Glenn Lewis Frey (November 6, 1948 – January 18, 2016) was an American singer, songwriter, producer and actor, best known as a founding member of rock band the Eagles. During the 1970s, Frey played guitar with the band, as well as piano and keyboards. Alongside Don Henley, Frey was one of the primary singers of the Eagles; he sang lead vocals on songs such as “Take It Easy”, “Peaceful Easy Feeling”, “Tequila Sunrise”, “Already Gone”, “Lyin’ Eyes”, “New Kid in Town” and “Heartache Tonight”.
After the breakup of the Eagles in 1980, Frey embarked on a successful solo career. He released his debut album, No Fun Aloud, in 1982 and went on to record Top 40 hits “The One You Love”, “Smuggler’s Blues”, “Sexy Girl”, “The Heat Is On”, “You Belong to the City”, “True Love”, “Soul Searchin'” and “Livin’ Right”.
As a member of the Eagles, Frey won six Grammy Awards, and five American Music Awards. The Eagles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, the first year they were nominated. Consolidating his solo recordings and those with the Eagles, Frey released 24 Top 40 singles on the Billboard Hot 100.
Early life
Glenn Lewis Frey was born in Detroit, Michigan. Growing up in Royal Oak, Michigan, he studied piano at 5, later switched to guitar and became part of the mid-1960s Detroit rock scene. One of his earliest bands was called the Subterraneans, named after Jack Kerouac’s novel, and included fellow Dondero High School Class of ’66 students Doug Edwards (later replaced by Lenny Mintz) on drums, Doug Gunsch and Bill Barnes on guitar and Jeff Hodge on bass.
After graduating from Dondero High School in 1966, Frey played for a while with the local band The Four of Us, modeled after The Byrds. In 1967 he formed the Mushrooms with Jeff Burrows, Bill Barnes, Doug Gunch and Larry Mintz. Bob Seger, who was a friend of Frey, wrote and produced their first single, and the band made television appearances to promote it. In the later part of 1967, Frey pulled together another band called Heavy Metal Kids with Steve Burrows (piano), Jeff Alborell (bass), Paul Kelcourse (lead guitar) and Lance Dickerson (drums).
His first professional recording experience, at age 19, was performing acoustic guitar and background vocals on Seger’s single, “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man” in 1968. Frey has said that Seger strongly encouraged and influenced him to focus on writing original songs. They remained good friends and occasional songwriting partners in later years.
Frey then moved to Los Angeles to follow his then-girlfriend, Joan Sliwin, who was an aspiring singer. He was introduced to J. D. Souther by her sister, Alexandra Sliwin of Honey Ltd., a friend from his Detroit days and Souther’s girlfriend at the time. Frey debuted as a recorded songwriter while fronting Longbranch Pennywhistle, a duo with Souther, in 1969. Frey wrote the songs “Run, Boy, Run” and “Rebecca” and co-wrote “Bring Back Funky Women” with Souther for their self-titled album. Frey also met Jackson Browne during this period. The three musicians lived in the same apartment building for a short time, and Frey later said that he learned a lot about songwriting from hearing Browne work on songs in the apartment below.
Tenure with the Eagles
Frey met drummer Don Henley in 1970. When Linda Ronstadt needed a backup band for a single gig, she hired Frey, Henley, Randy Meisner and Bernie Leadon on the advice of her boyfriend, J.D. Souther. Frey and Henley later joined Ronstadt’s backup band for her 1971 summer tour. Afterwards, Frey, Henley, Meisner and Leadon formed the Eagles, with Frey playing guitar and keyboards and Henley playing drums. The band went on to become one of the world’s best-selling groups of all time. Frey wrote or co-wrote (often with Henley) many of the group’s songs, and sang the lead vocals on a number of Eagles hits including “Take It Easy”, “Peaceful Easy Feeling”, “Already Gone”, “Tequila Sunrise”, “Lyin’ Eyes”, “New Kid in Town”, “Heartache Tonight” and “How Long”.
The Eagles broke up around 1980 and reunited in 1994, when they released a new album titled Hell Freezes Over. The album had live tracks and four new songs. The Hell Freezes Over Tour followed. In 2012 on The Tavis Smiley Show, Frey told Smiley, “When the Eagles broke up, people used to ask me and Don, ‘When are the Eagles getting back together?’ We used to answer, ‘When Hell freezes over.’ We thought it was a pretty good joke. People have the misconception that we were fighting a lot. It is not true. We had a lot of fun. We had a lot more fun than I think people realize.” At their first live concert of 1994, Frey told the crowd, “For the record, we never broke up. We just took a 14-year vacation.”
