April 12 – 22 Grammys Later, Vince Flying With Eagles

Happy birthday to a country legend. A man who has more Grammys than any other country music man… but who happens to have had a part in a popular rock group and is now a member of one of the most popular ones. Vince Gill is 66 today.

Gill grew up in the Oklahoma City area with a keen musical interest. Although his dad was a judge, he also played country music on the side, and unlike many parents, encouraged Vince to go into music and helped the lad learn guitar… as well as bass, banjo, mandolin, fiddle…

After high school, Vince was off to Kentucky to join a band. Not long after that, he came to the attention of Cincinnati-based Pure Prairie League who recruited them. He played guitar and sang on three albums of theirs from 1979-81, including the Firin’ Up album which yielded their biggest-selling single, “Let Me Love You Tonight”, a top 10 hit which he sang lead on. He also wrote most of the album, although not that particular song. (A little more Pure Prairie League trivia while we’re at it – their second biggest-hit [and likely most played one on radio these days] “Amie”, from their pre-Gill era, hit the U.S. top 40 on this day in 1975.)

He left the League after Rodney Crowell’s backing band came, the Cherry Bombs, came calling and by the mid-’80s, he’d signed to RCA and embarked on a solo career. And what a career. He put out 18 studio albums, 10 of which have gone platinum in the U.S., including his 5X platinum I Still Believe In You, which gave him four #1 hits on the country charts including the title track. Country fans loved his songwriting and “high soulful tenor” , as did critics. He’s won a total of 22 Grammys including Best Male Country Performance nine times over (including each year from 1994-98). But unlike some of his counterparts, he never really crossed over into mainstream pop radio and thus remained a bit of a mystery to many listeners. Even his current wife, gospel-country singer Amy Grant was probably better known. As the 2000s wore on, his sales (as with many other artists) started to dip and in 2012 he said “I don’t have a record deal. Don’t know that I want one”.

He wasn’t likely to get bored. He worked on records by Bonnie Tyler, Kelly Clarkson and his wife and probably didn’t mind having more spare time to hit the greens. He’s a competitive golfer who’s actually in the Tennessee Golf Hall of Fame! However things changed in 2016, when his friend Glenn Frey died. Suddenly Vince had the Eagles calling.

He joined them soon after Frey’s death and has been a constant member since, which initially drew some scorn both from his country-based fans and the band’s pop-rock ones. But he’s been a great fit. One might think he’s taking Frey’s place, since he plays some rhythm guitar and sings hits like “New Kid In Town” and “Lyin’ Eyes” that Glenn usually did. But he says he “simply took another spot that was open”. He adds “because Glenn was a great friend, in my heart of hearts, I wish I wasn’t doing it; that would mean Glenn was still around. But life is what it is, and you just do what you can. These songs deserve to live on.”

That they do, and so too does his career. Fans will have to wait awhile to see Vince though; the Eagles recently wrapped up their lengthy and Covid-delayed “Hotel California” revisited tour and Gill’s next scheduled shows are Christmas ones with Amy Grant in Nashville this December.

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March 1 – When The Eagles Began To Soar High

Perhaps no one would have been surprised back in 1975 when the Eagles finally hit #1 on U.S. charts for the first time. They had been one of the hottest new acts of the decade thus far and scored a number of radio hits like “Take It Easy” and “Witchy Woman.” However, few would have guessed the song that took them there on this day 48 years ago – “Best of My Love” seemed like a sure-fire hit, a nice, slightly achy love song with some fine steel guitar from Bernie Leadon. Yet it bucked the odds three different ways.

The song was from their third album, On the Border, which had done OK for them but hadn’t really grown their profile or stature with the singles “Already Gone” and “James Dean.” Even the fact that it was available in quadrophonic sound in its 8-track version didn’t spark a stampede to the sales counter. The label, Asylum Records, were all but ready to throw in the towel on it and get them working on a new record… until surprising things happened.

One DJ in Kalamazoo, Michigan liked the song and played it, despite it not being a single. His listeners loved it too and kept requesting it and soon it was on the one station’s hit chart. Asylum took notice and pressed 1000 copies of a 7” single of it and gave it to the station to distribute. So popular were they that Asylum decided to release it as a surprise third single from the record across the world. It soon picked up fans everywhere, including on the adult contemporary stations which hadn’t been big on the band until that point. It got to #1 in the States and Canada, their first in each country, and hit #14 in Australia, their first hit there. Soon it went gold in the U.S.

