals on the album. The title track reached the Billboard charts, making the Top 10 on the A/C Billboard chart and number 1 in the Christian charts, becoming one of the earliest contemporary Christian music crossover hits. Another song on the album, "Love Was Just Another Word", was recorded in Los Angeles and written by Chris Christian and Steve Kipner. Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell contributed the background vocals. This was the last time the three original members of America recorded together. At the 22nd Grammy Awards, the album was nominated, losing in the Contemporary Gospel category to The Imperials album Heed the Call.
Peek waited five years before releasing a second solo album, 1984's Doer of the Word, which hit number 2 on the Christian charts. Gerry Beckley contributed background vocals, which were recorded at Chris Christian's studio in Los Angeles while Peek was there. 1986 saw the release of his Electrovoice album, again to the CCM market, which included a remake of "Lonely People", featuring a very similar lead vocal treatment and overall arrangement to the original America version. He changed some of the song's lyrics to reflect his Christian faith; for example, the lines "And ride that highway in the sky" and "You never know until you try" became "And give your heart to Jesus Christ".
Peek spent much of the 1990s in semi-retirement, occasionally recording music at his home in Bodden Town, Grand Cayman Island. He released several solo projects and collaborated with Ken Marvin and Brian Gentry as "Peace" on three albums. In the years before his death, Peek released music via his website. His last musical collaboration was performing lead vocal on a track on the 2011 album Steps on the Water by Etcetera.
He published An American Band, an autobiography based on America's most successful period, and his own spiritual journey.
Death
Peek died in his sleep of uremic pericarditis on July 24, 2011, at the age of 60 at his home in Farmington, Missouri. He was interred in Farmington's Zolman Cemetery. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Gravestone_of_Dan_and_Catherine_Peek.jpg" caption="Gravestone of Dan and Catherine Peek in Zolman Cemetery in Farmington, Missouri, U.S."] ::
Discography
See also America discography
::data[format=table]
| Year | SingleTrack | CCM | CCM{{Break}}AC | BB | AC | CAN AC | Album | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | "All Things Are Possible" | 1 | 1 | 78 | 6 | — | All Things Are Possible | title=1980 Grammy Awards |
| "The Star" | — | — | — | — | — | On This Christmas Night (various artists) | produced by Chris Christian | |
| 1980 | "Ready for Love" | — | — | — | — | 7 | All Things Are Possible | |
| 1981 | "Divine Lady" | 23 | 25 | — | — | — | ||
| 1984 | "Doer of the Word" | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | Doer of the Word | backing vocal by Gerry Beckley |
| "Redeemer" | — | 26 | — | — | — | produced by Chris Christian | ||
| 1985 | "Holy Spirit" | — | 39 | — | — | — | ||
| 1986 | "Lonely People" | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | Electro-Voice | No. 1 four weeks. Remake of America's 1975 hit. |
| "Electro Voice" | 7 | 33 | — | — | — | |||
| "Sleep Baby Jesus" | — | — | — | — | — | Christmas Greetings (various artists) | ||
| 1987 | "A New Song" | — | 18 | — | — | — | Electro-Voice | |
| "Cross Over" | 13 | 17 | — | — | — | Cross Over | ||
| "I Will Not Be Silent" | — | 24 | — | — | — | |||
| 1988 | "My American Dream" | — | — | — | — | — | non-album single | |
| "Love Was Just Another Word" | — | — | — | — | — | The Best of Dan Peek (compilation) | backing vocal by America | |
| 1989 | "Living Water" | — | — | — | — | — | Light of the World | with Ken Marvin and Brian Gentry |
| 1997 | "Summer Rain" | — | — | — | — | — | Peace | Peace (with Marvin and Gentry) |
| 1999 | "Bodden Town" | — | — | — | — | — | Bodden Town | |
| 2000 | "On Wings of Eagles" | — | — | — | — | — | Under the Mercy | Peace (with Marvin and Gentry) |
