Glenn Frey, co-founder, guitarist and singer of the Eagles, would have turned 75 today. Frey was born in Detroit in 1948 and started his musical career in local bands in the late '60s. He was mentored by Bob Seger, who wrote the first single for Frey's band The Mushrooms and also gave him his first professional recording experience on "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" in 1968. Seger also advised Frey to write his own songs, which he did with great success.
Frey moved to Los Angeles in 1969 and formed a duo with J.D. Souther called Longbranch Pennywhistle. He also befriended Jackson Browne and they all lived in the same apartment building. In 1970, Frey met Don Henley and they joined Linda Ronstadt's backing band along with Randy Meisner and Bernie Leadon. After touring with Ronstadt in 1971, they formed the Eagles, one of the most successful rock bands of all time. Frey wrote and sang many of their hits, such as "Take It Easy," "Peaceful Easy Feeling," "Tequila Sunrise," "Already Gone," "Lyin' Eyes," "New Kid in Town" and "Heartache Tonight." The Eagles were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.
When the Eagles broke up in 1980, Frey pursued a solo career and had several hits, such as "The One You Love," "Smuggler's Blues," "Sexy Girl,", "The Heat Is On," and "You Belong to the City." He also contributed songs to movie soundtracks and TV shows, most notably Miami Vice. He released five solo albums, the last one being After Hours, a collection of standards, in 2012. Frey also tried his hand at acting, appearing in Miami Vice, South of Sunset, Nash Bridges, Arli$$, Let's Get Harry and Jerry Maguire.
Frey died on January 18th, 2016 at the age of 67 due to complications from rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis and pneumonia. He left behind his wife Cindy and their three children, Taylor, Deacon and Otis. Deacon joined the Eagles when they resumed performing in 2017.
Frey once recalled how he became a songwriter. He said, "I was playing in a copy band in Michigan called The Subterraneans. We were kind of a beatnick, pre-hippie blues band. And I was befriended by Bob Seger, who's a couple of years older than I was. And we were driving around on Woodward Avenue (in Detroit) in his car one night and The Cowsills came on the radio and I reached for the knob to turn it off. Seger said, 'No.' He said, 'Let's listen to it. Let's hear why they're on the radio and we're not.' And after we listened to the song he said, 'You know, Glenn, you gotta write your own songs.'"
[Source: Classic Hits Today]