It was a bittersweet concert for the band America Tuesday night in the Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center.
Dewey Bunnell celebrated his 64th birthday as Gerry Beckley, his singing partner in the band, led a sellout crowd into a joyous chorus of “Happy Birthday.”
“This is great; thank you for singing to me,” a somewhat surprised Bunnell said as a cake was presented to him on stage by his wife. Then Bunnell started singing the Beatles’ song, “When I’m 64,” but stopped because, “it’s a hard song, and I’m getting older.”
The mood was more somber earlier in the 90-minute show. Bunnell and Beckley spoke about Glenn Frey of the Eagles, who died Monday.
“I just wanted to mention Glenn Frey and what a good and talented person he was,” Bunnell said. “We kind of came up together as bands, and we knew each other. It’s sad.”
America – along with the Eagles — helped spur the kind of folk/rock/country/pop blend that became popular during the early 70s. It was a time after the end of the Beatles and before the birth of disco.
America, featuring Bunnell, Beckley and the late Dan Peek, struck gold with a spooky, surreal-sounding single, “A Horse With No Name,” in 1971.
They saved that one as an encore from the Sharon stage. The closing number for regular set was a rousing and rocking “Sister Golden Hair,” that had the crowd clapping along.
America always possessed a kind of glossy pop edge. Beckley has a way with the slower numbers and his smooth vocal style was showcased on such numbers as “I Need You,” “Daisy Jane” and “Tin Man.” Another America classic came with “Lonely People,” the kind of song that still bears emotional weight.
Slow songs are nice but people forget that America can really rock. The band with Rich Campbell on bass, Ryland Steen, drums and young stallion Bill Worrell on guitar provided the juice for this show.
Worrell’s high-powered guitar antics and blistering solos turned up the musical heat all night long.
America has been around for 46 years.
“We never thought about lasting that long when we started this thing,” Beckley said. “We were 17 and 18, and just wanted to play music. We never figured playing at least 100 shows a year for the past 46 years.”
It’s the sound of America that keeps the music relevant.
“Ventura Highway,” is a classic example of the band’s style. It’s smooth, fast and tight, with a steady beat and stellar harmony. Bunnell and Beckley still have the power to make the song work.
They added more rocking sounds to a cover of Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock.” Next came a cover of the Mamas and the Papas “California Dreamin’.” Another, more contemporary cover came with an upbeat take on the Gin Blossoms’ “Til I Hear It From You.” That song sounded more like America, than America.
Next, a couple of hard rocking numbers nearly stole the show.
“Hollywood,” from 1974, turned into a hard-driving trip, accented by Worrell’s smoking guitar. The same could be said for “Sandman,” with its sense of pain and loss, enhanced by Worrell’s stinging solo riffs.
“That was dangerously close to jamming,” Beckley joked after the number ended.
“This is our first concert of 2016,” Beckley told the crowd. “We’re happy to do it in a soldout show right here.”
George and Sharon Bruce, longtime America fans, were in the audience. George Bruce said he has known Dewey Bunnell for nearly four decades.
“Their music is still fresh and they still have the passion to play it,” Bruce said. “They still love singing together and really, they never stopped,” Sharon Bruce said. “After all these years, no matter what happens, they just keep on singing.”
That’s the America way.
