The Shadow
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) lists the Eagles as the top seller of music albums in America, the Eagles having surpassed Michael Jackson who held the record with “Thriller” till 2018.
Released in 1976 by Asylum Records that had been taken over by Warner Communications, “Eagles—Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975)” continues to lead all other American artists’ albums sold with 38,000,000 according to RIAA and Nielsen Sound Scan.
Like other high-profile bands in America, the Eagles that began as the quintessential 1970s Calif. band soared to popularity and international prominence by recording such mega-hits as “Lyin’ Eyes,” “Take It Easy,” “Life in the Fast Lane” and “Hotel California.”
The members of The Eagles at the time of the band’s skyrocketing popularity were Randy Meisner, Don Felder, Don Hensley, Glenn Frey and Joe Walsh when “Hotel California,” became the group’s megahit.
The founding members of The Eagles are Frey, guitar and vocals; Henley, drums and vocals; Meisner, bass guitar and vocals; and Bernie Leadon, guitar and vocals.
Linda Ronstadt had hired Henley and Frey in 1970 as members of her touring band that was based in Los Angeles, and at the beginning of the 1970s, the music industry was ready for a new sound in the genres of popular, country music and rock ‘n’ roll. The Eagles filled the bill.
Like in so many bands, members come and go, and some bands break up forever while others break up only to reunite as the Eagles did after a 14-year hiatus from 1980 to 1994.
Timmy B. Schmit, bass guitar and vocals; replaced Meisner in the band, Poco; in 1969. Schmit replaced Meisner again eight years later as the bass guitarist and a vocalist with the Eagles.
Frey passed away on Jan. 18, 2016, reportedly from acute colitis and rheumatoid arthritis that complicated his bout with pneumonia. He is credited with writing a large portion of the Eagles’ songs, often in collaboration with Hensley.
Deacon Frey, Glenn’s son, replaced his father with the Eagles who also hired Vince Gill, vocals and guitar; in 2017 to replace Glenn. Gill continues to perform as one of the Eagles, but Deacon stepped away to pursue a solo career.
The current members of the Eagles are Henley, Felder, Schmit, Joe Walsh, who first joined the Eagles in 1975, and Gill.
The Eagles have recorded five No. 1 singles and the group has received five America Music Awards, including a Grammy for the No. 1 record of the year, “Hotel California,” at the 20th Grammy Awards in the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium in Feb. of 1978.
The versatile Eagles are known for their cross-genre appeal, having become highly sought after entertainers in the genres of country music, country pop, folk rock, hard rock, soft rock and southern rock.
The Eagles’ “2023 Hotel California Tour” will feature Henley, Walsh, Schmit and Gill who will complete the 13-city-concert tour by April.
For the past 50 years no band has achieved greater recognition, despite its 14-year hiatus.
