Don Henley - Topic

While born in 1947 to music-loving parents, Donald Hugh Henley credits the rise of the Beatles during his teenage years in the 1960s for his serious pursuit of a music career. Don played piano as a child and the trombone briefly in his high school band before becoming a drummer. At age 15, Henley formed a garage band called The Four Speeds with his friends Jerry Surratt and Richard Bowden. No one wanted the lead vocals, and Don only ended up as the singer because they drew names. Four Speeds changed its lineup, became known as Felicity and was discovered by Kenny Rogers. While staying at Kenny's house in Los Angeles, Don and Surratt wrote their first hit single called Jennifer . Felicity became known as Shiloh with the addition of Al Perkins, a pedal steel guitar player. While part of this lineup, Henley met Glenn Frey who was a backup for Linda Ronstadt. Don was added to Rondstadt's backup group by association. After they parted ways with Linda, Don and Glenn formed the Eagles in 1971, along with Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner. The song “Witchy Woman” was Henley's first hit with the Eagles as a lead vocalist. While the band went through personnel changes, Don racked up four Grammys with the Eagles in the 1970s. In 1980, he had a falling out with one of the most recent members, Don Felder, and the Eagles dissolved. Henley went on to a successful solo career and released three solo albums in the eighties, which yielded a total of nine hits. In 1990, he became an activist by starting his environmental movement The Walden Woods Project. Indirectly, it led to the reunion of the Eagles in 1994. While Don continues touring with the Eagles and also adds new music to his biography, he still upholds his dedication to social causes and fundraisers.