12 classic rock bands that featured more than two lead singers

AMERICA

I should probably start with this admission. I kind of like America, but if my wife is driving and “A Horse With No Name” comes on the radio, I need to change the station immediately or risk an accident. She can’t stand the lifeless, boring gooey pop they put out in the ‘70s. But, I repeat, I kind of like a lot of those songs. Opposites attract.

America was always designed to feature three singers. Dewey Bunnell, Gerry Beckley, and Dan Peek all wrote songs and played guitar, and they figured they could pool their resources and come up with some good pop product. They were right. Together they scored seven top-ten hits, including a couple of number ones, and a whole host of other modest successes throughout the 1970s.

Bunnell wrote more hits than the others, but each band member wrote, and sang, popular songs. Though their voices were slightly different, it is usually easier to tell them apart by the entire song. Their songwriting showed the differences more than their vocals. Peek left after the group’s seventh album in 1977, and Beckley and Bunnell continued as a duo, scoring one final top-ten hit in 1982 with “You Can Do Magic.” Beckley sang lead, with Bunnell harmonizing.

BEST TRACK BY VOCALIST:

Dewey Bunnell: “Ventura Highway”
Gerry Beckley: “Sister Golden Hair”
Dan Peek: “Lonely People”