Iowa History Daily: February 3 - America's Wil Leacox

Iowa History Daily: On February 3, 2022, Wil Leacox of Shenandoah passed away. The drummer of the legendary rock group “America,” Leacox left a legacy of providing the rhythm for hits including “Sister Golden Hair,” “A Horse with No Name,” and “Ventura Highway,” over a 41-year run with the band.

Born into a musical family. Leacox always credited the supportive musical scene of Shenandoah with helping him get a musical start. As a teenager he performed with bands called “The Echoes” and “Green Giants.” Heading to Washburn University, Leacox drummed for a band called “Jerms.”

After graduating from Washburn, Leacox joined “America” when the band split with original drummer David Atwood. The band, coming off the success of their breakthrough record “Homecoming” in 1972, continued to find success with Leacox behind the kit. 

Top 10 hits "Tin Man" (number 4 in 1974), "Lonely People" (number 5 in 1975), "Sister Golden Hair" (number 1 in 1975), and "You Can Do Magic" (number 8 in 1982) all came during Leacox’s time with the band. For over four decades Leacox performed with “America” before officially ending the run in 2014. #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar