Dewey Bunnell: Difference between revisions

Dewey Bunnell
Dewey Bunnell
	Bunnell in 2019
Background information
Birth name	Lee Merton Bunnell
Born	19 January 1952 (age 72); Harrogate, Yorkshire, England
Occupation	Musician
Instrument(s)	Vocals, guitar, percussion
Years active	1969–present
Member of	America

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Latest revision as of 21:49, 19 February 2024

Lee Merton "Dewey" Bunnell^[1] (born 19 January 1952)^[3] is an English-born American musician, singer, guitarist, and songwriter, and a founding member of the band America.^[4]

Music career

After an initial attempt at forming a band in the late 1960s, Bunnell, Beckley, and Peek formed America in 1969 and released their first album in 1971.^[4] As with the other members, Bunnell wrote, sang and played guitar. His best-known compositions include "A Horse with No Name", "Ventura Highway", and "Tin Man". Bunnell has explained that "A Horse with No Name" was "a metaphor for a vehicle to get away from life's confusion into a quiet, peaceful place", while "Sandman" was inspired by his casual talks with returning Vietnam veterans. Afraid that they might be attacked and killed in their sleep, many of them chose to stay awake as long as possible, either naturally or with pharmaceuticals. Thus, they were "running from the Sandman."^[5]

Bunnell is still a member of America, along with the remaining founding member, Gerry Beckley. America has made more than 20 albums of original material, along with a number of hits compilations, between the 1960s and the present. In 2002, the band released a holiday album entitled Holiday Harmony. America's album Back Pages was released on 26 July 2011. The group was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in February 2012. America's most recent album, Lost & Found, was officially released 5 May 2015, containing unreleased tracks recorded between 2002 and 2010.^[6]

Personal life

Bunnell was born in Harrogate, Yorkshire, England,^[3] to an American serviceman father, stationed at the United States Air Force base at RAF South Ruislip, and his English wife. As a young musician, Bunnell was inspired by the Beatles and the Beach Boys.^[7] While attending London Central High School in England, he met Gerry Beckley and Dan Peek. In 1973, he moved to Marin County, California, with his then-wife, Vivien. They had two children, Dylan and Lauren. The two divorced in 1999 and he married Penny in 2002.^[4] He then legally adopted Penny's daughter, Destry.

Discography

References

^ ^a ^b Jude Warne (2020), American the Band (An Authorized Biography), Rowman And Littlefield, ISBN 9781538120965
^ "Photographic image of band members" (JPG). Accessbackstage.com. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
^ ^a ^b Rees, Dafydd & Luke Crampton (1999), Rock Stars Encyclopedia, DK Publishing, p. 32, ISBN 978-0-7894-4613-8
^ ^a ^b ^c "America's Dewey Bunnell reflects on star-spangled career". Marin Independent Journal. 30 June 2008. Archived from the original on 19 October 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
^ Ruggiero, Bob (7 August 2013). "America Will Never Reveal the Name of That Stubborn "Horse"". Houston Press. Archived from the original on 28 February 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
^ "America Lost & Found". Amazon.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
^ Rodriguez, Isaac (26 November 2013). "Ten Questions with Dewey Bunnell – Founding Member of the Band America". realrocknews.com. Retrieved 23 February 2014.

External links

This article about an American musician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[Jude_Warne_2020-1] Jude Warne (2020), American the Band (An Authorized Biography), Rowman And Littlefield, ISBN 9781538120965

[2] "Photographic image of band members" (JPG). Accessbackstage.com. Retrieved 13 January 2020.

[Rees-Crampton-p32-3] Rees, Dafydd & Luke Crampton (1999), Rock Stars Encyclopedia, DK Publishing, p. 32, ISBN 978-0-7894-4613-8

[reflect-4] "America's Dewey Bunnell reflects on star-spangled career". Marin Independent Journal. 30 June 2008. Archived from the original on 19 October 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2012.

[5] Ruggiero, Bob (7 August 2013). "America Will Never Reveal the Name of That Stubborn "Horse"". Houston Press. Archived from the original on 28 February 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2014.

[6] "America Lost & Found". Amazon.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2017.

