Eagles

  • Los Angeles, CA
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  • Rock
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  • 1971
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About Eagles

Official Site: http://eaglesband.com/


With five number one singles, fourteen Top 40 hits, and four number one albums, the Eagles were among the most successful recording artists of the 1970s. At the end of the 20th century, two of those albums -- Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) and Hotel California -- ranked among the ten best-selling albums ever, and the popularity of 2007's Long Road Out of Eden proved the Eagles' staying power in the new millenium. Though most of its members came from outside California, the group was closely identified with a country- and folk-tinged sound that initially found favor in Los Angeles during the late '60s, as championed by such bands as the Flying Burrito Brothers and Poco (both of which contributed members to the Eagles). But the band also drew upon traditional rock & roll styles and, in their later work, helped define the broadly popular rock sound that became known as classic rock. As a result, the Eagles achieved a perennial appeal among generations of music fans who continued to buy their records many years after they had split up, which helped inspire the Eagles' reunion in the mid-'90s.

The band was formed by four Los Angeles-based musicians who had migrated to the West Coast from other parts of the country. Singer/bassist Randy Meisner (born in Scottsbluff, NE, on March 8, 1946) moved to L.A. in 1964 as part of a band originally called the Soul Survivors (not to be confused with the East Coast-based Soul Survivors, who scored a Top Five hit with "Expressway to Your Heart" in 1967) and later renamed the Poor. He became a founding member of Poco in 1968, but left the band prior to the release of its debut album in order to join the Stone Canyon Band, the backup group for Rick Nelson. Meanwhile, singer/guitarist/banjoist/mandolinist Bernie Leadon (born in Minneapolis, MN, on July 19, 1947) arrived in L.A. in 1967 as a member of Hearts and Flowers, later joining Dillard & Clark and then the Flying Burrito Brothers. Singer/drummer Don Henley (born in Gilmer, TX, on July 22, 1947) moved to L.A. in June 1970 with his band Shiloh, which made one self-titled album for Amos Records before breaking up. Finally, Glenn Frey (born in Detroit, MI, on November 6, 1948) performed in his hometown and served as a backup musician for Bob Seger before moving to L.A. in the summer of 1968. He formed the duo Longbranch Pennywhistle with J.D. Souther, and the two musicians signed to Amos Records, which released their self-titled album in 1969.

In the spring of 1971, Frey and Henley were hired to play in Linda Ronstadt's backup band. Meisner and Leadon also played backup for Ronstadt during her summer tour, though the four only did one gig together: a July show at Disneyland. They did, however, all appear on Ronstadt's next album, Linda Ronstadt. In September 1971, Frey, Henley, Leadon, and Meisner signed with manager David Geffen, agreeing to record for his soon-to-be-launched label, Asylum Records; soon after, they adopted the name the Eagles. In February 1972, they flew to England and spent two weeks recording their debut album, Eagles, with producer Glyn Johns. It was released in June, reaching the Top 20 and going gold in a little over a year and a half on the strength of two Top Ten hits -- "Take It Easy" and "Witchy Woman" -- and one Top 20 hit, "Peaceful Easy Feeling."

The Eagles toured as an opening act throughout 1972 and into early 1973, when they returned to England to record their second LP, Desperado, a concept album about outlaws. Produced by Glyn Johns and released in April 1973, it reached the Top 40 and went gold in a little less than a year and a half, spawning the Top 40 single "Tequila Sunrise" in the process. The title track, though never released as a single, became one of the band's better-known songs and was included on the Eagles' first hits collection.

After touring to support Desperado's release, the Eagles again convened a recording session with Glyn Johns for their third album. Their desire to make harder rock music clashed with Johns' sense of them as a country-rock band, however, and they split from the producer after recording two tracks, "You Never Cry Like a Lover" and "The Best of My Love." After an early 1974 tour opened by singer/guitarist Joe Walsh, the band decided to hire Walsh's producer, Bill Szymczyk, who handled the rest of the sessions for On the Border. Szymczyk brought in a session guitarist, Don Felder (born in Gainesville, FL, on September 21, 1947), an old friend of Bernie Leadon's who so impressed the rest of the band that he was recruited to join the group.

