If you have an affinity for early ‘70s light folk-rock music, then America will take you back to the good old days (or those of your parents) with hits like "A Horse with No Name," "Ventura Highway" and "Sister Golden Hair."

It all began when vocalists/guitarists Dewey Bunnell, Dan Peek and Gerry Beckley met in high school in the late 1960s while stationed in the U.K. because of their air force fathers. The trio bonded over the air force life and their love of guitar, forming acoustic folk-rock quartet Daze in London after they graduated from school in 1970. The band dropped one member, leaving the original three to change their name to America before signing a record contract with Jeff Dexter, a promoter for the Roundhouse concert venue. America landed a deal with Warner Bros. Records and began recording their debut in London with Dexter and Ian Samwell as producers. The acoustic sound of America's debut single "A Horse with No Name" echoed Neil Young and became a number three hit in the U.K. America's eponymous debut followed and secured further success in the U.K., prompting the band to return to their namesake country to begin a supporting tour for the Everly Brothers.

When "A Horse with No Name" made its debut stateside, it pushed Neil Young's "Heart of Gold" to the number two spot and America soon assumed the top spot with their smash single. After their second single "I Need You" made the Top Ten, America began recording their second album, which had critics buzzing after the success of its lead single "Ventura Highway" was the group's third straight Top Ten single in December of 1972. 1973 got off to a good start for America, who won a Grammy Award for Best New Artist and released their sophomore effort, Homecoming. America's third album proved unsuccessful but they came back with Holiday in 1974, which included hits "Sister Golden Hair" and have since experienced renewed interest in the new millennium, sparking America to release 2007's Here & Now, a compilation of new and old tracks.