2000s and Beyond
The band launched a 30th anniversary tour in 2000 that proved highly successful.
In 2001 when Pack's schedule grew busy, he was forced to bow out altogether and was replaced by Doug Jackson, who had filled in for him for some shows the previous year. Pack's final show with the band was on November 4, 2000 in Chandler, Arizona. Shem had scheduling conflicts himself and Ricky Cosentino filled in for him for some concerts in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2003. Shem then left in 2003 to join Kenny Loggins' band. Robert Berry (vocals, guitars), formerly of 3 and GTR, joined temporarily in 2004-2005, and Ken Stacey jumped in in 2005. Shem then returned and he & Stacey alternated with the group for awhile. Tollak Ollestad split in late 2004 to concentrate on a solo career and relocate to the Netherlands where he has had success over there. David C. Lewis then returned, after having substituted for Tollak on some 1999 and 2003 gigs. But Tollak has remained on call to sub for various band members and returned to play their spring 2009 tour in place of David C. Lewis & Shem. After this, Rick Cowling (formerly with Kenny Loggins) came in on vocals, guitar and keyboards, though Tollak still appears with the band from time to time, most recently in 2010 when Doug Jackson was out playing guitar for Gary Wright and Tollak handled keys once again while Rick moved over to lead guitar until Jackson's return later in the year.
On September 1, 2001 the band recorded a live album at the Galaxy Theater in Santa Ana, California without David Pack. This album, Live, was released in May 2002. Also, in 2003 Collectables Records released another compilation album, How Much I Feel and Other Hits. Several compilation albums and another live album have been released, though none officially from the band. In 2004, the band released a DVD called Ambrosia: Real Artists Working. Though there have been no new studio albums since 1982, they have written and performed new material, and a new original album has long been in the planning stages.
David Pack released two 2005 solo projects: Unborn, a compilation of older unreleased material, and the more up-to-date The Secret of Movin' On featuring collaborations with Timothy B. Schmit of Eagles fame, former Journey vocalist Steve Perry, Heart legend Ann Wilson and America co-founder Dewey Bunnell amongst others. Both albums follow in Pack's recent bent of smooth pop-rock.
The rest of the band continued to tour essentially as an oldies act with other similar artists from the era (including John Ford Coley, Gary Wright and Stephen Bishop), often acting as the backing band for said other artists, and have to some degree begun embarking on other careers. Joe Puerta has started a studio near his suburban Milwaukee home, The Exchange, where he's produced several artists including Les Lokey, Big Nick & the Cydecos, Alaria Taylor and The Good Luck Joes.
Burleigh Drummond drummed for roots CCM supergroup Lost Dogs for several albums and then started a group, Tin Drum, with his wife, Mary Harris, a singer/songwriter who has worked with Pink Floyd, XTC, Stanley Clarke and Jimmy Buffett. The band has released three albums and also become a production company with such varied artists on their roster as bluesman Mo Rodgers and kids-oriented gospel act Kingdom Bound.
Peter Banks, original guitarist of Yes, announced that his Original Yes Songs Tour, planned for March 2011, would be supported by Ambrosia. However, the tour did not happen because of Banks' health issues.
The band appeared on the May 2, 2011 episode of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon as part of the host's "Yacht Rock 2k11" theme show, performing "Biggest Part of Me" (during the show) and "How Much I Feel" (after the formal taping, but put up on the Fallon website). They continue to tour throughout the country, with Alan Tilles (sax) or Burleigh's wife, Mary Harris (keyboards, from Tin Drum), occasionally performing with the group.
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