Why Don Henley Chose Vince Gill to Relaunch the Eagles

Vince Gill comprehends the enormity of the void left by Eagles’ legend Glenn Frey after his passing in 2016. Reflecting on his entry into the band, Gill expressed a profound sense of gratitude. “There’s just gratitude that I was the guy they decided would work,” he remarked. “Just that – because Glenn was a great friend, and in my heart of hearts I wish I wasn’t doing it. That would mean Glenn would still be around, but life is what it is and you just go do what you can do because of what happens. Those songs deserve to live on as long as they can.”

For many, Frey’s death seemed like the end of the road for the Eagles. Don Henley, a surviving co-founder, initially echoed this sentiment. “I don’t see how we could go out and play without the guy who started the band,” Henley said shortly after Frey’s death. “It would just seem like greed or something. It would seem like a desperate thing.”

However, by the time the Classic East and Classic West music festivals were announced the following year, Henley had reconsidered. He confirmed a reformation of the band with the addition of Deacon Frey, Glenn’s son, noting, “Since it’s Glenn’s blood, it’s his son, I think that’s appropriate.” The final piece was Vince Gill, a renowned country solo star who gained early fame with Pure Prairie League’s Top 10 hit “Let Me Love You Tonight.”

Early in his time with the Eagles, Henley was questioned about Gill’s inclusion. “He smiled and said, ‘Because he knows how to be in a band,'” Gill shared in a recent interview with American Songwriter. “That was just such a beautiful validation.”

Since joining, Gill has garnered a host of new fans by meticulously recreating classic Eagles tracks such as “Tequila Sunrise,” “Take It to the Limit,” “New Kid in Town,” and “Lyin’ Eyes,” true to their original compositions. He has also expressed enthusiasm for other Eagles songs like “Peaceful Easy Feeling” and “I Can’t Tell You Why,” the latter of which he covered in 1993 for the album Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles.

“I don’t have to have the attention; I don’t have to have the spotlight,” Gill revealed to American Songwriter. “I don’t have to do all the talking. It’s proven to me that it doesn’t really matter what role you have, just as long as what you’re trying to do is make it better. That’s what I like.”

Source: American Songwriter