“I Don’t Believe You”: Vince Gill Couldn’t Believe This Eagles Classic Was Don Henley and Glenn Frey’s First Song (Exclusive)

Back in January 2016, the music industry and fans mourned the passing of Glenn Frey. One of the founding members of the Eagles, Frey spent decades traveling the world, performing classics like “The Heat Is On” and “You Belong to the City.” Beyond the hit songs and Grammy Awards, Frey joined his Eagles bandmates in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. But with Frey passing away, the remaining members hoped to keep his memory alive by continuing to perform with Vince Gill taking over. Cherishing every moment on stage, Gill learned the first song Frey ever wrote with Don Henley. 

Sitting down on the Off the Record podcast, Gill was asked what it was like to share the stage with the Eagles. Although a musician himself, Gill would always be a fan first. And remembering what it was like to listen to the Eagles when he was younger, the country singer couldn’t believe he now performed those same songs. “It’s been an amazing experience. And I think what I’ve learned most from playing with them is how important songs are again, and that’s what made them, them. Their songs were just better than everybody else’s.”

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Vince Gill Is Just Grateful Being On Stage With The Eagles

But what makes their songs better than others? According to Gill, it was the pairing of Frey and Henley. “I remember sitting down with Don early on in the process, hadn’t been playing with him long, and I said, ‘What’s the first song you and Glenn ever wrote?’ He smiled; he said, ‘Desperado.’” Stunned, Gill added, “I  said, ‘I don’t believe you.’ I said, ‘You had to write some crappy songs, didn’t you?’”

With Gill spending five decades in music, he understood the process of writing a hit song. It usually came after there was a sea of bad songs. But the Eagles were an exception to the rule. As for “Desperado,” it was released on the group’s second studio album of the same name. At the time, it climbed the charts, peaking at No. 41 on the US Billboard 200. 

Although “Desperado” didn’t dominate the charts, its popularity expanded with each passing year. And now, Rolling Stone considered it one of the 500 greatest Songs of All Time.

But no matter what the future held for him and the Eagles, Gill insisted he was simply happy to be part of the experience. “Yeah, I’m more than grateful to get to stand up there and keep that catalog of songs.”

(Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images)