If that wasn’t unlikely enough, the songs origins made it more so. It was written by a trio of members, Glenn Frey, JD Souther and Don Henley. Souther says “Glenn found the tune…the three of us were writing it in a deadline to get it finished.” Frey remembers “I was playing acoustic guitar in Laurel Canyon and I was trying to figure out a tuning that Joni Mitchell had shown me…I got lost and ended up with what would later turn out to be ‘Best of My Love.’”

Henley wrote the lyrics, largely about a recent breakup with a girlfriend, sitting in an L.A. restaurant. They took the song with them to England, where they began recording the album with famous producer Glyn Johns. However, that didn’t go well as they didn’t gel well with Glyn. He wanted them to sound more country, they wanted to be a little more rock’n’roll. And he didn’t like them being high while working, and by then the Eagles (as with many California acts) consumed vast quantities of cocaine. They soon ditched the UK and Johns to finish recording close to home in L.A. with Bill Szymczyk, who ended up doing the final mixing of this song (and produced almost all the rest of the album.)

So everyone was ecstatic in the band’s camp when the song was a smash…right? Well, not quite. The record label lopped over a minute off the album version to make the single, without consulting with The Eagles. Henley in particular was furious, as was the manager, Irving Azoff. When it went gold, Azoff broke a piece off an actual gold record and sent it to the record company office, calling it the “Golden Hacksaw Award.” Guess the record executives didn’t always get the best of the Eagles love back then. Although after Hotel California went multi-platinum and the band’s Greatest Hits went on to sell something in the range of 40 million copies, we suspect all was forgiven!

November 20 – 75 Years In, Life’s Been Good To Joe

One of rock’s best guitarists – and most original characters – was born 75 years ago . Happy birthday Joe Walsh!

Walsh was born in Wichita, grew up in Ohio and New Jersey and in the ’60s was of mixed mind. Part of him wanted to be a rock star, as with so many of that generation, after seeing the Beatles on TV, but part of him (surprisingly given his reputation as being a bit of a goof-off and burnout) a serious scholar. He went to Kent State, but was present at the famous 1970 massacre (which inspired the Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young song “Ohio”) which effected him greatly…and made him think maybe a degree was over-rated! He ended up getting an honorary degree from that school in 2001 as it turned out anyway. He first appeared on record doing some guitar work for Ohio Express back in 1967, but came to prominence with the James Gang at the end of that decade and soon launched into a solo career which has delivered 11 studio albums since 1973, two of which – ’73’s The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get and 1978’s But Seriously Folks made the U.S. top 10. The latter delivered his signature tune, the wacky, 8-minute (or 4:35 if you just hear the single) “Life’s Been Good.” That one, satirizing the life of a spoiled rock star, got to #12 at home, #11 in Canada and was called “the most important statement on rock stardom anyone has made” by Rolling Stone at the time. It was quickly implemented into the concert fare of The Eagles when he joined that band, almost simultaneously.

He was a latecomer to them, joining at the start of the Hotel California sessions, but has been with them on all their records and tours since. His great freestyling guitar work was influenced heavily by The Beatles, Pete Townshend (who in turn says of Joe, “a fluid and intelligent player. There’re not many like that around.”) and Ritchie Blackmore as well as fellow birthday boy Duane Allman, who would’ve turned 76 today. Allman taught Walsh the slide guitar. His 6-string – and 12-string- prowess earned him Rolling Stone’s pick as the 54th best guitarist of all-time and has kept him in demand. He’s also worked on a wide range of other artists records, including Eagles band-mates Don Henley (doing the guitar licks on “Dirty Laundry”) and Timothy B. Schmit, as well as REO Speedwagon, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Steve Winwood, Dan Fogelberg, the Foo Fighters and even Andy Gibb. Not to mention Stevie Nicks, who’s called him the love of her life and who wrote the song “Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You?” for him. Unfortunately, as Walsh put it to a friend in the ’80s “I’m leaving Stevie because I’m afraid one of us is going to die…our cocaine habit has beome so over the top…the only way to save us both is for me to leave.”