The Eagles’ album Long Road Out of Eden was released in 2007, and Frey participated in the Eagles’ Long Road Out of Eden Tour (2008–2011).
In 2013, the two-part documentary History of the Eagles, directed by Alison Ellwood and co-produced by Academy Award winner Alex Gibney, was aired on Showtime. The documentary won an Emmy Award in 2013 for Outstanding Sound Mixing For Nonfiction Programming. An accompanying two-year History of the Eagles world tour ended on July 29, 2015 at Bossier City, Louisiana, a concert which would be Frey’s final public appearance with the band.
Solo career
After the Eagles disbanded, Frey achieved solo success in the 1980s, especially with two No. 2 hits. In 1984, he recorded in collaboration with Harold Faltermeyer the worldwide hit, “The Heat Is On”, the main theme from the Eddie Murphy’s action comedy film Beverly Hills Cop; then, Frey performed “You Belong to the City” (from the television series Miami Vice, the soundtrack of which stayed on top of the U.S. album charts for 11 weeks in 1985). His other contribution to the soundtrack, “Smuggler’s Blues”, hit No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. During his solo career, Frey had 12 charting songs in the U.S. Top 100. Eleven of those were written with Jack Tempchin who also wrote “Peaceful Easy Feeling”.
Frey was the first choice to record “Shakedown”, the theme for the film Beverly Hills Cop II. Frey did not like the lyrics and then came down with laryngitis, so the song was given to Bob Seger. After the song went to number one, Frey called to congratulate Seger, saying “At least we kept the money in Michigan!”
Frey also contributed the song “Flip City” to the Ghostbusters II soundtrack, and “Part of Me, Part of You” to the soundtrack for Thelma & Louise. In 2005, he appeared on B.B. King & Friends: 80 on the track “Drivin’ Wheel”.
In the late 1990s, Frey founded a record company, Mission Records, with attorney Peter Lopez. Frey never released any of his own work on the label and the company has since disbanded.
On May 8, 2012, he released his first solo album in 20 years, After Hours, featuring covers of pop standards from the 1940s to the 1960s.
Acting career
As a television actor, Frey guest starred on Miami Vice in the first season episode “Smuggler’s Blues”, inspired by his hit song of the same name, and had a starring role in the “Dead Dog Arc” of Wiseguy. He was also the star of South of Sunset, which was canceled after one episode. In the late 1990s, he guest-starred on Nash Bridges as a policeman whose teenage daughter had run amok and gone on a crime spree with her sociopathic boyfriend. In 2002, he appeared on HBO’s Arliss, playing a political candidate who double-crosses Arliss and must pay a high price for it.
Frey’s first foray into film was his starring role in Let’s Get Harry, a 1986 film about a group of plumbers who travel to Colombia to rescue a friend from a drug lord. Frey’s next film appearance was a smaller role in Cameron Crowe’s third film, Jerry Maguire (1996). Frey played the frugal general manager of the Arizona Cardinals football team who, in the film’s climax, finally agrees to pay Cuba Gooding, Jr.’s character, wide receiver Rod Tidwell, a large professional contract.
Personal life
Frey was married twice. From 1983 to 1988, he was married to Janie Beggs. He married Cindy Millican in 1990. They had three children, a daughter, Taylor and two sons, Deacon and Otis.
Illness and death
Since about 2000, Frey had suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, which affected various joints of his body. The medication that he took to control the disease led to colitis and pneumonia. In November 2015, the Eagles announced that they were postponing their appearance at the Kennedy Center Honors as Frey required major surgery for intestinal problems and a lengthy recovery period. Following surgery he was placed in a medically-induced coma at Columbia University Medical Center.
On January 18, 2016, Frey died at the age of 67 in New York City of complications from rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis, and pneumonia, while recovering from gastrointestinal tract surgery.
Discography
Above The Clouds - The Very Best Of Glenn Frey
Geffen Records 2018
Tracks: The Heat Is On, Call On Me, Part Of Me Part Of You, You Belong To The City, Smuggler’s Blues, Sexy Girl, The Allnighter, Soul Searchin’, Same Girl, The One You Love, Strange Weather, I’ve Got Mine, River Of Dreams, Love In The 21st Century & Lyin’ Eyes / Take It Easy (Medley – Live at the National Stadium, Dublin, Ireland / 1992).
Musicians on the Above The Clouds: Glenn Frey and others.
