Glenn Frey

A founding member of the California country-rock group The Eagles, Glenn Frey was arguably one of the most successful figures in the history of popular music, having composed or collaborated on most of the group's vastly successful catalog of songs, which sold over 120 million records over the course of four decades. A veteran of the Detroit music scene as a teenager, Frey moved to Los Angeles in the early 1970s, where he teamed with Don Henley to back Linda Ronstadt during her first tour. The duo decided to forge their own group, and the Eagles soon emerged as one of the most popular rock acts of the 1970s, with a string of hits including "Take It Easy," "Best of My Love," "Life in the Fast Lane," "One of These Nights," and their epochal signature tune, "Hotel California." The pressures of fame led to their dissolution in 1980, after which Frey enjoyed a solid run as a solo performer with hits including "Smuggler's Blues," "You Belong to the City" and "The Heat Is On," as well as a minor second career as an actor. The Eagles' reunion in 1994 dominated Frey's talents for the next two decades, which was comprised of countless "farewell" tours and a long-gestating album, Long Road Out of Eden (2008). The enduring popularity of the Eagles was due largely in part to Frey's talents as a songwriter and singer, and their unparalleled good fortunes made him one of the most accomplished figures in rock-n-roll. His death at the age of 67 on January 18, 2016 was mourned by fans and friends across the world as rock lost one of its most familiar voices.