Co-Founder Of The Eagles Glenn Frey Dies At 67

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And now let's take a moment to remember Glenn Frey, who has died at the age of 67. His music as part of the Eagles has been part of the national soundtrack, if you will, for decades. Here's NPR's Ted Robbins.

(SOUNDBITE OF EAGLES SONG, "TAKE IT EASY")

TED ROBBINS, BYLINE: With those opening chords of their first hit single in 1972, the Eagles announced their arrival. Glenn Frey played guitar, sang lead vocal and cowrote "Take It Easy" with his neighbor, Jackson Browne. Actually, Frey said later he wrote one line, when Browne got stuck - but what a line.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "TAKE IT EASY")

EAGLES: (Singing) It's a girl, my Lord, in a flatbed Ford slowing down to take a look at me.

ROBBINS: That laid-back sound helped define '70s Southern California country rock. But Glenn Frey told the AP in 2012 that the music disguised some pretty wild times.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

GLENN FREY: Well, when we were young we partied after the shows and before the shows and sometimes during the shows.

ROBBINS: It didn't stop them from turning out seven studio albums with a string of hits.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "TEQUILA SUNRISE")

EAGLES: (Singing) It's another tequila sunrise, this old world still looks the same.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DESPERADO")

EAGLES: (Singing) Desperado, why don't you come to your senses? You've been out riding fences.

ROBBINS: Glenn Frey was born in Detroit. He moved to LA and eventually met up with the musicians who became the Eagles, notably Don Henley. The band notoriously fought as much as it partied, including on stage. In 1980, Frey quit and the Eagles broke up. Don Henley said they'd reunite when hell freezes over. Glenn Frey went on to a solo career, with hits like this one.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "THE HEAT IS ON")

FREY: (Singing) The heat is on.

ROBBINS: Glenn Frey also acted. He was in the movie "Jerry Maguire" and on the TV show "Miami Vice." Then, in 1994, the Eagles did reunite for the "Hell Freezes Over" tour. In 1998, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Glenn Frey told the audience he thought their disagreements were overplayed.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

FREY: We got along fine. We just disagreed a lot.

(LAUGHTER)

FREY: Tell me one worthwhile relationship that has not had peaks and valleys.

ROBBINS: In a written statement, Don Henley mourned Glenn Frey's loss, saying he was like a brother. On the Eagles website, the band posted the lyrics from "It's Your World Now," a song Glenn Frey wrote on their last album.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG "IT'S YOUR WORLD NOW")

EAGLES: (Singing) It's your world now. Use well your time. Be part of something good. Leave something good behind.

ROBBINS: Ted Robbins, NPR News.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG "IT'S YOUR WORLD NOW")

EAGLES: (Singing) I take my bow. That's how it's meant to be. It's your world now. It's your world now. It's your world now. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.