Don Henley: Gilmer’s Eagle
July 22
Today is the birthday of Don Henley. He is 79 today.
Donald Hugh Henley was born in Gilmer, Texas on July 22, 1947. Gilmer is in Upshur County, in the Piney Woods of deep East Texas. He grew up playing music in Linden — Freddie King country — before heading to North Texas State University. He moved to Los Angeles and met Glenn Frey, Linda Ronstadt’s band recruited them both, and by 1971, the Eagles were formed. But Gilmer stayed in his voice — that dry, narrative East Texas plainness that grounded the Eagles’ California harmonies.
The Storyteller Behind the Band
“Hotel California” is one of the most analyzed songs in rock history. “Desperado” is a country song that never went to country radio. “The Last Resort” is an environmental jeremiad disguised as a history lesson. Henley wrote or co-wrote all of them. His solo career produced “The Boys of Summer” in 1984 and “The End of the Innocence” in 1989 — both Grammy winners. He has been equally ferocious in protecting Texas: he helped preserve Walden Woods in Massachusetts but returned to fight for Caddo Lake and the Texas environment just as hard. Learn more on Wikipedia.