Widely known for his sense of humor, which has included a mock run for president in 1980, he has a serious side and said in 2012 he might actually “run (for Congress). The root of the problem is that Congress is so dysfunctional, we’re dead in the water until Congress gets to work and passes some new legislation.” Eric Clapton says he’s “one of the best guitarists to surface in some time. I don’t listen to many records, but I listen to his.” Pretty high praise for an ordinary, average guy! Oh, and by the way, if you were wondering if “Life’s Been Good” is all made up…he actually did have a Maserati at the time he wrote the song. But it topped out at 170 – not the 185 boasted about in the song. What an imagination he must have!

Those wanting to have another chance to check Joe out will be able to do so tomorrow in New Orleans with a concert there, followed by ones in Kansas City and Fort Worth later this month. Next year he resumes touring with The Eagles.

August 12 – But Seriously Folks…Life’s Been Good To Joe

On the same day one beloved American band made their debut on the top 40 – the Cars with “Just What I Needed” – another American star had his shining moment on it. Joe Walsh hit #12 on this day in 1978 with his biggest hit, “Life’s Been Good.”

Walsh was by then a well-known and established rock star, having been with the James Gang, Barnstorm and in the previous couple of years, a member of The Eagles, apart from putting out two solo records in the mid-’70s. But largely it seemed like he was known for his reputation as a wild man…something he played up on this hit.

The song with his tongue-in-cheek (or possibly not) famous lines like “my Maserati does 185/ I lost my license, now I don’t drive” and “I live in hotels, tear out the wall/I have accountants pay for it all” was in the ears of Rolling Stone “the most important statement on rock stardom made in the late-’70s.” It certainly was indicative of the wild, devil-may-care, ever-partying lifestyles bands like the Eagles and Led Zeppelin were famous – or infamous – for. Although parts of it were autobiographical, some of it was made up… he didn’t have a Maserati, for example and while he lost his driver’s license it was only because he actually lost his wallet with it in for awhile, not because it was suspended. However, other parts like tearing out hotel walls if he wanted a larger room, were real! “I wanted to make a statement involving satire and humor, kind of poking fun at the incredibly silly lifestyle that someone in my position is faced with,” he said a few years later. “I’ve been around the world in concerts, and people say ‘what’s Japan like?’ but I don’t know. It’s got a nice airport.”

He says now “we were party monsters. It was a real challenge just to stay alive,” and a few years after the hit he came up with “Ordinary Average Guy” as sort of a latter-life sequel to it.

Although Walsh is known for his incredible guitar prowess (which he displays on the song) he also exceled at keyboards and synthesizers…it is him playing the synth solo in the middle of the album version. That runs just over eight minutes, but Asylum probably wisely cut it to 4:35 for the single. The album it was off, But Seriously Folks, which went platinum in the U.S. and Canada, was co-produced by his longtime music partner Bill Szymczyk. The pair knew each other well; Bill had produced records by the James Gang as well as the prior three Eagles records. You hear him on the song suggesting “everybody say ‘I’m cool’”.

“Life’s Been Good” peaked at #12 at home, his highest-charting one (although in ’81 he hit #1 on rock charts with “Life of Illusion” but it only hit #34 as a single) and #11 in Canada, as well as #14 in the UK where he was only beginning to become known. Since the Eagles re-united, it’s been quite a regular piece of their concert sets as well.

Walsh turns 75 this fall and looking back, he’d probably say yes, “Life’s Been Good.”

May 7 – The Hotel We Can Never Leave

The following year’s Grammy award winner for Record of the Year hit #1 this day in 1977. That was “Hotel California”, the title track of the Eagles massive hit album about “the dark underbelly of the American dream,” (according to Don Henley) which showed that radio will play a close-to-7-minute single if it’s good enough and from a known commodity.

The Eagles were certainly that; it marked the band’s fourth U.S. #1, following hot on the heels of “New Kid in Town”, the first single off the album. The last album of new material to chart a pair of #1’s was KC & the Sunshine Band’s self-titled album two years prior. Curiously, Leo Sayer duplicated the feat when his “When I Need You” bumped this one off the #1 spot, his second chart-topper from Endless Flight.