Above The Clouds - The Collection
Geffen Records 2018
Tracks: Disc: 1: The Heat Is On, Call On Me, Part Of Me Part Of You, You Belong To The City, Smuggler’s Blues, Sexy Girl, The Allnighter, Soul Searchin’, Same Girl, The One You Love, Strange Weather, I’ve Got Mine, River Of Dreams, Love In The 21st Century & Lyin’ Eyes / Take It Easy (Medley – Live at the National Stadium, Dublin, Ireland / 1992). Disc: 2: Let’s Go Home, I Got Love, This Way To Happiness, Common Ground, After Hours, Rising Sun (Instrumental), The Shadow Of Your Smile, Better In The U.S.A., Brave New World, Caroline No, For Sentimental Reasons, It’s Too Soon To Know, Worried Mind, Lover’s Moon, Route 66 & True Love. Disc: 3: Jubilee Anne, Run Boy Run, Rebecca, Lucky Love, Kite Woman, Bring Back Funky Women, Star – Spangled Bus, Mister Mister, Don’t Talk Now & Never Have Enough. Disc: 4: Long Hot Summer, Peaceful Easy Feeling, New Kid In Town, The One You Love, Strange Weather, I’ve Got Mine, Lyin’ Eyes / Take It Easy (Medley), Wild Mountain Thyme, River Of Dreams, True Love, Love In The 21st Century, Livin’ Right, Smuggler’s Blues, The Heat Is On, Heartache Tonight, Party Town & Desperado.
Musicians on the Above The Clouds album: Glenn Frey and others.
After Hours
Universal Music 2012
Tracks: For Sentimental Reasons, My Buddy, Route 66, The Shadow of Your Smile, Here's to Life, It's Too Soon to Know, No Caroline, The Look of Love, I'm Getting Old Before My Time, Same Girl & After Hours.
Musicians on the After Hours album: Glenn Frey and others.
Rock Breakout Years
Madacy Records 2005
Tracks: The Allnighter, Sexy Girl, I Got Love, Somebody Else, Lover´s Moon, Smuggler´s Blues, Let´s Go Home, Better In The U.S.A., Living In The Darkness & New Love.
Musicians on the Rock Breakout Years: Glenn Frey and others.
Classic Glenn Frey
Universal Music 2001
Tracks: Part of You Part of Me, The Heat Is On, Smuggler's Blues, You Belong to the City, Sexy Girl, Love in the 21st Century, True Love, The Allnighter, The One You Love, Strange Weather, I've Got Mine, I Got Love, Let's Go Home, Better in the USA, Lover's Moon & Soul Searchin'.
Musicians on the Classic Glenn Frey album: Glenn Frey, Jay Oliver, Duncan Cameron, Josh Leo, Mark Goldenburg, Chris Mostert, Bill Bergman, Ben Tench, Harold Faltermeyer, Barry Beckett, Robbie Kilgore, Steve Nathan, Bryan Garofalo, David Hood, Jerry Scheff, Kenny Aronoff, Martin Fera, John Robinson, Larrie Londin, Lenny Castro, Steve Forman, Valerie Carter, Rosemary Butler, Robbie Martin, Luther Waters and others.
The Best Of Glenn Frey
MCA Records 2000
Tracks: The Heat Is On (from "Beverly Hills Cop"), Smuggler's Blues - (from "Miami Vice"), You Belong to the City - (from "Miami Vice"), Sexy Girl, Love in the 21st Century, True Love, The All Nighter, The One You Love, Strange Weather, I've Got Mine, Soul Searchin' & Part of You - (from "Thelma & Louise") Part of Me.
Musicians on the Best Of Glenn Frey Millenium Collection album: Glenn Frey, Jay Oliver, Duncan Cameron, Josh Leo, Mark Goldenburg, Chris Mostert, Bill Bergman, Ben Tench, Harold Faltermeyer, Barry Beckett, Robbie Kilgore, Steve Nathan, Bryan Garofalo, David Hood, Jerry Scheff, Kenny Aronoff, Martin Fera, John Robinson, Larrie Londin, Lenny Castro, Steve Forman, Valerie Carter, Rosemary Butler, Robbie Martin, Luther Waters and others.
Solo Collection
MCA Records 1995
Tracks: This Way to Happiness - ('95), Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed? - ('95), Common Ground - ('95), Call on Me, The One You Love, Sexy Girl, Smuggler's Blues, The Heat Is On, You Belong to the City, True Love, Soul Searchin', Part of You Part of Me, I've Got Mine, River of Dreams, Rising Sun & Brave New World.
Musicians on the Solo Collection album: Glenn Frey and others.
