2021 marks the golden anniversary of the band America. That’s 50 years of unique and carefully crafted rock music that was always adorned with strummy acoustic goodness, the best harmonies this side of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young and sui generis lyrical content. The band has released 18 studio albums (many produced by George Martin of The Beatles) and they still have a formidable presence on the touring circuit.
While bands of similar stature have had their histories dissected and anthologized, the story of America has never endured such an investigation. Author Jude Warne saw the opportunity to fill the void and—with the blessing and participation of the band—began the journey of writing the history of America. Her new book, America, The Band –an Authorized Biography details the nuts and bolts of the band in a scholarly yet easy to read style.
And, there’s no denying that Warne is the right person for the job, following in the lineage of Greil Marcus and other authors who approach writing about rock and roll from an erudite standpoint, she has written about The Eagles, Led Zeppelin, The Band, Bowie, and she wrote her NYU master’s thesis on the Boss. Warne understands rock and roll from the ’60s and ’70s and so she’s in a fine position to write the definitieve bio about America, a tale she has skillfully and exhaustively crafted.
So, join Jude and I as we talk about how she sifted through America’s archives and combined them into what will almost surely stand as the final word on all things America.
Evan Toth is a songwriter, professional musician, educator, radio host, avid record collector and hi-fi aficionado. Toth hosts and produces The Sharp Notes each Saturday evening at 6pm and TVD Radar on Sundays at 5AM on WFDU, 89.1 FM. Follow him at the usual social media places and visit his website.
