Joe Walsh just missed an Eagles show for the first time in more than five decades. The rock band’s Jan. 24 performance at the Sphere in Las Vegas went on without its guitarist after he fell ill.
A rep for Walsh told People that the rocker is dealing with a “tough and difficult” flu. The rep added that Walsh “hopes to be back at it soon,” the rep added.
Videos by American Songwriter
Rolling Stone first reported Walsh’s absence from the stage.
“We had a choice to make,” Don Henley told the crowd at the Jan. 24 show, per the outlet. “We could either cancel the whole thing, or we could man up and do the show.”
“We came down here this afternoon and had an emergency rehearsal for two hours,” he continued. “And fortunately, in this band, we have a deep bench.”
Deacon Frey and Vince Gill largely handled Walsh’s parts during the show. The outlet reported that Frey and Chris Holt lent their talents to “Hotel California,” while Gill sang in Walsh’s place on “In The City,” “Life’s Been Good,” and “Rocky Mountain Way.”
The band opted not to attempt “Funk #49” without Walsh, instead slotting in “Best of My Love,” the outlet reported.
Joe Walsh’s Missed Eagles Show
During the band’s Sphere performance the day before Walsh’s absence, the guitarist was on hand for most of the show. However, the Eagles cut “Rocky Mountain Way” from their set and decided not to take part in the closing bow, per the outlet.
“He was sick last night,” Henley said, according to the outlet. “But he heroically made it through last of the show.”
As for Walsh’s prognosis, Henley reportedly said, “Joe’s going to be OK. He just needs some time. Give him some love.”
Additionally, the outlet reported that Henley thanked the crowd for their attendance, telling them, “It’s good to be in the room with you tonight.”
“We can all be on the same page tonight because music is a universal language and music is medicine. After the week we’ve had, we could all use some medicine,” he reportedly said. “We’re not going to do much talking. We’re not going to do to do any jumping around. We’re not going to do any squatting.”
“We’re just going to play the s**t out of these guitars,” he continued, per the outlet. “We’ve been playing these songs for you for about 53 years now. It’s been a privilege and an honor.”
Photo by: Casey Durkin/NBC via Getty Images