Clarice

The band America was formed in 1970 in London. Its members, Dewey Bunnell, Gerry Beckley, and Dan Peek, were the sons of American military personnel stationed at RAF bases. They shared a taste for acoustic guitars and California folk-rock music, inspired by artists such as The Byrds, Crosby, Stills & Nash, and Neil Young. The band's name emerged as a way to make their origin clear, despite playing in British pubs. The self-titled album, which includes Clarice, was recorded with the participation of Ken Scott as recording engineer, and the production was handled by America along with Jeff Dexter and Ian Samwell. Initially, the album did not include the track that would become their biggest hit. However, after the release of *A Horse with No Name* as a single in Europe in late 1971 and its subsequent worldwide success in January 1972, the album was re-released that same month incorporating that song. This re-release propelled the album to the top of the charts in the United States, remaining at number one for five weeks. In addition to *A Horse with No Name*, which topped the singles charts for three weeks, the album also generated another hit, *I Need You*, which reached ninth position. Other songs like *Sandman* and *Three Roses* also received good reception on FM radio.