Daniel Milton Peek (November 1, 1950 – July 24, 2011) was an American musician, singer, and songwriter, best known as the co-founder of the band America,[1] and later a "pioneer" in contemporary Christian music.

[5] When Peek was a young boy, he suffered from rheumatoid arthritis and had to be hospitalized for weeks 100 miles (160 km) away from the family home; his parents could visit only occasionally.

Known for singing the high harmonies, Peek contributed lead and backing vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, and harmonica to their recordings during his tenure in the band.

[7] In 2004, he released an autobiography about that era entitled An American Band: The America Story which was "very difficult" for him to write because of the bad memories it brought up.

He went on to sign with Pat Boone's Lamb & Lion Records and found renewed success as an artist in the emerging Christian pop music genre.

[10] 1986 saw the release of his Electrovoice album, again to the CCM market, which included a remake of "Lonely People", featuring a very similar lead vocal treatment and overall arrangement to the original America version.

He changed some of the song's lyrics to reflect his Christian faith; for example, the lines "And ride that highway in the sky" and "You never know until you try" became "And give your heart to Jesus Christ".

[11] Peek spent much of the 1990s in semi-retirement, occasionally recording music at his home in Bodden Town, Grand Cayman Island.