[realrocknews-7] Rodriguez, Isaac (26 November 2013). "Ten Questions with Dewey Bunnell – Founding Member of the Band America". realrocknews.com. Retrieved 23 February 2014.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{short description|American folk-rock musician (born 1952)}}
+{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}
 {{Infobox musical artist
-| name                = Dewey Bunnell
+| name              = Dewey Bunnell
-| image               = Dewey_Brunell.jpg
+| image             = Dewey Bunnell.jpg
-| image_size          =
+| image_size        =
-| landscape           = <!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank -->
+| landscape         = <!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank -->
-| alt                 =
+| alt               =
-| caption             = Bunnell in concert, 2019
+| caption           = Bunnell in 2019
+| birth_name        = Lee Merton Bunnell<ref name="Jude Warne 2020">{{citation |title=American the Band (An Authorized Biography) |publisher=Rowman And Littlefield |year=2020 |author=Jude Warne |isbn=9781538120965 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CpHUDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22lee+merton+bunnell%22+biography&pg=PA11}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.accessbackstage.com/america/jpg/guys1969.jpg|format=JPG|title=Photographic image of band members|website=Accessbackstage.com|access-date=13 January 2020}}</ref>
-| background          = solo_singer
+| native_name       =
-| birth_name          = Lee Martin Bunnell<ref>http://www.accessbackstage.com/america/jpg/guys1969.jpg</ref>
-| native_name         =
+| native_name_lang  =
-| native_name_lang    =
+| alias             =
-| alias               =
+| birth_date        = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1952|1|19}}
+| birth_place       = [[Harrogate]], [[Yorkshire]], England
-| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1952|1|19}}
-| birth_place         = [[Harrogate]], [[Yorkshire]], England
+| origin            =
+| death_date        = <!-- {{death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date 1st) -->
-| origin              =
+| death_place       =
-| death_date          = <!-- {{death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date 1st) -->
-| death_place         =
+| genre             =
-| genre               =
+| occupation        = [[Musician]]
-| occupation          = [[Musician]]
+| instrument        = [[Singing|Vocals]], [[guitar]], [[percussion]]
+| years_active      = 1969–present
-| instrument          = [[Singing|Vocals]], [[guitar]], [[drums]]
-| years_active        = 1969-present
+| label             =
+| current_member_of = [[America (band)|America]]
-| label               =
+| website           = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
-| associated_acts     = [[America (band)|America]]
-| website             = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
 }}
-'''Lee Martin "Dewey" Bunnell''' (born 19 January 1952)<ref name=Rees-Crampton-p32>{{citation |title=Rock Stars Encyclopedia |author=Rees, Dafydd |author2=Luke Crampton |last-author-amp=yes |publisher=DK Publishing |year=1999 |isbn=978-0-7894-4613-8  |page=32 }}</ref> is a British-American musician, singer, guitarist, and songwriter, best known as a member of the [[folk rock]] band [[America (band)|America]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:aifexqw5ldae~T1|title=Biography: America|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|publisher=[[All Media Guide|AMG]]|accessdate=7 May 2010}}</ref><ref name=reflect/>
+'''Lee Merton "Dewey" Bunnell'''<ref name="Jude Warne 2020">{{citation |title=American the Band (An Authorized Biography) |publisher=Rowman And Littlefield |year=2020 |author=Jude Warne |isbn=9781538120965 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CpHUDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22lee+merton+bunnell%22+biography&pg=PA11}}</ref> (born 19 January 1952)<ref name=Rees-Crampton-p32>{{citation |title=Rock Stars Encyclopedia |author=Rees, Dafydd |author2=Luke Crampton |name-list-style=amp |publisher=DK Publishing |year=1999 |isbn=978-0-7894-4613-8  |page=32 }}</ref> is an English-born American musician, singer, guitarist, and songwriter, and a founding member of the band [[America (band)|America]].<ref name=reflect/>
-==Biography==
+==Music career==
+{{Main|America (band)}}
-Bunnell was born in [[Harrogate]], [[Yorkshire]], England,<ref name=Rees-Crampton-p32/> to an American serviceman father, stationed at the [[United States Air Force]] base at [[RAF South Ruislip]], and his English wife. As a young musician, Bunnell was inspired by [[the Beatles]] and [[the Beach Boys]].<ref name=realrocknews>{{cite web|last=Rodriguez|first=Isaac|title=Ten Questions with Dewey Bunnell – Founding Member of the Band America|url=http://www.realrocknews.com/ten-questions-dewey-bunnell-founding-member-band-america/|work=realrocknews.com|accessdate=23 February 2014}}</ref>
+After an initial attempt at forming a band in the late 1960s, Bunnell, Beckley, and Peek formed [[America (band)|America]] in 1969 and released their first album in 1971.<ref name="reflect">{{cite news |title=America's Dewey Bunnell reflects on star-spangled career |url=http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_9747565 |newspaper=[[Marin Independent Journal]] |date=30 June 2008 |access-date=10 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019032020/http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_9747565 |archive-date=19 October 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> As with the other members, Bunnell wrote, sang and played guitar.  His best-known compositions include "[[A Horse with No Name]]", "[[Ventura Highway]]", and "[[Tin Man (America song)|Tin Man]]". Bunnell has explained that "A Horse with No Name" was "a metaphor for a vehicle to get away from life's confusion into a quiet, peaceful place", while "Sandman" was inspired by his casual talks with returning [[Vietnam veteran]]s. Afraid that they might be attacked and killed in their sleep, many of them chose to stay awake as long as possible, either naturally or with pharmaceuticals. Thus, they were "running from the Sandman."<ref>{{cite news|last=Ruggiero|first=Bob|title=America Will Never Reveal the Name of That Stubborn "Horse"|url=http://blogs.houstonpress.com/rocks/2013/08/america_will_never_reveal_the.php?ref=trending|access-date=23 February 2014|newspaper=Houston Press|date=7 August 2013|archive-date=28 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228045716/http://blogs.houstonpress.com/rocks/2013/08/america_will_never_reveal_the.php?ref=trending|url-status=dead}}</ref>
-While attending [[London Central Elementary High School|London Central High School]] in England he met [[Gerry Beckley]] and [[Dan Peek]]. After an initial attempt at forming a band in the late 1960s, the trio formed America in 1969 and released their first album in 1971.<ref name=reflect>{{cite news |title=America's Dewey Bunnell reflects on star-spangled career |url=http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_9747565 |newspaper=[[Marin Independent Journal]] |date=30 June 2008 |accessdate=10 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019032020/http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_9747565 |archive-date=19 October 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
+Bunnell is still a member of America, along with the remaining founding member, Gerry Beckley.  America has made more than 20 albums of original material, along with a number of hits compilations, between the 1960s and the present. In 2002, the band released a holiday album entitled ''Holiday Harmony''. America's album ''Back Pages'' was released on 26 July 2011. The group was given a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] in February 2012.  America's most recent album, ''Lost & Found'', was officially released 5 May 2015, containing unreleased tracks recorded between 2002 and 2010.<ref>{{cite web |title=America Lost & Found |url=https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Found-America/dp/B00WY8IS00 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304211629/http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Found-America/dp/B00WY8IS00 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=30 August 2017 |website=Amazon.com}}</ref>
+==Personal life ==
-As with the other members, Bunnell wrote, sang and played guitar.  His best-known compositions include "[[A Horse with No Name]]", "[[Ventura Highway]]", and "[[Tin Man (America song)|Tin Man]]". Bunnell has explained that "A Horse with No Name" was "a metaphor for a vehicle to get away from life's confusion into a quiet, peaceful place", while "Sandman" was inspired by his casual talks with returning [[Vietnam veteran]]s. Afraid that they might be attacked and killed in their sleep, many of them chose to stay awake as long as possible, either naturally or with pharmaceuticals. Thus, they were "running from the Sandman."<ref>{{cite news|last=Ruggiero|first=Bob|title=America Will Never Reveal the Name of That Stubborn "Horse"|url=http://blogs.houstonpress.com/rocks/2013/08/america_will_never_reveal_the.php?ref=trending|accessdate=23 February 2014|newspaper=Houston Press|date=7 August 2013}}</ref>
