Upon hearing of Glenn Frey’s passing this afternoon, my thoughts turned almost immediately to Don Felder, the great guitarist whose signature lines helped shape and define much of The Eagles’ music from 1974 to 2001.
Felder was summarily dismissed from The Eagles in 2001 in the midst of a bitter dispute with Frey and Don Henley over how the band’s profits would be disbursed. Ugly lawsuits followed in all directions, culminating in an out of court settlement for Felder in 2007.
Don Felder never spoke with Frey or Henley after that, and the animosity between the parties apparently remained to this day.
My thoughts turned to Don Felder this aftrnoon because I always greatly respected his work and felt it was dirty pool for him to be fired from the band the way he was. My thoughts turned to Don Felder because, while he’s too much of a class act to take any satisfaction from Glenn Frey’s passing, starting today, every remaining member of the band now joins Felder as an ex-Eagle as they most certainly will never be able to replace the great Glenn Frey and carry on.
Rest in Peace Glenn Frey, and may you find peace too, Don Felder.
We’re losing some great ones.
