This is prime example of why I love the Midnight Special. They put on an amazing group like America on. I'm taking a trip down memory lane watching this . Ty,for showing memories and good times.
You can thank Burt Sugarman. He produced the show and kept all the master tapes of it and tried for years to get them back on tv somewhere with no luck. Enter RUclips
I have been watching all of these old Midnight Special episodes in full, one after another, on RUclips lately. So many great 70's artists were on it & guest hosted it. Plus regular host Wolfman Jack! So cool!❤
In his memoir "All You Need is Ears", George Martin said that of all the bands he ever produced, the one that had the best blend of guitars and vocals was America. Martin produced seven of their albums, including this song.
Their first album was my very first album in my collection. Got it the year after it came out, and I still have it. Much to my disappointment, I have never seen them live.
When I first heard Sister Golden Hair, like so many here, in the comments, I couldn’t get enough of the song. There’s something to be said about a three minute song that is perfect. It’s long enough to satisfy, and short enough to leave you wanting more. When I watched the concert on the midnight special I was five months out of high school, and filled with optimism about my future. I have had a great life with a beautiful wife for children and nine grand children. I still feel 18 and it is only in when I look in the mirror that I see the years that have gone by.
@GerardFrenchy59 They had a lot of good songs. A few on my favorites were Daisy Jane, I Need You, Todays The Day, You Can Do Magic, Ventura Highway, Lonely People, A Horse With No Name, Tin Man.... there's so many more. Great band, good songs lyrically. I still listen to 'Daisy Jane' almost every day. Look them up sometime! Cheers! 😊
Today, I learned that America did make it on to The Midnight Special. And I have a coworker who looks just like Gerry Beckley in this clip. Can't wait to show him this to remind him of that!
Did you ever ask so many people in the 70's "Who does that song"? Before the internet you only knew what was worth knowing.Still a goose bump song, when those backing vocals kick in,whew!--it's gotta be their best.
Hard to belive that I was there when they filmed this. I was in High School and my buddy gave me his tickets so I got my aunt to take me. They had us sitting on padded mats on the floor! So many takes and between them you could stand up to get your legs right. Also a comedian that I can't remember. Good times!
Sleep on living room floor just ta watch this the Midnight Special it was like party for us 12 yr old s ta stay up n watch this ,,,America was one of the best
I always felt {or wished} ha! that this song was about me, my hair is golden brown and shines red in the sunlight. LOVE America 😍 and have had a crush on Gerry Beckley, forever. Their album “America” was the 1st one I bought as a young girl. Those harmonies! Ahhh 😻
that takes me back to my military school days, Wentworth in Lexington, MO. although most of us were into Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and the like, heard this on the radio often ☮
Love their music. For me, Ventura Highway is the song that epitomizes the 70s. Their stage presence seems a little diminished though imo since it is after Dan Peek's departure.
This epic and timeless American masterpiece reminds of a beautiful, blue eye women, who I used to date and skateboard with, in the late '70s, in a once rural, California town.☯
Unfortunately wasn’t deep into America as a teen but did own the greatest hits. Later in the 90s when I learned they had several albums produced by George Martin and album covers designed by Phil Hartman I caught up on most of them from the 70s and 80s. Lots of interesting non-hit songs in there! Tomorrow I’ll have America’s discography on shuffle! 😎
Russ Ballard on slide guitar. This is essentially the same lineup as the _View from the Ground_ album, as you can see from the music video for "You Can Do Magic" (1982).
I recognize that original Zemaitis(extremely vintage now) electric, and the Ovation Open Headstock 12 string Ovation(not that rare, there's plenty on Reverb for sale). But that Gibson Florentine Double Cutaway?: a Barney Kessel Custom, 1966 or earlier. Pretty rare now; some for sale on Reverb.
This is such a great channel. Thank you for sharing these great moments in time with us all. Great live performances by the bands, but I can’t help noticing how the tempos on many of the songs we are seeing are sped up compared to the original recordings… did the show’s producers have anything to do with that, I wonder?
amazing. brings back such a special time I was fortunate enough to have lived in. Anyone know the name of the slide guitar player? studio musician. He does an outstanding job.
Gerry Beckley has decided to retire from the road, though he'll remain a member of America. “The only thing changing is that I'm not going to be getting on a plane every other day anymore,” he says.
I remember only too well Sister Golden Hair, those warm summer nights when the world was new and we were so so young
The 70s had the best music ever
💯
This is prime example of why I love the Midnight Special. They put on an amazing group like America on. I'm taking a trip down memory lane watching this . Ty,for showing memories and good times.
And Great Music!
I just found this video too. It's like running into an old friend.
