Ten years ago today, the music world lost Glenn Frey, the founding force behind the Eagles and one of the defining voices of American rock. Born in Detroit in 1948, Frey carried Midwestern grit with him to Los Angeles, where a chance partnership with Don Henley sparked the creation of the Eagles in 1971 — a band that would come to define an era.
Frey was the Eagles’ engine and storyteller, co-writing and singing on timeless songs like “Take It Easy,” “Tequila Sunrise,” “Lyin’ Eyes,” and “New Kid in Town.” These tracks captured ambition, restlessness, love, and loss with a rare emotional clarity. At their peak, albums like Hotel California transformed the band into a global phenomenon while revealing a darker, more reflective edge to Frey’s songwriting.
After the Eagles’ breakup in 1980, Frey reinvented himself with a successful solo career, delivering ’80s staples like “The Heat Is On” and “You Belong to the City.” When the band reunited in 1994, his presence reaffirmed why the Eagles’ sound was so enduring.
More than a hitmaker, Frey stood for craft, discipline, and emotional honesty. A decade after his death in 2016, his voice still travels highways and memories alike — proof that his music wasn’t built for moments, but for lifetimes.