Don Felder remembered, “all of us kind of drove into L.A. at night. Nobody was from California, and if you drive into L.A. at night, you can just see this glow on the horizon…the images start running through your head of Hollywood and all the dreams.” Henley didn’t see it as brightly, saying that the album in general was “a concept album, but it’s not set in the Old West. It’s more an urban thing…using California as a microcosm for the whole United States…saying ‘we’ve been OK so far for 200 years, but we’re gonna have to change if we’re going to continue to be around.” The song itself might last 200 years. It hit #1 in Canada as well, earned them a platinum single at home and remains one of the ’70s most-played songs on radio and streaming devices. Guitarist magazine picked the guitar solo on it (by Don Felder and Joe Walsh in a sort of ‘dueling guitars’) as the best in rock history. And if you perhaps think you’re just a tiny bit tired of hearing it so frequently…well, the band might be too. They’ve played it over 1000 times in concert to date…and it’s the theme for their current concert tour!  Maybe they really can never leave the Hotel California!  

February 27 – Five Years In, Eagles Still Felt Like The New Kids

The Eagles were flying high 45 years back…but were self-aware enough to know that they might not be forever. That was the approximate idea behind the lead single from their best-selling (studio) album, Hotel California. “New Kid In Town” became their third #1 single in the States this week in 1977.

It was the lead single from the epic album that had been released about two months earlier and which would go on to see an incredible 26 million copies in the U.S. alone. While Glenn Frey sang lead on it, it took him, Don Henley and J.D. Souther to collaborate and get it written. J.D. Souther thought of it rather as a gunslinger kind of reference – always a new gun coming to town trying to put the old champ out of the way for good. He also noted “as you approach 30, you begin to see that things don’t stay the same forever… there’s a lot of other guys that are coming up, they want their moment too… it’s as it should be.”

Henley concurred. He described it as being “about the fickle nature of love and romance. It’s also about the fleeting nature of fame, especially in the music business.”

Fame’s more fleeting for some than others, but “New Kid In Town” helped the Eagles hang onto theirs for some time longer. It became their third U.S. #1 (after “Best of My Love” and “One of These Nights”) and also topped Canadian charts. Meanwhile, it became their first top 10 hit in such far flung places as Norway and ended up winning them a Grammy for Best Vocal Arrangement, one of two the album would score them; the title track took home the prestigious Record of the Year. “New Kid In Town” became their first American gold single, and remains one of their most popular tunes to this day. Fitting, as like Rolling Stone says, it’s an “exquisite piece of south-of-the-border melancholia.”

An oddity about the recording. It featured both Randy Meisner and Don Felder on different guitars but renowned guitar-slinger Joe Walsh put his down and played electric piano on it instead.

February 23 – Monster Albums Made For Ratings Hit Show

Last week we took a look at the Brit Awards and noted that it’s getting to be “awards season.” The time of the year when it seems every field of entertainment is giving out the hardware for the previous year’s accomplishments. It also seems like every year there are more shows, and of late, less interest in them. But that wasn’t always the case, and today we look back to this day in 1978 when the Grammys were given out for the 1977 year in music.

Back then, a Grammy was a major statement in music, and the show, a major event for the public. So much so that the awards show from L.A., broadcast on CBS, was on over 26% of all TVs in the U.S. (and approximately 45% of all the ones which were actually being watched), the third-best ratings ever for it. Only the 1974 show (in which Stevie Wonder and Roberta Flack were big winners) and the 1984 (at the height of Michael Jackson’s popularity) were more watched. And why not? Consider that in the previous year, between December, 1976 and November ’77, three of what would turn out to be the biggest records ever came out – Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours, which sold ten million in its first month and currently sits at 40 million-plus worldwide; the Eagles Hotel California, which has moved over 26 million in the States alone, and the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, which like Rumours has sold over 40 million and was the biggest-selling soundtrack ever for over a decade. Not to mention multi-platinum classics from the likes of Meat Loaf and Jackson Browne. And of course, on the big screen, a little sci-fi flick called Star Wars had shown, and it’s theme was pretty popular. Grease was a few months away, but Olivia Newton John gave a sneak preview by performing “Hopelessly Devoted to You” live.