On the Border was released in March 1974. It went gold and reached the Top Ten in June, the Eagles' fastest-selling album yet. The first single, "Already Gone," reached the Top 20 the same month. But the most successful song on the LP -- the one that broke them through to a much larger audience -- was "The Best of My Love," which was released as a single in November. It hit number one on the easy listening charts in February 1975 and topped the pop charts a month later.

The Eagles' fourth album, One of These Nights, was an out-of-the-box smash. Released in June 1975, it went gold the same month and hit number one in July. Moreover, it featured three singles that hit the Top Five: the chart-topping title song, "Lyin' Eyes," and "Take It to the Limit." "Lyin' Eyes" won the 1975 Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group, or Chorus, and the Eagles also earned Grammy nominations for Album of the Year (One of These Nights) and Record of the Year ("Lyin' Eyes"). The group went on a headlining world tour, beginning with the U.S. and expanding into Europe. But on December 20, 1975, it was announced that Bernie Leadon had quit the band, and Joe Walsh (born in Wichita, KS, on November 20, 1947) was brought in as his replacement. He immediately joined the tour, which continued to the Far East in early 1976.

The Eagles' extensive touring kept them out of the studio, and with no immediate plans for a new album, they agreed to release a compilation, Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975), in February 1976. The album's success proved to be surprisingly meteoric. It topped the charts and became a phenomenal success, eventually selling upwards of 25,000,000 copies and dueling with Michael Jackson's Thriller for the title of the best-selling album of all time in the U.S.

It took the Eagles 18 months to follow One of These Nights with their fifth album, Hotel California. Released in December 1976, the record was certified platinum in one week, hit number one in January 1977, and eventually sold over 10,000,000 copies. The singles "New Kid in Town" and "Hotel California" hit number one, and "Life in the Fast Lane" made the Top 20. Meanwhile, "Hotel California" won the 1977 Grammy for Record of the Year and was nominated for Song of the Year; the album itself was nominated for Album of the Year and for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group, or Chorus. The Eagles embarked on a world tour in March 1977 that began with a month in the U.S., followed by a month in Europe and the Far East, then returned to the U.S. in May for stadium dates. At the end of the tour in September, Randy Meisner left the band; he was replaced by Timothy B. Schmit (born in Sacramento, CA, November 20, 1947), formerly of Poco, in which he also had replaced Meisner.

The Eagles began working on a new album in March 1978 and took nearly a year and a half to complete it. The Long Run was released in September 1979. It hit number one and was certified platinum after four months, eventually earning multi-platinum certifications. "Heartache Tonight," its lead-off single, hit number one, and "I Can't Tell You Why" and "The Long Run" became Top Ten hits. "Heartache Tonight" won the 1979 Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. The Eagles toured the U.S. in 1980, and at a week-long series of shows at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, they recorded Eagles Live. (Also included were some tracks recorded in 1976.) Released in November 1980, the double LP (since reissued as a single CD) reached the Top Five and went multi-platinum, with the single "Seven Bridges Road" reaching the Top 40.

The Eagles were inactive after the end of their 1980 tour, but their breakup was not officially announced until May 1982. All five released solo recordings. (Walsh, of course, maintained a solo career before, during, and after the Eagles.) During the rest of the 1980s, the bandmembers received several lucrative offers to reunite, but they declined. In 1990, Frey and Henley began writing together again, and they performed along with Schmit and Walsh at benefit concerts that spring. A full-scale reunion was rumored, but did not take place. Four years later, however, the Eagles did reunite. In the spring of 1994, they taped an MTV concert special and then launched a tour that ended up running through August 1996. The MTV show aired in October, followed in November by an audio version of it, the album Hell Freezes Over, which topped the charts and became a multi-million seller, spawning the Top 40 pop hit "Get Over It" and the number one adult contemporary hit "Love Will Keep Us Alive."