And it is actually LIVE! 🎸🤘🏻🇺🇸
You can thank Burt Sugarman. He produced the show and kept all the master tapes of it and tried for years to get them back on tv somewhere with no luck. Enter RUclips
I have been watching all of these old Midnight Special episodes in full, one after another, on RUclips lately. So many great 70's artists were on it & guest hosted it. Plus regular host Wolfman Jack! So cool!❤
Who didn't own America's greatest hits back then
Real people, real instruments and real talent. No soundtrack, no auto tune ,no fake drum track. ❤️
Calm down , Gramps
@@ApothecaryGrant It's Chief Yelling Cloud to you
Couldn’t agree more!!
And the award for most original youtube comment goes to @jasonprince1205
He's definitely singing live, but I would wager that the backing vocals and instruments were pre-recorded.
M favorite song by America!! Sister Golden Hair always takes me back to 1975-1976 especially Summer ❤😊
absolutely a summer song then!!
Mi canción favorita de ellos es Tin Man, para mi, la obra maestra absoluta de los 70s.
Saludos y bendiciones desde el bello Cancún 🇲🇽🌴🐠🌊🌞
these songs are ageless, they do not fade or decay, full of life with each listen
In his memoir "All You Need is Ears", George Martin said that of all the bands he ever produced, the one that had the best blend of guitars and vocals was America. Martin produced seven of their albums, including this song.
I had no ideal that George Martin produced America! Thanks for the input! Later.
70s was the peak of the Golden age of music
They still sounded great, and this is before they had a couple of other hits a few years later, too. I always liked them. 💜
I'm a fan of America too. Awesome band. Cheers! ✌🏻
Their first album was my very first album in my collection. Got it the year after it came out, and I still have it. Much to my disappointment, I have never seen them live.
They sound fantastic! Love the harmonies! ❤❤
When I first heard Sister Golden Hair, like so many here, in the comments, I couldn’t get enough of the song. There’s something to be said about a three minute song that is perfect. It’s long enough to satisfy, and short enough to leave you wanting more. When I watched the concert on the midnight special I was five months out of high school, and filled with optimism about my future. I have had a great life with a beautiful wife for children and nine grand children. I still feel 18 and it is only in when I look in the mirror that I see the years that have gone by.
Great band! Great song! Great memories! ❤
Here Listening in February 2025! Such Great Music!
A timeless's masterpiece
What a song!
Incredible. His smile is infectious
One of the best bands of the 70s! ❤
Happy Tuesday... thank you for sharing! 💖
Dont know So much about that band,but the song is really nice 👍Happy thusday.Cheers🇲🇫
Agree, seemed like every hour on my car radio an America song was being spun for the listener
@GerardFrenchy59 They had a lot of good songs. A few on my favorites were Daisy Jane, I Need You, Todays The Day, You Can Do Magic, Ventura Highway, Lonely People, A Horse With No Name, Tin Man.... there's so many more. Great band, good songs lyrically. I still listen to 'Daisy Jane' almost every day. Look them up sometime!
Cheers! 😊
@@curtisphilumalee1447 In those Good Ol' Golden Days! 👌😊💖
@@that70sgirl90 Thanks for the informations 🙏I will check that out😘🌹
My brother bought me this album for my birthday way back in 1975. ❤
Good brother
A great sound of the 70's.
JANUARY 2025.......STILL LISTENING !!!!
Today, I learned that America did make it on to The Midnight Special. And I have a coworker who looks just like Gerry Beckley in this clip. Can't wait to show him this to remind him of that!
What a great song and band. I still have to calm down a bit when I see Gerry Beckley, and that guitar riff will be with me all day. Yeah!!
Absolutely beautiful song! Smashing performance!
I was waiting for that time, We were so inspired by their brilliant music that we started buying guitars!🎸
Thanks!
We had incredible music in the 1970s. I really like America. Excellent folk rock. This song is great. Cheers! ✌🏻
Hey Dwayne😃You sure got that right👍🏻ROCK ON!!!!!!!🤘🏻🤙🏻✌🏻
Well, this isn't exactly a folk song. It's more like a pop song.
I love this song. I also like A Horse with no name.
One of my favorite songs.
Great live version!
Great background harmony
These are such great songs.
Another great clip from Midnight Special. So glad we have these to look back on.
Great band.
My Aunt had super, groovy straight, golden, blonde hair. She passed away 10 years ago and I always think of her when I hear this song.
So glad I caught America a couple of times. What a great sound they have.
Never gets old.
Great music
And still touring today...have considered seeing them in Cincy in October. Fantastic performance. Thanks for posting.
Gorgeous tune 🎉❤
That's real music right there.
This is a beautiful song all of tham are so wonderful
I remember this song
That last drum fill gives me the chillbumps no matter how many times I’ve seen it. Levon 4 Life!
I've never heard such wonderful, accurate backing vocals from a live performance in my life
Did you ever ask so many people in the 70's "Who does that song"? Before the internet you only knew what was worth knowing.Still a goose bump song, when those backing vocals kick in,whew!--it's gotta be their best.
Something happened in the 90's, we lost touch with what real music was.
Great band, song and performance.
So many great songs.