+Bunnell was born in [[Harrogate]], [[Yorkshire]], England,<ref name="Rees-Crampton-p32" /> to an American serviceman father, stationed at the [[United States Air Force]] base at [[RAF South Ruislip]], and his English wife. As a young musician, Bunnell was inspired by [[the Beatles]] and [[the Beach Boys]].<ref name="realrocknews">{{cite web |last=Rodriguez |first=Isaac |title=Ten Questions with Dewey Bunnell – Founding Member of the Band America |url=http://www.realrocknews.com/ten-questions-dewey-bunnell-founding-member-band-america/ |access-date=23 February 2014 |work=realrocknews.com|date=26 November 2013 }}</ref> While attending [[London Central Elementary High School|London Central High School]] in England, he met [[Gerry Beckley]] and [[Dan Peek]]. In 1973, he moved to [[Marin County, California]], with his then-wife, Vivien. They had two children, Dylan and Lauren. The two divorced in 1999 and he married Penny in 2002.<ref name="reflect" /> He then legally adopted Penny's daughter, Destry.
+== Discography ==
-In 1973 he moved to [[Marin County, California]], with his then-wife, Vivien. They had two children, Dylan and Lauren. The two divorced in 1999 and he married Penny in 2002.<ref name=reflect/> He then legally adopted Penny's daughter, Destry. The couple splits their time between homes in [[Palos Verdes]] and northern [[Wisconsin]], where Penny is originally from.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_9747565|title=America's Dewey Bunnell reflects on star-spangled career|work=MarinIJ.com|accessdate=17 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019032020/http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_9747565|archive-date=19 October 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.accessbackstage.com/america/dewey430.htm|title=America Fans Miscellaneous Information Archive: Kelly Lange Interviewing Dewey Bunnell|publisher=accessbackstage.com|accessdate=23 April 2017}}</ref>
+{{Main|America discography}}
-Bunnell is still a member of America, along with the other founding member, Gerry Beckley.  America has made more than 20 albums of original material, along with a number of hits compilations, between the 1960s and the present. In 2002 the band released a holiday album entitled, ''Holiday Harmony.'' America's album ''Back Pages'' was released on 26 July 2011. The group was given a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] in February 2012.  America's most recent album, ''Lost & Found'', was officially released May 5, 2015, containing unreleased tracks recorded between 2002 and 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Found-America/dp/B00WY8IS00|title=America Lost & Found}}</ref>
 ==References==
@@ Line 42: / Line 44: @@
 ==External links==
-*{{Allmusic|class=artist|id=mn0000207885|label=Dewey Bunnell}}
+*{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=mn0000207885|label=Dewey Bunnell}}
-*{{Allmusic|class=artist|id=mn0001774277|label=Lee Bunnell}}
+*{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=mn0001774277|label=Lee Bunnell}}
-*{{IMDb name |nm0120520}}
+*{{IMDb name|nm0120520}}
-{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
 {{America (band)}}
@@ Line 55: / Line 55: @@
 [[Category:1952 births]]
 [[Category:Living people]]
-[[Category:British soft rock musicians]]
+[[Category:American soft rock musicians]]
-[[Category:Military brats]]
+[[Category:Musicians from Harrogate]]
-[[Category:People from Harrogate]]
+[[Category:American male singer-songwriters]]
-[[Category:American rock guitarists]]
-[[Category:American male singers]]
 [[Category:American singer-songwriters]]
+[[Category:American people of English descent]]
+[[Category:American rock guitarists]]
+[[Category:America (band) members]]
 [[Category:American folk guitarists]]
 [[Category:American male guitarists]]
@@ Line 68: / Line 69: @@
 [[Category:20th-century American guitarists]]
 [[Category:20th-century American male musicians]]
+[[Category:Singer-songwriters from California]]
+{{US-musician-stub}}

v t e America
Gerry Beckley Dewey Bunnell Dan Peek
Studio albums	America Homecoming Hat Trick Holiday Hearts Hideaway Harbor Silent Letter Alibi View from the Ground Your Move Perspective Hourglass Human Nature Holiday Harmony Here & Now Back Pages Lost & Found
Compilations	History: America's Greatest Hits Encore: More Greatest Hits Highway The Definitive America The Complete Greatest Hits
Live albums	America Live In Concert (1985) In Concert (1995) Horse with No Name The Grand Cayman Concert
Soundtracks	The Last Unicorn
Singles	"A Horse with No Name" "I Need You" "Ventura Highway" "Muskrat Love" "Tin Man" "Lonely People" "Sister Golden Hair" "Daisy Jane" "Today's the Day" "Amber Cascades" "You Can Do Magic" "Right Before Your Eyes" "The Border" "Your Move"
Related articles	Discography

Authority control databases
International	VIAF WorldCat
National	United States Spain Latvia
Artists	MusicBrainz