The Joe Walsh song that got him into the Eagles

Every guitarist should expand their repertoire of skills when auditioning for a new band. Securing a job solely based on your reputation is unlikely. It is crucial Showcase skills in rehearsals, practice extensively before performing to impress the band with your abilities. Unbeknownst to Joe Walsh, he was unknowingly auditioning for the Eagles when the time came.

It’s important to clarify that Joe Walsh was perfectly capable of success without the Eagles. After breaking up with the James Gang, he had already established himself as a successful solo artist. If Don Henley and Glenn Frey had chosen to continue working with Bernie Leadon, everything would have remained the same. The world would have carried on without much alteration.

The band were eager to push the boundaries and explore new horizons. Leadon had been an excellent collaborator for the first half of their career, but it had reached a stage where their insistence on maintaining artistic integrity within the band was becoming a double-edged sword. Quietly, Walsh was already making strides in his solo career.

Once the California rockers grew tired of producing albums like On the Border, they found inspiration in Walsh’s The Smoker You Drink The Player You Get, as it perfectly captured the sound they were seeking. After parting ways with renowned producer Glyn Johns, the band couldn’t help but ponder what Walsh’s thoughts were on joining them, especially during the One of These Nights tour.

Ever since Leadon began showing disrespect towards Frey behind the scenes, Frey couldn’t help but recall a significant moment of realization when Walsh joined them on tour. Instead of the usual audition process, what could be more effective than having him perform live on stage with them?

Reflecting on that tour, Frey recalled contemplating the addition of Walsh to the band while they performed. He reminisced about their encores. In his mind, he envisioned a scenario where Joe Walsh would surprise the audience by emerging from a road box, guitar in hand, ready to rock out to ‘Rocky Mountain Way’. While we’re playing, I can’t help but think, “Joe Walsh is better than Bernie Leadon.”

After the tour ended, the band decided to go their separate ways with Leadon. This resulted in Walsh being invited to join them. He couldn’t have chosen a more opportune moment to join. Especially considering the immense success of Hotel California, largely thanks to Walsh’s impressive guitar skills on tracks like ‘Life in the Fast Lane‘.

The guitar legend wouldn’t limit this to just one specific band. Compared to other guitarists of his caliber, Walsh possessed the rare ability to balance his commitments to the Eagles and his solo career. He managed to release successful hits like ‘Life’s Been Good‘ while still actively contributing to the band’s work. Additionally, he occasionally made room in the setlist to perform crowd favorites like ‘Rocky Mountain Way‘. Walsh might have been thrilled to become a part of a band that was on par with the Eagles. However, his involvement in a new band didn’t require him to abandon his own timeless hits.