Live
MCA Records 1993
Tracks: Peaceful Easy Feeling, New Kid in Town, The One You Love, Wild Mountain Thyme, Strange Weather, I've Got Mine, Lyin' Eyes/Take It Easy, River of Dreams, True Love, Love in the 21st Century, Smuggler's Blues, The Heat Is On, Heartache Tonight & Desperado.
Musicians on the Live album: Glenn Frey, Danny Grenier, Duane Sciacqua, Al Garth, Chris Mostert, Greg Smith, Darrell Leonard, Barry Sarna, Jay Oliver, Bryan Garofalo, Martin Fera & Michito Sanchez.
Strange Weather
MCA Records 1992
Tracks: Silent Spring (Instrumental Prelude) , Long Hot Summer , Strange Weather , Aqua Tranquilla, Love In The 21st Century , He Took Advantage [Blues For Ronald Reagan], River Of Dreams, Ive Got Mine, Rising Sun, Brave New World, Delicious, A Walk In The Dark, Before The Ship Goes Down, Big Life & Part Of Me Part Of You.
Musicians on the Strange Weather album: Glenn Frey and others.
Soul Searchin´
MCA Records 1988
Tracks: Livin' Right, Some Kind of Blue, True Love, Can't Put Out This Fire, I Did It for Your Love, Let's Pretend We're Still in Love, Working Man, Soul Searchin', Two Hearts & It's Your Life.
Musicians on the Soul Searchin´album: Glenn Frey, Michael Landau, Duncan Cameron, Bill Bergman, Al Garth, Chris Mostert, The Heart Attack Horns, Barry Beckett, Robbie Buchanan, Hawk Wolinski, Ron Skies, Steve Thoma, Steve Nathan, David Hood, Neil Studenhaus, David Chamberlain, Russ Kunkel, John Robinson, Prairie Prince, Ralph MacDonald, Steve Forman, Timothy B. Schmit, Roy Galloway, Julia Waters, Maxine Water, Oren Waters, Max Carl, The Institutional Radio Choir and others.
The Allnighter "Japanese Release"
MCA Records 1984
Tracks: The Allnighter, Sexy Girl, I Got Love, Somebody Else, Lover´s Moon, Smuggler´s Blues, Let´s Go Home, Better In The U.S.A., The Heat Is On & New Love.
Musicians on the Allnighter album: Glenn Frey, Luther Waters, Jack Tempchin, Oren Waters, Roy Galloway, Duncan Cameron, Josh Leo, Nick DeCaro, William Bergman, Greg Smith , Al Garth, Lee Thornburg, The Heart Attack Horns, Barry Beckett, Vince Melamed, Allan Blazek, David "Hawk" Wolinski, John "J.R." Robinson , Michael Huey, Larrie Londin, Steve Forman & Victor Feldman.
The Allnighter
MCA Records 1984
The Allnighter, Sexy Girl, I Got Love, Somebody Else, Lover´s Moon, Smuggler´s Blues, Let´s Go Home, Better In The U.S.A., The Heat Is On & New Love.
Musicians on the Allnighter album: Glenn Frey, Luther Waters, Jack Tempchin, Oren Waters, Roy Galloway, Duncan Cameron, Josh Leo, Nick DeCaro, William Bergman, Greg Smith , Al Garth, Lee Thornburg, The Heart Attack Horns, Barry Beckett, Vince Melamed, Allan Blazek, David "Hawk" Wolinski, John "J.R." Robinson , Michael Huey, Larrie Londin, Steve Forman & Victor Feldman.
No Fun Aloud
Asylum Records 1982
Tracks: I Found Somebody, The One You Love, Partytown, I Volunteer, I've Been Born Again, Sea Cruise, That Girl, All Those Lies, She Can't Let Go & Don't Give Up.
Musicians on the No Fun Aloud album: Glenn Frey, Marcy Levy, Maxine Willard Waters, Oren Waters, Tom Kelly , Bill Champlin, Julia Tillman Waters, Greg Smith, Wayne Perkins, Duncan Cameron, Danny Kortchmar, Josh Leo, Jim Ed Norman, Al Garth, Jim Coile, William Bergman, Ernie Watts, Jim Horn, Bill Bergman, Harvey Thompson, Ronnie Eades, Lee Thornburg, John Berry Jr., The Heart Attack Horns, Clayton Ivey, Allan Blazek, David "Hawk" Wolinski, John "J.R." Robinson, Michael Huey, Roger Hawkins, Steve Forman, Floyd Tempchin, Hugh Gotteny, John McEnroe, Tommy Obnozzio, Urban Azoff, Buckley Wideface, Freddy Buffett, Leon Blazek & The Monstertones.