Arguably their greatest song. Bop shoo wop
Hard to belive that I was there when they filmed this. I was in High School and my buddy gave me his tickets so I got my aunt to take me. They had us sitting on padded mats on the floor! So many takes and between them you could stand up to get your legs right. Also a comedian that I can't remember. Good times!
Had the pleasure of seeing these guys at Vancouver's famous Commodore Ballroom a few years ago. Hit after hit nailed. Just a great show.
Great tune "hear"😃ROCK ON!!!!!!!🤘🏻🤙🏻✌🏻
Absolutely. Cheers, Fred and ROCK ON! ✌🏻
@@dwaynewladyka577 Hey Dwayne😃ROCK ON!!!!!!!🤘🏻🤙🏻✌🏻
beautiful song....
Sleep on living room floor just ta watch this the Midnight Special it was like party for us 12 yr old s ta stay up n watch this ,,,America was one of the best
When late night was king. Days gone by.
Love these guys, stoll bringing happiness to all, see you in st Pete FL dec 7
Thank you Burt 🤗🙏🍺cheers
Thanks to their influence, California music sounds had a great impact on Japan
🏆⭐😎❤️🩹
Thank you for sharing this
This song is a real staple of cover bands and buskers. And for good reason! It's lovely.
One of the best bands of the 1970's - America! The 1970's was of the best decades of movies and music!
I always felt {or wished} ha! that this song was about me, my hair is golden brown and shines red in the sunlight. LOVE America 😍 and have had a crush on Gerry Beckley, forever. Their album “America” was the 1st one I bought as a young girl.
Those harmonies! Ahhh
😻
that takes me back to my military school days, Wentworth in Lexington, MO. although most of us were into Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and the like, heard this on the radio often ☮
Aaah America- the lads raised in Ruislip UK...
Love their music. For me, Ventura Highway is the song that epitomizes the 70s. Their stage presence seems a little diminished though imo since it is after Dan Peek's departure.
This epic and timeless American masterpiece reminds of a beautiful, blue eye women, who I used to date and skateboard with, in the late '70s, in a once rural, California town.☯
Unfortunately wasn’t deep into America as a teen but did own the greatest hits. Later in the 90s when I learned they had several albums produced by George Martin and album covers designed by Phil Hartman I caught up on most of them from the 70s and 80s. Lots of interesting non-hit songs in there! Tomorrow I’ll have America’s discography on shuffle! 😎
💚💙💜
I had forgotten what great drummer Martin Mull was! Gone too soon
The performance is from 1980. The song was released in 75.
Right by this time Dan had left the group.
So good. Oh yeah 👍
0:20 That would be a Dumble I see.
Good catch, looks Overdrive Special
With a shark on top and a boogie next door.
They had a Beach Boys thing going on with that harmony.
Sort of, yeah.
🇺🇸 🗽
Russ Ballard on slide guitar. This is essentially the same lineup as the _View from the Ground_ album, as you can see from the music video for "You Can Do Magic" (1982).
He’s fantastic 🎸😺🫶
I was sixteen before Sister Golden Hair Surprise made a lot more sense to me .
Loved midnight special was just thinking this was all talent didn't have a the equipment they use today
Gran banda de los setentas
I recognize that original Zemaitis(extremely vintage now) electric, and the Ovation Open Headstock 12 string Ovation(not that rare, there's plenty on Reverb for sale). But that Gibson Florentine Double Cutaway?: a Barney Kessel Custom, 1966 or earlier. Pretty rare now; some for sale on Reverb.
Yes, it's a Gibson Barney Kessel. A deceased friend of mine had one exactly like this.
Qué joya 💎!!
I know sister golden hairs sister👍
I remember riding in the back seat of a Camaro, drinking cheap beer and smoking cheap joints and having the best time of my life.
Gerry Beckley was so ahead of his times…. Sally Jessy Raphael got the same glasses in 1984
Please post Firefall "Headed For A Fall" (1980) with Wolfman Jack at the end!!!!
The guy with the lead singing guitar in the back also played for Elton John 🫵🏽!
This is such a great channel. Thank you for sharing these great moments in time with us all. Great live performances by the bands, but I can’t help noticing how the tempos on many of the songs we are seeing are sped up compared to the original recordings… did the show’s producers have anything to do with that, I wonder?
Wow. Better than the studio version, and that's saying something.
amazing. brings back such a special time I was fortunate enough to have lived in. Anyone know the name of the slide guitar player? studio musician. He does an outstanding job.
smooth
👍😃
This needs to be investigated on why this band is still NOT inducted in The Rock and Rock Hall of Fame.
There was a time in the 70s when this group had a couple of songs that you would have sworn were the Eagles.
'Murica 😁😁😁
😊
Dumble amp!!!
Gerry Beckley has decided to retire from the road, though he'll remain a member of America. “The only thing changing is that I'm not going to be getting on a plane every other day anymore,” he says.
They had their eighties haircuts.
When was kid thought was George Harrison slide
Love it but wish Dan would have stayed around