LEGENDARY country-rock band America, who shot to fame in the 70s with A Horse With No Name, are touring the UK for the third time in as many years, and no-one is happier about it than founder member Dewey Bunnell.

“We weren’t able to get a tour of the UK for years,” he explained. “Then three years ago we got one, and it was our first tour of Britain in 20 years. Then it was a matter of proving ourselves again.

“Happily the shows were great and we’ve been back every year since.”

The band formed in Britain in 1970 and consisted of Dewey Bunnell, Gerry Beckley and Dan Peek. All had American fathers and British mothers and met up when their fathers were stationed at West Ruislip.

Dewey was in fact born in Harrogate, while Gerry and Dan were born in the US.

A Horse With No Name got to number three in the UK and hit the top in America.

Other hits followed with I Need You, Don’t Cross The River, Muskrat Love, Sister Golden Hair and Ventura Highway being the pick of their 70s output.

They even scored in the eighties with You Can Do Magic and a number of their albums were produced by none other than George Martin.

Speaking from his home in southern California, Dewey, who along with Gerry Beckley, still makes up the nucleus of the band, explained why he thinks they are still popular today.

“It’s the songs that are famous and not us. They’re the attraction. Back in the early days we were naïve and honest and I think it comes across in the songs.

“Also, they take the audience back to when they were young and I think that’s the key to the band’s longevity.”

Even after singing some of the songs for more than 35 years, the band never get tired of performing them. Every night is a little bit different. A different audience or a different room. I never feel: ‘hell, here it comes again,’ although physical fatigue can set in after about five weeks. That’s why we don’t do long tours.

“We’re proud of the songs and we want to perform them to the best of our ability. We used to take it all for granted, but we don’t now.”

Being teenagers in 60s Britain still brings back happy memories for him.

“We all came of age in London in the 60s and it left a large imprint in our musical lives. It was a magical period for us.”

The band always discuss the set list before setting out on tour. “We listen to the fans and incorporate their ideas, but sometimes some songs don’t organically fit and if they don’t work in a live show it changes the flow of a set and sticks out like a sore thumb.

“We had an album out a couple of years ago called Here And Now which was quite successful and we’ll play one or two tracks off that, maybe Chasing The Rainbow and of course all the hits.”

America will be appearing at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall on Monday. Tickets are available from 0161 907 9000.