The Eagles earned recognition as pioneers of the country rock movement, appealing to fans of Don Henley, whose tastes oscillated between the soft rock and Americana genres. The Eagles began their career as Linda Ronstadt’s backing band. It started on a journey of self-discovery that shaped their identity as an unrivaled force in the industry.
Both artists have since achieved fame in their own right. But Eagles and Ronstadt acknowledged their early years’ uncertainty. “I was terrible in the beginning,” Ronstadt joked with Uncut. “I didn’t know what I was doing. It wasn’t until around 1980 that I started learning to sing.”
However, this collaboration paved the way for the Eagles’ eventual rise to fame. During their tour with Ronstadt, the band members honed their musical skills and developed a cohesive sound. The experience shaped the Eagles’ harmonious style and helped them establish their own identity as a country-rock powerhouse.
It started one night after Ronstadt released her third album. While forming the backing band for her tour, Ronstadt unintentionally helped bring the Eagles together. “I had a hand in forming the Eagles, yes,” she went on to say. “However, it was their talent and mutual interaction that made the difference. I asked my friend John Boylan if he would help me form a band.”
She continued, “So we walked to The Troubadour one Monday night and heard this band called Shiloh onstage. They were playing my version of ‘Silver Threads And Golden Needles‘ from the album, including the guitar solo. So I thought, ‘Maybe I can just hire this band; they already know the arrangements!’ But I already had some players. So we went and asked Don Henley, Shiloh’s drummer if he’d be interested in playing on my next tour. Then I needed a guitarist, so I contacted Glenn Frey, who used to sing with my boyfriend, JD Souther.”
“When we were on the road, Glenn and Don roomed together. They each discovered that the other was a good singer and writer, so they started working together,” she said. “By the end of the tour, they had decided to start a band. John suggested Randy Meisner for bass, and I suggested Bernie Leadon. So those four formed my band to go solo as soon as they got a deal.”
Henley continued to praise Ronstadt’s musical contributions even after they had achieved their success. In 2019, he spoke about the singer’s impact, saying, “This lady is a dear, dear friend of mine.” I had the pleasure of working with her very early in my career, long before the Eagles were formed. I was a member of her backup band and traveled with her in the spring of 1971. We played gigs together. Glenn Frey and I were both in her band simultaneously.”
