November 6th is birthday of Glenn Frey, the co-founder of the Eagles, one of the biggest bands of the ’70s. Glenn, who would have turned 78 in 2026, passed away in 2016 at the age of 67. To commemorate his life and work, we’re going to take a deeper dive into Glenn’s awesome career and maybe, learn how to play his music. Maybe.
Glenn Frey, The Musician
One of the reasons I like Frey is that he wasn’t the most talented guitar player in the band. I’m sure Glenn was a good guitarist, but the lead-guitar fireworks came from Don Felder and Joe Walsh. I can relate to that. I’m a new guitarist and usually not the most talented guitar player in any group either.
That said, he was hugely talented and I aspire to develop even a fraction of his talent and ability. Frey built the songs. He was the engine. He played rhythm guitar, sang lead on many of the band’s biggest hits, and co-wrote most of the Eagles’ material with Don Henley.
His accomplishments:
- Co-founder of the Eagles in 1971, and the band’s de facto leader
- Lead voice on “Take It Easy,” “Tequila Sunrise,” “Lyin’ Eyes,” and “Heartache Tonight”
- Six Grammy Awards with the Eagles
- Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the band in 1998, its first year of eligibility
- 24 Top 40 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 across his Eagles and solo work, including “The Heat Is On” and “You Belong to the City”
We can all learn from his example: serve the song first, and the right part is often the simplest one.
The Eagles story
The Eagles formed in Los Angeles in 1971. Frey and Don Henley were hired as a backing band for Linda Ronstadt, alongside ex-Poco bassist Randy Meisner and former Flying Burrito Brothers guitarist Bernie Leadon. The four decided to start their own group.
Their country-tinged Southern California rock quickly caught on, and the lineup changed as the sound grew. The band has sold more than 150 million records worldwide, and no American band sold more records than the Eagles in the 1970s. After Frey’s death, Vince Gill and Frey’s son Deacon joined the band on stage, and the Eagles launched a residency at Las Vegas’s Sphere in September 2024.
The songs, and what to learn from each
OK, so let’s see if I can play anything that he wrote…
- “Take It Easy”: Frey sang lead on this classic. It uses G, C, D, A minor and E minor which makes it a great practice song for beginner chords. A great lesson in rhythm.
- “Peaceful Easy Feeling”: A gentle open-chord song from the debut album, good for clean strumming and smooth chord changes.
- “Desperado”: The title song from The Eagles’ second album. Not really a guitar song. The electric guitar part is super slow at 55 bpm and you only really play a couple chords per bar. It’s a bunch of different 7th chords with a few barre chords thrown in. Good practice, but kind of dull.
- “Hotel California”: The band’s best-known song, credited to Felder, Henley, and Frey. One of my favorite songs. It’s got a permantent place in my playlists. Its closing solo duet by Felder and Walsh was once voted the greatest guitar solo of all time by readers of Guitarist magazine. Start with the simplified tabs below before tackling the full solo.
Your birthday challenge
On November 6th, pick a Glenn Frey-sung song and play it start to finish, slowly and cleanly. “Take It Easy” is the natural choice. Then try one of his harder-working rhythm parts, like “Tequila Sunrise.” Tell us in the comments which Eagles song first made you pick up a guitar.
Happy birthday, Glenn
Resources
Glenn Frey / Eagles videos on YouTube
- Eagles, “Take It Easy” (live on MTV)
- Eagles, “Hotel California” (1998 Rock Hall induction)
- Eagles, “Peaceful Easy Feeling”
- Glenn Frey, “The Heat Is On”
Guitar Chords
- C chord – PlayingBetterGuitar.com
- D chord – PlayingBetterGuitar.com
- G chord – PlayingBetterGuitar.com
- Am chord – PlayingBetterGuitar.com
- Em chord – PlayingBetterGuitar.com
Songsterr.com Guitar Tabs
Browse everything on the Eagles artist page, or jump straight to a song:
- Take It Easy and an acoustic version
- Peaceful Easy Feeling – Frey’s Rhythm Part
- Hotel California: full tab, fingerstyle simplified, solo only, and two-guitar version
Guitar Tutorials
- The Stellar Guitarist, Take It Easy, beginner friendly and focusing on the rhythm guitar part (acoustic)
- Guitar Fam, Take It Easy solo with Nate Savage for those of you who are looking to use your bends and hammer on’s and looking for a challenge. I’m just starting my bends and not there yet.
