On Monday, the music world lost another icon with the death of guitarist Glenn Frey. The co-founder of the Eagles died from complications related to several illnesses. He was only 67 years old.
The Eagles started in 1971 in Los Angeles, with Frey and Don Henley first recording together as Linda Ronstadt's backing group. long with Randy Meisner and Bernie Leadon, they left Ronstadt to form their own group at Asylum Records. In June 1972, they released their first album, simply titled Eagles. Although actually recorded in England, the group retained their Southern California, laid-back, country-rock sound.
Right off the bat, it was clear that Frey and Henley’s collaboration would result in hit after hit after hit. The group stayed together through 1979, with Don Felder, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmidt joining as Leadon and Meisner left. They famously reunited in 1994 for the combination live/studio album Hell Freezes Over and in 2007, they reunited again for the two-disc album Long Road Out of Eden.
Frey, Henley, Walsh and Schmidt had been touring regularly until Frey’s illness kept them off the road. They were even forced to postpone their Kennedy Center Honor in December. While some might hate the Eagles’ music - especially since their hits have dominated classic rock radio since “classic rock radio” became a thing - it’s hard to dismiss their musicianship and songwriting abilities. Frey and Henley’s music remains the soundtrack to many fans’ lives.
I’ve put together a list of 10 Eagles classics that Frey made major contributions to, although he contributed to all of them. This will feel like a Greatest Hits setlist, but that’s because it is.