July 22, 2017: Don Henley Hits 70 With Birthday Concert
by Best Classic Bands Staff
Don Henley (via his Facebook page)
Just a week after the Eagles’ triumphant Classic West reunion concert at L.A.’s Dodger Stadium, and just prior to the Classic East at New York’s Citi Field, Don Henley celebrated his 70th birthday on July 22, 2017, in his hometown of Dallas, in style. The guest-studded bash, which took place at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, included substantial participation from fellow Eagles Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit, as well as old friends Stevie Nicks and Patty Smyth.
Henley was born in the small town of Linden, Tex., on July 22, 1947. At the Dallas birthday party, he opened with the Steve Young composition “Seven Bridges Road,” which the Eagles included on their 1980 live album, and continued with Henley solo tunes “Dirty Laundry,” “Sunset Grill” and “That Old Flame” before breaking out the first Eagles song of the evening, “Witchy Woman.” He continued alternating solo and Eagles material, including “One of These Nights.”
[Eagles are among the handful of acts that remove material from YouTube faster than a newly married couple’s clothes on their wedding night. When this story was originally published, plenty of videos were available for viewing.]
Henley then welcomed Schmit, the first guest of the evening. Together they performed “I Can’t Tell You Why” from the Eagles’ 1979 The Long Run album, followed by the title track from Henley’s Top 10 third album, The End of the Innocence, and “The Last Resort,” from the Eagles’ massive Hotel California album.
Smyth was the next guest onstage, the pair reprising “Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough,” their #2 duet from 1992—the highest charting solo single for either artist—followed by the Henley solo tune “The Heart of the Matter.” There was a cover of the Tears for Fears hit “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” which Henley has performed previously at solo shows.
Related: Our review of Eagles’ June 28, 2018 concert in Denver, “Different, but the same”
“This next friend,” said Henley, “needs no introduction. She’s been a friend of mine since 1975. We have seen some stuff…” as he introduced Nicks. That led to “Leather and Lace,” featuring Nicks on vocals, and “The Boys of Summer,” for which the Fleetwood Mac diva stuck around and banged a tambourine.
She returned later to play tambourine on “All She Wants to Do is Dance”
From there on out the show kicked into high gear, with Walsh offering up his perennially popular “Rocky Mountain Way,” after which Schmit re-emerged to join his Eagle-mates for “Life in the Fast Lane” and “Hotel California.” The show wound down with the Eagles tunes “Wasted Time” and “Desperado,” then “All She Wants to Do Is Dance” from Henley’s Building the Perfect Beast album and—finally—the obligatory cover of the Beatles’ “Birthday,” featuring all four of the guest singers.
Set List
Seven Bridges Road
Dirty Laundry
Sunset Grill
That Old Flame
Witchy Woman
When I Stop Dreaming
Talking to the Moon
One of These Nights
I Can’t Tell You Why (with Timothy B. Schmit)
The End of the Innocence
The Last Resort
Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough (with Patty Smyth)
The Heart of the Matter
Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Leather and Lace (with Stevie Nicks)
The Boys of Summer (with Stevie Nicks)
Rocky Mountain Way (with Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit)
Life in the Fast Lane (with Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit)
Hotel California (with Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit)
Wasted Time
Desperado
All She Wants to Do Is Dance (with Stevie Nicks)
Birthday (with Stevie Nicks, Joe Walsh, Timothy B. Schmit, and Patty Smyth)
Eagles have announced a residency at Sphere in Las Vegas for their farewell tour. Tickets are available here and here.
Eagles’ To The Limit: The Essential Collection arrived on April 12, 2024, as a 3-CD set and as a deluxe 6-LP set on 180-gram vinyl. The title is available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.
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4 Comments so far
Jump into a conversationI love. Don Henley’s music! Happy belated Birthday!
Happy birthday Don your music reminds me of my Pensacola beach,Florida days
That needs to be on DVD!
I wish that Glenn Frey had lived to see this milestone birthday of Don’s.