10 Pics Remembering The Eagles, The Band That Gave Us Don Henley
How the Eagles learned to soar.
Published 2 months ago in Wow
Much like their storied moniker, the Eagles not only defined '70s rock, but soared into rock stardom, churning out hits like "Hotel California" while helping Don Henley, Joe Walsh, and Glenn Frey make their mark in music history.
From their origins with Linda Ronstadt to their current residency in Las Vegas, here are 10 pics remembering the Eagles.
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The Eagles’ origins point back to yet another rock icon — Linda Ronstadt. In the early ‘70s, the lady rocker tapped Glenn Frey and Don Henley to play in her band. After touring with the “You’re No Good” singer, Frey and Henley decided to start their own group, adding in Bernie Leadon at Ronstadt’s suggestion. After throwing Randy Meisner into the mix — and performing with Ronstadt at Disneyland — the quartet was signed to Asylum Records.3
After solidifying their lineup, the band settled on the name the Eagles after loading up on tequila and peyote and hitting the Mojave desert. While the specific origins of the name are up for debate, JD Souther alleged their moniker came to be after Glenn Frey pointed out a group of eagles soaring in the sky.4
With a name and a solid lineup, the group worked on discovering their musical identity, synthesizing ‘60s rhythm and blues, soul music, and groups like the Byrds to create a new sound, one dubbed “California rock.” They released several records throughout the early ‘70s, finding early success with their fourth studio album, ‘One of These Nights.’8
After roughly a decade and a half apart, the Eagles reunited in the early ‘90s, with their H— Freezes Over tour, an homage to Henley’s previous statement as to when the group would get back together. “For the record, we never broke up, we just took a 14-year vacation,” Frey said. After charting with songs like "Get Over It" and "Love Will Keep Us Alive,” the group embarked on a tour.9
Though the band faced several hurdles throughout the early 2000s — including the firing of Don Felder and the lawsuit that followed — the group faced its arguably toughest blow in 2016, when Glenn Frey died at the age of 67, a tragedy that had Henley convinced the group wouldn’t play together again. "I think it was an appropriate farewell,” he said following their tribute to Frey at the 2016 Grammy Awards. “I don't think you'll see us performing again."