The Eagles next appeared together in January 1998 for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, when the five present members performed alongside past members Leadon and Meisner. On December 31, 1999, they played a millennium concert at the Staples Center in Los Angeles that was recorded and included on the box set retrospective Selected Works: 1972-1999 in November 2000. All was not well within the band, however, and Felder was expelled from the lineup in February 2001. A protracted legal battle ensued as the Eagles soldiered on as a quartet, releasing The Very Best of the Eagles in 2003 and achieving minor success with the single "Hole in the World." Felder's case was settled out of court in 2007; that same year, the Eagles returned with the band's seventh studio album, Long Road Out of Eden, a double-disc album that quickly went multi-platinum. ~ William Ruhlmann, Rovi

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Photos

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  • Olympic skater and gold medalist Scott Hamilton (left), the Eagles' Joe Walsh, Lionel Richie and William Shatner during the <I>CMT Artists of the Year</I> celebration
    Eagles
    Olympic skater and gold medalist Scott Hamilton (left), the Eagles' Joe Walsh, Lionel Richie and William Shatner during the CMT Artists of the Year celebration
    Rick Diamond/Getty Images
  • Honoree Kenny Chesney (left), New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton, Marjorie Bach and the Eagles' Joe Walsh at the 2011 <I>CMT Artists of the Year</I> event
    Eagles
    Honoree Kenny Chesney (left), New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton, Marjorie Bach and the Eagles' Joe Walsh at the 2011 CMT Artists of the Year event
    Rick Diamond/Getty Images
  • The Eagles' Joe Walsh (right) brings attention to his friend and honoree Brad Paisley during the 2011 <I>CMT Artists of the Year</I> celebration.
    Eagles
    The Eagles' Joe Walsh (right) brings attention to his friend and honoree Brad Paisley during the 2011 CMT Artists of the Year celebration.
    Rick Diamond/Getty Images
  • William Shatner (left) joins Brad Paisley and the Eagles' Joe Walsh for an exciting medley of tunes during the 2011 <I>CMT Artists of the Year</I>.
    Eagles
    William Shatner (left) joins Brad Paisley and the Eagles' Joe Walsh for an exciting medley of tunes during the 2011 CMT Artists of the Year.
    Rick Diamond/Getty Images
  • Brad Paisley (left) admires the quick fingers of the Eagles' Joe Walsh during their collaboration.
    Eagles
    Brad Paisley (left) admires the quick fingers of the Eagles' Joe Walsh during their collaboration.
    Rick Diamond/Getty Images
  • Brad Paisley (left) is joined by the Eagles' Joe Walsh for a rocking medley during the 2011 <I>CMT Artists of the Year</I> celebration.
    Eagles
    Brad Paisley (left) is joined by the Eagles' Joe Walsh for a rocking medley during the 2011 CMT Artists of the Year celebration.
    Rick Diamond/Getty Images
  • The Eagles' Joe Walsh and wife Marjorie Bach arrive at the taping of the <I>2011 CMT Artists of the Year</I> in Nashville on Nov. 29, 2011.
    Eagles
    The Eagles' Joe Walsh and wife Marjorie Bach arrive at the taping of the 2011 CMT Artists of the Year in Nashville on Nov. 29, 2011.
    Royce DeGrie/Getty Images
  • The Eagles' Joe Walsh and wife Marjorie Bach arrive at the taping of the <I>2011 CMT Artists of the Year</I> in Nashville on Nov. 29, 2011.
    Eagles
    The Eagles' Joe Walsh and wife Marjorie Bach arrive at the taping of the 2011 CMT Artists of the Year in Nashville on Nov. 29, 2011.
    Brian Tipton
  • The Eagles play at the 42nd annual CMA Awards on Nov. 12, 2008.
    Eagles
    The Eagles play at the 42nd annual CMA Awards on Nov. 12, 2008.
    Frank Micelotta/Getty Images
  • Musician Joe Walsh of the Eagles performs at the 42nd annual CMA Awards on Nov. 12, 2008.
    Eagles
    Musician Joe Walsh of the Eagles performs at the 42nd annual CMA Awards on Nov. 12, 2008.
    Scott Gries/Getty Images

