The one performance that changed Don Henley’s life: “It was like a bolt of lightning”
Listening to the Eagles’ music feels like the sound of California sunshine. Even though the band have had their fair share of ups and downs, the bliss radiating off songs like ‘Take It Easy’ has etched themselves in the minds of rock fans worldwide for generations now. If it weren’t for one of the pioneers of rock and roll, though, there’s a good chance Don Henley wouldn’t be playing music at all.
Coming from Texas, Henley was first introduced to country music in his teenage years, listening to different radio stations that he could get of shows like The Grand Olde Opry. While most kids at that time were congregating towards country music like Henley, he became transfixed with rock and roll the first time he heard Elvis Presley on the radio.
Fitting somewhere between country and rock and roll, Presley’s brand of rockabilly and his wild pelvis antics stirred controversy in the early days of rock. Although Henley was undoubtedly enamoured with the sounds of Presley’s music, it wasn’t until The Beatles came to the US that he was sold on the idea of being in a rock band.
Being descendants of what Presley had been pioneering, the Fab Four had taken rock and roll to the next level, blending elements of rock and roll, soul, and pop and forging them into their unique sound on their debut, Please Please Me. Once the band began to gain traction in England, they shaped the rock landscape overnight the minute they played on the Ed Sullivan Show.
Seen by millions of fans on the broadcast date, Henley remembered being shellshocked the first time he saw them, telling History of the Eagles, “One of my greatest experiences was seeing The Beatles on Ed Sullivan. It was like a bolt of lightning. It had an impact that would last a lifetime. It had a huge impact on me, and it was an impact that would last a lifetime. And I know it had a huge impact on Glenn [Frey] too, even though we didn’t know each other at the time.”
Quickly putting together the band Shiloh, Henley would go on to cut various demos in Texas before getting the opportunity to work with country icon Kenny Rogers, who would help get the group their first recording deal. While their songs may not have fit in with the times, Henley’s golden voice and steady percussion eventually got him a deal working in Linda Ronstadt’s backing band, where he met an up-and-coming guitarist out of Detroit named Glenn Frey.
Although both enjoyed playing with Ronstadt, it wasn’t long until they wanted to break free of their backup roles, quitting the group to form the Eagles alongside Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner. Despite taking a massive gamble with starting their own outfit, Henley’s first compositions, like ‘Desperado’ and ‘Witchy Woman’ have a Beatles flair to them, with the former sounding like a song Paul McCartney could have written in his traditional homespun style.
From there, the band would create the most timeless music of the next decade, eventually scoring one of the best-selling albums of the century with Their Greatest Hits. Henley may be indebted to The Beatles for helping him discover music, but in terms of raw sales, he has earned himself a spot next to the Fab Four.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out Beatles Newsletter
All the latest stories about The Beatles from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.