He is a singer-songwriter, guitarist and actor born in Detroit, Michigan, growing up in Royal Oak Michigan. He began his interest in music by starting piano lessons when he was five years old, which he continued with until he approached his teenage years. After becoming acquainted with The Beatles in 1964 he decided the guitar was for him and threw himself into learning the instrument. He started his career in the late 1960s when he was a member of the group The Mushrooms who released the single "Such a Lovely Child", produced by Bob Seger. He then went on to join Four of Us and later formed The Heavy Metal Kids and The Subterraneans. In 1968 he performed background vocals and guitar for Bob Seger on "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" and they would later collaborate on songwriting. Moving to California, he formed the duo Longbranch Pennywhistle in 1969 in Los Angeles with J.D. Souther who showed him the way of performing country music and they proceeded to land a recording contract and release a self-titled album. In 1971 he became a backing singer for Linda Ronstadt along with Don Henley, Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner on her Silk Purse tour and thus the ultra-successful The Eagles were born. He became a co-founder of the band, playing keyboards and guitar as well as often singing lead vocals on hits that included "Desperado", "Hotel California", "New Kid in Town", "One of These Nights" to name just a few. After they disbanded in the 1980s he moved onto a solo career releasing several albums and the hit single "Smuggler's Blues" and found success with songs for soundtracks including "The Heat is On" for Beverly Hills Cop, "You Belong to the City" for Miami Vice. He has also had other songs appear in Ghostbusters II and Thelma and Louise. Often working as a session musician with other artists, he has performed with acts such as Jackson Browne, Ry Cooder, Dan Fogelberg, Doug Kershaw, Little River Band, Joni Mitchell, Randy Newman, Jo Osborn, John Prine, Carly Simon, Conway Twitty and Warren Zevon among many others. The albums he has appeared on are numerous and a select few include his own The Allnighter, No Fun Aloud, Soul Searchin' and Strange Weather as well as Last Mango in Paris by Jimmy Buffett, Desperado, Hell Freezes Over, Hotel California, Long Run, On the Border and One of These Nights by The Eagles, Inside Job by Don Henley, 21 at 33 by Elton John, 80 by B.B. King, Don't Cry Now by Linda Ronstadt, Hits! by Boz Scaggs, Stranger in Town by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band, John David Souther by J.D. Souther, Trouble in Paradise by the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band, and So What by Joe Walsh. He has acted in several roles in TV series including Miami Vice, Wiseguy and Nash Bridges, he appeared in the film Jerry Maguire and Cameron Crowe based the character of the lead guitarist in Almost Famous on him. The Eagles reformed in the early 1990s and he has since recorded and toured with them as well as setting up the record label Mission Records.

Eagles Recordings

One of These Nights (Don Henley/Glenn Frey)

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