The artist Don Henley described as “one hundred times the musician I am”
As a founding member of one of the biggest rock bands in history, Don Henley has crossed paths with many major names in the business. Although he has a vast expanse of talents from vocalisations and guitar playing to intuitive musical creativity, there remains one other star that he looks up to, one which he believes possesses even more talent than he could dream of.
Throughout their career, the Eagles became the quintessential California country-rock band, rivalling many bands in their orbit, including ones overseas like The Beatles, whose legacy post-break-up was far from over. Although they represented some of the most defining aspects of rock ‘n’ roll culture, they were about much more than just that.
In fact, as a result of Henley’s inherent know-how, they succeeded in creating truly timeless music, injecting their oftentimes accomplished sound with a certain rawness that might have seemed contradictory on paper but which became their biggest selling point. Overall, Eagles produced iconic hits that resonated across generations, both within America and beyond.
Due to their roots, many of Henley’s influences stem from the country realm, like Willie Nelson, and aspirational vocalists and singer-songwriters, like Glen Campbell, Merle Haggard and Patsy Cline. Haggard, in particular, is one Henley considers his favourite singer of all time, whose album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music “changed my life”.
However, regarding world-class musicians whose holistic talent surpasses his own, Henley points to none other than his long-time friend, Billy Joel. Henley and Joel’s relationship is founded on a mutual appreciation, with each side often willingly praising the other. Joel, for instance, once referred to Eagles as “the American Beatles”, citing Henley’s song-writing prowess as a major factor.
Discussing Joel’s artistry, Henley only has positive things to say. In fact, he regards the singer as “one hundred times the musician I am”, whose ability to play the piano and craft enduring hits continues to astound him. “I play a little guitar, but I’m not that good,” Henley explained. “He’s a much more competent musician than I am,” he added, “which is good because I like to write with people who are better musicians than I am.”
Henley’s comments followed Joel’s musings about forming a potential supergroup with the Eagles musician, an alliance he would also form with Sting and “maybe John Mayer on guitar”. Although this didn’t come to fruition due to everyone being busy, it’s probably safe to say that both Henley and Joel would jump at the chance to work together, whether within a group or as a collaborative two-piece.
