Most people associate the Eagles with lighthearted Californian soft rock, often thinking of hits like ‘Hotel California’ as emblematic of their broader reputation. However, there is a passion project that emerged between Don Henley and Glenn Frey, which quickly grew into something much more complex. It took the best of American music and mirrored the country’s rise and fall.

The Metaphor of 'Hotel California'

Even ‘Hotel California’ navigates these themes, reflecting entrapment and disillusionment within American values and systems. By using a metaphorical hotel that sells the dream only to reveal it as a façade, the Eagles present a critique that goes beyond the surface. This concept, often referred to as the American dream, shows their ability to merge the real with the abstract, but it also stems from their own mixed emotions.

Art often draws inspiration from personal experiences. Just as a painter strokes a brush in the right way or a guitarist inflects the strings to create a seamless blend of past, present, and future, the Eagles found their foundation in such experiences. In the early days, Frey and Henley played backing for Linda Ronstadt while exchanging musical ideas.

Ronstadt supported and encouraged them, becoming a mentor and helping them refine their craft. During these years, they learned from the masters of times gone by, understanding why and how music resonates. This knowledge became the best springboard for their music.

Glenn Frey's Musical Know-How

According to Henley, Frey had an extensive knowledge of American popular music. He could swing old American tropes into new, Eagles-sounding ones, taking nostalgic sounds and making them fresh with societal and cultural relevance. At first, Henley didn't fully understand this, but with subtle nods to old pioneers and Frey's immediate understanding of those he referenced, it became clear.

"I would learn that Glenn had an encyclopedic knowledge of the canon of American popular music – everything from the Great American Songbook through the Delta bluesmen, through jazz and folk and rockabilly, early rhythm and blues, ’60s soul, folk rock, country rock, modern R&B," Henley said for Rolling Stone. He was surprised and delighted when Frey knew who American composer Stephen Foster was.

"He was, of course, a student of the music of Motown, but also the sounds of Memphis, Philadelphia and Muscle Shoals, Alabama (Glenn detoured there on the Ronstadt tour to record). He also knew the Nashville Sound and the Bakersfield Sound. I learned a lot from him and, I think, he from me," Henley added.

Frey's Approach to Music History

Frey's approach centered on reframing the many facets of music history through a modern lens. Although the Eagles were often categorized as Californian soft rock, country, or folk, Frey's work transcended these genres. He knew how to bridge the gap between different musical eras and styles, surfing the wave of what made their music timeless.

He might not have experienced the struggles and characteristics of other places and times firsthand, but his ability to incorporate these elements made their music resonate with a wide audience. His knowledge was a massive aspect of the Eagles' own appeal.