An interview with Gerry Beckley was published on Rock Cellar 2 days ago, about upcoming new/old America's album. Old, because it's a live album from 1975. 'America with George Martin conducting The Symphony Orchestra Live from the Hollywood Bowl 1975'. It was Sunday, August 3, started at 7.30 pm, rather expensive tickets, $5.50-8.50.
I've been America's fan since the 70s, maybe not very keen one, but I regret never saw the band live, and now it's too late, because some time ago Gerry resigned from touring with Dewey Bunnell. He lives in Australia with his family, and his family is the most important for him.
Maybe a song. Written by David Cassidy and Gerry Beckley. It's such a gem of a song, literally sparkling, they were so talented, David and Gerry, great musicians and songwriters, and with David's fabulous voice and the harmonies.. it should have been a hit, and they should have written much more songs together
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izpXaXfdBZA
Gerry Beckley is one of David's friends from the 70s, who remembers and mentiones him from time to time. In 2022 in an interview for Goldmine he told about working with David for his RCA albums. He said, "I was good friends with David. (...) There is that documentary on David where he is truly one of those tragic figures and most of it was self-inflicted wounds in his case, and he wrestled with his demons, but I tried to stay out of that documentary because I didn't want to tell a darker side as I didn't necessarily want to be the guy that contributed to all of that stuff. So it is not as sweet and fun as you would imagine it would have been.."
And again he was asked about David for the new interview for Rock Cellar, about this famous pic with David and Eric Carmen. It was taken after Eric Carmen's concert at the Roxy Theater in LA. During that concert Gerry and David joined Eric Carmen on stage.
Gerry Beckley said, 'I loved Eric Carmen (..) For his albums 'Boats Against the Current', I was at some of those sessions because Bruce (Johnston) was doing vocal arrangements on some of it. So I was there, and I had been producing David Cassidy with Bruce. Bruce did one album, and then I co-wrote a lot of that album. And then the next David Cassidy album I did myself with David. It was all happening at the same time. I know the photo, I see it all the time. It shows up.."
They were spending a lot of time together in 1975 and 1976. Working and having fun. But it must have been also difficult for David to witness the great successes of his friends. 'All By Myself', the first single from debut Eric Carmen's album was released in December 1975, it became worldwide hit. Also America had No 1 hit in 1975 with 'Sister Golden Hair'. And that concert at Hollywood Bowl. David was to perform there too, in 1972, but his concert was cancelled because of poor ticket sales...
From 3rd RCA album, written by David and Gerry.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWXx03VFVsY
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