As the daughter of music-loving parents who grew up in the 1960s and 1970s, I was introduced to artists from that generation at a young age. Whether it was hearing stories of the dozens of concerts my parents attended in their lives, or my dad playing songs after dinner, music has always been an integral part of my life.
Over the years, I’ve fallen in love with artists like Elton John, Fleetwood Mac and the Eagles, and have even been fortunate enough to see both Elton John and Stevie Nicks in concert. Though to this day, I still have not seen the Eagles live. Throughout their nearly 2-year-long residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas, I hinted to my parents to get tickets but with busy schedules and costly expenses, my parents understandably turned me down each time. Every month, I find myself looking up Eagles tour dates to see if they will be performing anywhere remotely closer to the Tri-State area, and every time the results show the same dates and location as before.
The other day, while scrolling on TikTok, I came across a clip from a recent CBS interview with Eagles founding member, Don Henley. Within the first five seconds of the clip, Henley states, “You know, I think this year will probably be it,” and moments later confirms that he thinks this year will be the end of the Eagles. Although I knew that I would probably never see them perform at the Sphere, I always hoped that there would be another tour that would allow me to go.
With the imminent end of their 55-year-long tenure, I wanted to reflect on the Eagles' history as a band and some of the highlights that shaped them into one of the best-selling bands of all time.
The band dates back to 1971, when the four founding members first performed as Linda Ronstadt’s backup band. A few months after working with Ronstadt, David Geffen signed Henley, Glenn Frey, Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner to his label, Asylum Records. A year later, the band released their eponymous album, which saw immediate success. The debut single on the album, “Take it Easy,” was co-written by Frey and fellow country rocker Jackson Browne and reached 12th on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Following their successful debut album, the Eagles continued to thrive throughout the 70s with major hits, including “Hotel California,” “Lyin’ Eyes,” “Take It to the Limit” and “Life in the Fast Lane.” In 1976, the band released their first compilation album, “Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975),” which is the first ever album to have four diamond certifications by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Despite dozens of hits, the Eagles faced numerous setbacks, including multiple lineup changes. In 1974, there was the addition of guitarist Don Felder in 1974 and a year later, the band's founding member Leadon was replaced by Joe Walsh. In 1977, Meiser, another founding member, left the band and was replaced by Timothy B. Schmit. Following the departure of the two founding members and increasing differences in the band, the Eagles broke up in 1980.
After navigating solo careers in the music industry throughout the 80s and a high demand for a reunion, the band regrouped in 1994, with Frey, Henley, Walsh and Schmit returning to the lineup. Following their revival, the Eagles released their “Hell Freezes Over” live album, which reached No.1 on Billboard 200. A few years later, in 1998, the band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Tension still proved to be present, as Felder was dismissed in 2001 due to disagreements with his bandmates.
Despite the loss of Felder, the Eagles continued to perform until 2016, when co-founder Frey passed away at the age of 67. After a year-long hiatus, the band resumed touring due to the addition of Frey’s son, Deacon. Their current lineup for their residency at the Sphere consists of Henley, Walsh, Schmit, Deacon Frey and guitarist Vince Gill.
Throughout the additions and losses of members, and hiatuses, the Eagles have had a profound effect on the music industry and on my own life. Whether I'm feeling emotional, walking to class, or getting ready for a night out, the Eagles have a permanent rotation on my daily listening. Although I will never get to have the experience of listening to them live, I don’t think there will be a day that goes by that I’m not listening to them, even after their conclusion this year.
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