The show was hosted by John Denver, looking uncharacteristically formal in a sparkly-lapeled tuxedo. Like we said, back then, it was an event. And fans weren’t disappointed. Even the comparatively minor categories seemed to be given to records that would live on to seem significant. For instance, Kenny Rogers “Lucille” took one for Best Country Male performance; Crystal Gayle won the female equivalent with the crossover hit “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue”…and gave one of the most admirably short acceptance speeches ever! Even the comedy award went to a star for the ages, Steve Martin. Star Wars, and its musical creator John Williams, won trophies for Best Original Score and Best Pop Instrumental. Although the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack came out a few days too late to be included (it was eligible in 1979 and won Album of the Year), the Bee Gees still got a Grammy for Best Pop Group Performance for “How Deep Is Your Love”, the lead-off single from the soundtrack. The Eagles won awards for the two big singles off Hotel California; the title track winning the prestigious Record of the Year and “New Kid In Town” winning one for Best Vocal Arrangements. Rumours took home the Best Album.

Among the other notable awards were Steely Dan taking the Best Engineered Record for Aja, Thelma Houston and Lou Rawls winning ones for R&B and Barbra Streisand, who had already won five before this night, getting ones for Best Pop Female Performance and Best Song for “Evergreen.” Actually, the Best Song was a tie, an unusual occurrence, with it being shared by Debby Boone’s “You Light Up My Life.” Curiously, Streisand had also tied for an Oscar before, sharing Best Actress with Katherine Hepburn a decade earlier…just in case you’re ever in need of a trivia question sure to win you a drink at the bar! Speaking of Debby Boone, the Grammys proved once again that they didn’t have a crystal ball for the future. They awarded her the Best New Artist, beating out Foreigner and Andy Gibb among others (not to mention acts like The Clash and Tom Petty who appeared on the scene but didn’t get nominated. And while Gibson undeniably had a massive hit record that put her on the map, she’d turn out to be a one hit wonder…which was not unusual for winners of that award! The previous year they’d given the nod to the Starland Vocal Band, (ahead of Boston and the Brothers Johnson), and the following year, it would be a Taste of Honey winning, not the Cars, Elvis Costello or Toto.

This year’s Grammys will take place April 3.

December 23 – Eagles Holiday Hit Still Flies High

To the American public, The Eagles could do no wrong in the late-’70s. So it’s no surprise they filled the gap between Hotel California and The Long Run with a Christmas single which went on to become the band’s tenth top 20 hit. “Please Come Home For Christmas” hit the top 40 on this day in 1978 and sprinted up to #18, the highest any Christmas song had made it on Billboard in 15 years, and one of the best-charting Christmas singles ever.

“Please Come Home For Christmas” was sung quite nicely by Don Henley who emoted the appropriate level of sadness and longing, and was the first record for them in which Timothy B. Schmit replaced Randy Meisner on bass. Fans didn’t even seem to mind that The Eagles were perhaps flaunting their success with the record sleeve, which featured a photo of the band relaxing topless around a palm-edged pool with a cute bikini-clad girl and a white Christmas tree. And why would they? It was a beautiful Christmas song playing up the common, and worthy theme that Christmas is only special when you’re with the one you love. It worked well for Elvis on “Blue Christmas”, and later for The Pretenders with “2000 Miles” , but perhaps best of all with this one.

The song was written by one Amos Milbourn and recorded in 1960 by Charles Brown, on his Charles Brown Sings Christmas Songs LP. It should be noted that Brown was a Texas blues-man, not the cartoon kid so that record shouldn’t be confused with the wonderful soundtrack to the Peanuts’ Christmas show.

The song has enduring appeal. Not only is The Eagles version popular to this day (currently it is listed as #76 on Spotify’s most-played list, but is 12th most of “modern Christmas songs”, aka those from the ’70s on) it’s been covered by other artists since. Pat Benetar dedicated her 1990 version of it to troops stationed overseas for the Gulf War and Bon Jovi did a version for A Very Special Christmas 2 in 1992 which hit the UK top 10 two years later. Willie Nelson had a country hit with his own take on it in 2004, and believe it or not, the Queen of Christmas Songs, Mariah Carey has also cut a version that’s on the Spotify most-played list. 

Here at Soundday, we hope that if you’re special person is away, they will indeed come home for Christmas (or if not for Christmas, at least “for New Year’s Night!” )

November 19 – Eagle Wasn’t Perfect…But Was Getting Closer

“I’m trying to make people think a little bit,” said Don Henley about his second solo album. “Maybe rock’n’roll is not the vehicle for that sort of thing. But I don’t see why it can’t be.” Neither did we… especially if it’s still listenable. And maybe has a dance beat here and there, because “All She Wants To Do Is Dance.” Building the Perfect Beast was assembled and rolled out on this day in 1984.