News

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    May 21, 2013
    Bradley Cooper in Gucci at 'The Hangover 3' premiere. Photo: Getty Images Bradley Cooper : the man can make a trash bag and Eagles jersey look...
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    Frank Ocean May Face Lawsuit Over 'Eagles' Sample
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    The seemingly well-behaved 'golden child' of the Odd Future clan, Frank Ocean, may not be so golden after all. The singer/songwriter has reportedly be...
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  • Eagles
    Frank Ocean Says Don Henley Doesn't Approve of His Use of the Eagles' "Hotel California" | News | Pitchfork
    www.pitchfork.com
    impassioned, emoticon-filled text messages: "DON HENLEY IS APPARENTLY INTIMIDATED BY MY RENDITION OF HOTEL CALIFORNIA...", writes Frank Ocean on his T...
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  • Eagles
    The Eagles Considering Legal Action Against Frank Ocean
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    In their travels, Odd Future have rubbed more than a few people the wrong way, and now they seem to have ruffled the feathers of iconic rockers the Ea...
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  • Eagles
    Eagles Object To Frank Ocean's Sample of "Hotel California"
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    R&B singer Frank Ocean has encountered legal trouble over his song "American Wedding" off of his debut 2011 mixtape Nostalgia, ULTRA, which utilizes t...
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  • Eagles
    'History of the Eagles, Part One' Review | Billboard
    www.billboard.com
    The first images in the story of the Eagles come from a Maryland concert in 1977. Enthusiastically received versions of "Take It Easy," "One of These ...
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  • Eagles
    'History of the Eagles, Part One': Film Review | Billboard
    www.billboard.com
    The first images in the story of the Eagles come from a Maryland concert in 1977. Enthusiastically received versions of "Take It Easy," "One of These ...
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  • Eagles
    Q&A;: Don Henley Opens Up About 'The History of the Eagles' at Sundance
    music.yahoo.com
    RELATED CONTENTView Photo Q&A;: Don Henley Opens Up About 'The History of the Eagles' at Sundance After remaining notoriously mum for the majority of ...
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    The Eagles Plot Tour in Support of New Documentary
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    Former Eagles Guitarist Bernie Leadon to Rejoin Band for Upcoming Tour
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    Former Eagles Guitarist Bernie Leadon to Rejoin Band for Upcoming Tour
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    According to guitarist Joe Walsh, former Eagles guitarist and co-founder Bernie Leadon will join the group on their upcoming History of the Eagles tou...
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Tour Dates

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  • Jun 26 Wednesday
    Milwaukee, WI, US US Cell Stage
    Buy Ticket
  • Jul 6 Saturday
    Louisville, KY, US KFC Yum! Center
    Buy Ticket
  • Jul 9 Tuesday
    Cleveland, OH, US Quicken Loans Arena
    Buy Ticket
  • Jul 11 Thursday
    Toronto, ON, Canada Air Canada Centre
    Buy Ticket
  • Jul 13 Saturday
    Grand Falls, NL, Canada Salmon Festival
    Buy Ticket
  • Jul 16 Tuesday
    Philadelphia, PA, US Wells Fargo Center
    Buy Ticket
  • Jul 18 Thursday
    Uncasville, CT, US Mohegan Sun Arena
    Buy Ticket
  • Jul 19 Friday
    Mansfield, MA, US Comcast Center
    Buy Ticket
  • Jul 22 Monday
    Washington, DC, US Verizon Center
    Buy Ticket
  • Jul 23 Tuesday
    Pittsburgh, PA, US CONSOL Energy Center
    Buy Ticket
  • Jul 25 Thursday
    Bethel, NY, US Bethel Woods Center For The Arts
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  • Sep 18 Wednesday
    Minneapolis, MN, US Target Center
    Buy Ticket

Discography

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  • New Zealand Concert (2009)
    Eagles
    New Zealand Concert (2009)
    Immortal
  • Long Road Out of Eden (2007)
    Eagles
    Long Road Out of Eden (2007)
    Universal International
  • Hell Freezes Over (1994)
    Eagles
    Hell Freezes Over (1994)
    Geffen Records
  • Eagles Live (1980)
    Eagles
    Eagles Live (1980)
    Elektra Entertainment
  • The Long Run (1979)
    Eagles
    The Long Run (1979)
    Elektra Entertainment
  • Hotel California (1976)
    Eagles
    Hotel California (1976)
    Elektra Entertainment
  • One of These Nights (1975)
    Eagles
    One of These Nights (1975)
    Elektra Entertainment
  • On the Border (1974)
    Eagles
    On the Border (1974)
    Elektra Entertainment
  • Desperado (1973)
    Eagles
    Desperado (1973)
    Elektra
  • Eagles (1972)
    Eagles
    Eagles (1972)
    Elektra Entertainment
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