Rock and roll has always been America’s soundtrack. Even though the British invasion broadened listeners’ perspectives on where the genre could go in the future, the music of Chuck Berry and Little Richard inspired artists such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones to pick up instruments in the beginning. While Don Henley and The Eagles have performed a wide range of music, he acknowledges Randy Newman. Newman is responsible for America’s voice.
When Henley first discovered his passion, he would listen to various country acts on the radio. Listening to The Louisiana Hayride, many of Henley’s fondest memories came from hearing rock and roll for the first time. It included one of Elvis Presley’s first broadcasted appearances.
Henley’s first few gigs consisted of playing Dixieland jazz music with his high school buddies. However, he soon realised that singing could earn more money than playing music. Henley became the leader of the group Shiloh. After that he eventually moved West from Texas with the help of Kenny Rogers. There he met a young Glenn Frey while playing in Linda Ronstadt’s backing band.
Even though the country rock singer would eventually become a superstar in her own right, Henley was already intrigued by what he could do with Frey. Electing to leave the band, Henley began envisioning the Eagles’ sound as they started writing their songs. He carried on Newman’s songwriting tradition.
Never claiming to have the most versatile voice in the world, Newman’s greatest songs typically stemmed from the boundaries he pushed in rock and roll. Growing up in Louisiana, Newman internalized the sounds of various jazz greats as well as classical composers when it came to writing his own material. He coated it in some of the most sarcastic tragedies in American history, such as ‘Rednecks‘ and ‘Short People‘.
Don Henley would even appear on various Newman projects. He provided occasional backing vocals and drum parts to supplement Newman’s self-proclaimed “wounded water buffalo” voice. While Henley may not grasp all Newman’s songs’ meanings, he recognized him as a musical national treasure.
When inducting him into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Henley stated that no one personified their country better than Newman. He said, “[In his music], you can hear America, the way it was and the way it is.” Randy Newman’s music is distinctly American. It’s an unflinching portrayal of America in all of its sham and glory.”
That blunt view of the United States was eventually infused into Henley’s own writing. Songs like ‘The Last Resort’ took a hard look at how its citizens treated their home, while ‘Hotel California‘ mythologized celebrity. While many fans may know Newman better now for his soundtracks to family films like Toy Story and Monsters Inc., his back catalogue is a treasure trove into the heart of American music.