Although initially “just” the drummer for the Eagles, Henley was one of if not the most talented of the band members and had perhaps the biggest range of musical influences and interests. And as we’ve noted here before, he was also keenly aware of his own limitations as a musician and a superstar when it came to finding the right, talented musicians who’d compliment and challenge him. All these things were evident on Building the Perfect Beast. It was arguably more a sequel and worthy follow-up to Hotel California than the band’s own Long Run.

As with his first record, Henley assembled a veritable SoCal All-star team of talent to help him out. Mike Campbell of Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers wrote the music for the great lead single, “Boys of Summer” (which Petty inexplicably turned down) and helped Henley produce it. Elsewhere on the record, you find Toto’s David Paich and Steve Porcaro adding their touches, Randy Newman playing keyboards on “A Month of Sundays”, Lindsay Buckingham playing a bit of guitar, J.D. Souther popping in and great singers like Belinda Carlisle and Patty Smyth adding their vocals in the background. And of course, there’s Don’s usual post-Eagles right-hand man, Danny Kortchmar who produced most of the album, wrote the biting commentary “All She Wants To Do Is Dance” and co-wrote other tracks and even played some fine horns on the long and languid “Sunset Grill.” That a track which deceptively sounds lulling and calming but spears the L.A. lifestyle as well as anything much since “Hotel California.”

Critics liked the album by and large, then and now. Rolling Stone called it “meticulously crafted” and called “Boys of Summer” in particular “wistful and gorgeous.” Later on, Apple’s I-tunes would note it a worthy “meditation on love, loss and generational angst” (take that Nirvana, you poseurs!) and a “wide-ranging and creative vision.”

The public tended to agree although not as much as they might have if Frey and Walsh were along and the album had a bird of prey’s name on it. While in Australia, it got up to #4, in the U.S. and Canada, it stalled out just inside of the top 20. However, due to the roll of great singles off it, it stayed on the charts for over a year and ended up at triple platinum in the States. Both “Boys of Summer” (which won Henley his first Grammy award) and “All She Wants to do is Dance” made the top 10 in the U.S. and topped rock radio charts; “Sunset Grill” was also out as a single and made #22.

All things considered, maybe not “perfect” but Henley’s beast was about as good as any easy-rock album of the decade.

November 3 – Eagles Ended Band And Decade

The Eagles hit #1 on Billboard with The Long Run this day in 1979 and stayed there on into 1980. Maybe that’s fitting. It ended up being the final #1 album of the ’70s in the U.S. and perhaps no other artist embodied the decade’s musical feel in America more than they had. However, by the end of the decade, it was also apparent a change was in the air and conventional acts like The Eagles would have some difficulty transitioning into the new music ’80s. Suddenly “big”, well-established bands like Fleetwood Mac and Wings were being met with a noticeable drop-off in sales and excitement while the airwaves began to fill with new, and new-sounding acts like Joe Jackson and Blondie. 

The Eagles sixth studio album was a tedious project for them to complete with various band members at each other’s throats and incredible pressure to follow up the smash Hotel California album. Randy Meisner had already quit and Timothy B. Scmit was brought in to replace him, which provided one of the album’s highlights, “I Can’t Tell You Why.” That track was co-written by him and the only single of theirs during their initial run to feature Timothy singing. The Long Run was decently received, earned them a Grammy Award for “Heartache Tonight”, and sold over 7 million copies in the U.S. alone..,a huge number for most acts, but only about half of what the previous one (Hotel California) had moved at that point. they wanted to call it a day.

A short tour followed with a live album to finish their contract to Elektra-Asylum Records and they went their separate ways by summer 1980- til 1994, when Hell froze over… and they were back together with a new tour and the Hell Freezes Over album which would hit #1 almost exactly 15 years after this one. They’re still at it, with a current lineup of Don Henley, Timothy B. Schmit, Joe Walsh as well as Vince Gill and Deacon Frey, Glenn’s son. They have a couple of concerts this week in Seattle, and have announced plans for a 50th Anniversary tour starting next summer in England.