On this day (July 22) in 1947, Don Henley was born in Gilmer, Texas. He co-founded the Eagles in the early 1970s and is the band’s only remaining original member. He has also had a successful solo career, releasing five albums and multiple hit singles.
Henley began his journey to rock stardom when he was still in high school. First, he joined a Dixieland jazz band. Then, he and some of his friends formed a band called the Four Speeds. They later changed their name to Felicity and signed a deal with a local producer. In the late 1960s, the band became Shiloh. They met Kenny Rogers, who came to their show and liked what he heard so much that he invited the band to come to Los Angeles, where he let them live with him and produced their self-titled album.
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According to Henley’s website, the members of Shiloh became regulars at the Troubadour, a popular club where some of the most influential members of the budding country rock scene hung out. There, they met Glenn Frey and J. D. Souther, who were performing as Longbranch-Pennywhistle. Shiloh broke up in early 1971, freeing Henley up for an important gig.
The Formation of the Eagles
Frey approached him and said, “A friend of mine and I are thinking about starting a band together. In the meantime, do you want to go on the road with Linda Ronstadt and make 200 bucks a week?” He agreed, and they accompanied Ronstadt on her 1971 tour.
That fall, after the tour ended, Glenn Frey and Don Henley began building a new band. They tapped Randy Meisner and Bernie Leadon, who had also been in Ronstadt’s band. Their differing musical backgrounds made for a unique blend of country, rock, folk, and blues. They called themselves the Eagles. Their first single, “Take It Easy,” dropped in May 1972.
Since then, they have sold more than 150 million albums, making them the best-selling American band in history. Before they split in 1980, they notched four No. 1 albums, including the 4x Diamond-certified Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975). They reunited in the mid-90s and found more chart success. Today, they continue to tour, drawing massive crowds of loyal fans.
The Eagles experienced several lineup changes over the years. When Frey died in 2016, Henley became the only consistent founding member of the band. The current lineup includes Henley, Joe Walsh, Timothy B. Schmit, Deacon Frey, and Vince Gill.
The band has won six Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.
Don Henley’s Solo Career
When the Eagles split, Don Henley embarked on a solo career. He released his debut album, I Can’t Stand Still, in 1982. He has since released four more LPs. His most recent was Cass Country, which dropped in 2015.
Over the years, Henley has released several hit singles. Some of his most notable hits include “Dirty Laundry,” “The Boys of Summer,” “All She Wants to Do Is Dance,” and “The End of Innocence.” He has also won three Grammy Awards as a solo artist.
[RELATED: Remembering When Don Henley Went Solo in 1982 and Shocked the World]
Don Henley is also a philanthropist. He has co-founded two organizations aimed at protecting the environment. The Walden Woods project was established in 1990, and the Cado Lake Institute came three years later. Additionally, he co-founded the Recording Artists’ Coalition in 2000, which helps protect musicians’ rights in the music industry.
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