| "Mary's Boy Child" | — | — | — | — | — | Caribbean Christmas | instrumental | |
| 2001 | "Driftin' " | — | — | — | — | — | Driftin' Tales From The Lost Islands | |
| 2002 | "Guitar Man" | — | — | — | — | — | Guitar Man | |
| 2006 | "I Spent the Summer South of the Border" | — | — | — | — | — | Release the Endorphins | with The Endorphins |
| "Refugee-Song" | — | — | — | — | — | Guitar Man II | digital download | |
| 2007 | "All American Boy" | — | — | — | — | — | All American Boy | |
| 2008 | "Velvet Elvis" | — | — | — | — | — | Meet the Endorphins | with The Endorphins |
| 2011 | "Kiss Me on the Waves" | — | — | — | — | — | Steps on the Water | Etcetera featuring Dan Peek |
| 2012 | — | — | — | — | — | Greatest Hits | digital download, compilation | |
| Christian Artists Series: Dan Peek, Vol. 1 | ||||||||
| Christian Artists Series: Dan Peek, Vol. 2 | ||||||||
| Christian Artists Series: Dan Peek & Friends (various artists) | ||||||||
| Christmas with Dan Peek and Friends (various artists) | ||||||||
| 2014 | "Endless Flight" (remix) | — | — | — | — | — | non-album single | Remix by Laredo |
| 2018 | "Right Now" (remix) | — | — | — | — | — | Peace Revisited | Remix by Marvin and Gentry |
| 2019 | "Still Love You" (remix) | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020 | "Blue Skies, Blue Eyes" (remix) | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021 | "Little Darlin" (remix) | — | — | — | — | — | non-album single | Remix by Ken Marvin |
| :: |
References
References
- Lewis, Randy. (July 27, 2011). "Dan Peek dies at 60; founding member of the band America". Los Angeles Times.
- (July 27, 2011). "America singer Dan Peek dies aged 60". BBC News.
- (July 26, 2011). "Dan Peek, Co-Founder of America, Dead at 60". [[Billboard (magazine).
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20111130184723/http://www.ascap.com/ace/search.cfm?requesttimeout=300&mode=results&searchstr=420182869&search_in=i&search_type=exact&search_det=tswpbv&results_pp=30&start=1 "Lonely People" compositional info], ASCAP. Retrieved August 31, 2011.
- (February 6, 2010). "A first for Navy ship: Baby born on board". U-T San Diego.
- Margalit Fox. (July 26, 2011). "Dan Peek, of the Rock Band America, Dies at 60". [[The New York Times]].
- Graff, Gary. (July 26, 2011). "Dan Peek, Co-Founder of America, Dead at 60". [[Billboard Magazine]].
- (July 27, 2011). "Dan Peek". The Daily Telegraph.
- Salter, Jim. (July 28, 2011). "Dan Peek, singer on 'Horse With No Name'". The Boston Globe.
- {{YouTube. Rpv_ukm7WdA. Dan Peek recording ''Doer of the Word'' with Gerry Beckley and Chris Christian in LA.
- {{AllMusic. album. electro-voice-mw0000933811. Electro-Voice
- Tijs, Andrew. (July 26, 2011). "Dan Peek of America Dies at 60 - Undercover.fm News". Undercover.fm.
- (January 1999). "– Hot hits: Christian hit radio : 20 years of charts, artist bios, and more". CCM Creative Ventures.
- (July 23, 2003). "– CCM Hot Hits: AC Charts 1978-2001". 1st Book Library.
- "– US Billboard Music Charts".
- "RPM Adult Oriented Playlist". Library and Archives Canada.
- [https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dan-peek-mn0000953589/discography All Music Guide Dan Peek discography, retrieved 30 August 2022]
- "1980 Grammy Awards". Awards and Shows.
- [https://www.allmusic.com/album/all-things-are-possible-mw0000589049/credits All Music Guide Dan Peek All Things are Possible album credits, retrieved 30 August 2022]
- [https://www.allmusic.com/album/doer-of-the-world-mw0000065383/credits All Music Guide Dan Peek Doer of the Word album credits, retrieved 30 August 2022]
- "Marvin & Gentry with Dan Peek - Light of the World - Amazon.com.com Music".
- "Release the Endorphins". cactustom.com.
- "Meet the Endorphins". cactustom.com.
- (January 15, 2014). "Dan Peek Featuring Laredo - Endless Flight (remix)". youtube.com.
- (April 4, 2021). "Dan Peek - Little Darlin (remix)". youtube.com.
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