Fandom

I am an unabashed fan of the band America.  I have been since 1972, when I first heard "Horse with no name" ( or as fans call it HWNN)  I was thirteen, or thereabouts and I fell in love with this band.  What thirteen year old girl wouldn't have?  Three really cute guys who played guitars and sang?  Heck yeah.  As I grew up and away from the puppy-dog phase of my musical tastes, my love for America grew into an appreciation of the music.  I have always been a sucker for close harmony and lyrics that make you think.  Now admittedly, some of Dewey Bunnells lyrics make me scratch my head and say "what the heck does THAT mean?  but as usual, I digress.  I have stayed a fan all these years, admittedly they lost me in the 80's with the unfortunate foray into techno pop that left me cold.  It was a guy playing an America song in the subway that led me back to discover the music all over again, this time via the fanbase on the internet.  There I found like minded souls whose love for the band formed a community of caring.  We supported each other through some pretty trying personal crises , and laughed and celebrated triumphs, new jobs, new babies ( whom we automatically assume will be a future generation of fans)  I have found some of my dearest friends there.  Through America, I have found many wonderful musicians who started as "opening acts" and became part of my musical "family".  I cannot say how many concerts I have seen since that first one at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in March of 1973, but there have been quite a few. The most notable one for me was in June 2009 at the Cherry Festival in Hemet CA.  It was my then-boyfriend Christopher's first America show.  Before the show, he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him.  Of course I said yes. Could he have chosen a more perfect venue to propose? 

I have a signed "Harbor" poster on my wall. Sometimes one of my husband's metal loving friends will make some disparaging remark, but I don't care.  One day I would like to get the REST of the guys to sign it, if I remember to take it with me to a show, I hope they will. This music has been the "soundtrack" of my life. It makes me laugh, it makes me cry, it soothes me, it energizes me.  They are currently holding a "contest" to get tickets to a show in Colorado.  "Are you America's biggest fan?"  I don't think I am their biggest fan, and I think there are people who have not had the chance to see them who will be entering this contest ( if I read some of the comments people are making on their fanpage correctly); but the contest gave me a reason to write this long overdue love-letter/thank you note to a band whose music has meant so much to me.  It will continue to be part of my life.