Dan Peek | America musician, 60

Dan Peek, 60, an original member of the rock band America who later forsook the group for a life in Christian music, died in his sleep Sunday at his home in Farmington, Mo.

Formed in the late 1960s, America was known for its lush, melodic folk-rock sound and the tight vocal harmonies supplied by its members, Mr. Peek, Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell.

Mr. Peek, who sang lead and backup vocals, also played guitar, bass, keyboards and harmonica.

The band's best-known songs during his tenure include its two biggest hits, "A Horse with No Name" and "Ventura Highway," both written by Bunnell; "Sister Golden Hair," by Beckley; and "Lonely People," by Peek. Mr. Peek also wrote "Woman Tonight" and "Don't Cross the River" for the band.

After leaving America in 1977, Mr. Peek recorded Christian pop, including the successful solo album All Things Are Possible, released in 1979. In recent years, he lived in somewhat reclusive semiretirement while continuing to write songs.

Daniel Milton Peek was born in Panama City, Fla. His father was an Air Force officer, and Dan spent his childhood all over the United States, and in Greenland, Japan and Pakistan.

When he was a teenager, a new posting took the family to England. It was there, in a London high school, that he met the young Beckley and Bunnell, also children of U.S. military fathers.

The three began singing together in various permutations, under various names. They dissolved briefly when Mr. Peek returned to the United States to attend Old Dominion University, but joined forces again when he came back to London a year later. They called themselves, nostalgically, America.

"We wanted to set ourselves apart and not be seen as English guys trying to do American music, but instead accentuate that we were an American band," Mr. Peek told the Jerusalem Post.

The band won a Grammy Award in 1973 as best new artist. A string of successful albums followed, including Homecoming, Holiday, Hearts and Hideaway. Many were produced by George Martin, who produced many of the Beatles' records. - N.Y. Times News Service