Eagles, the.Americanrock group. Formed in Los Angeles in 1971, they were the most important and successful country-rock group of the 1970s. Don Henley (bGilmer, TX, 22 July 1947; drums and vocals) and Glenn Frey (bDetroit, 6 Nov 1948; guitar and vocals) left Linda Ronstadts back-up band to form the Eagles with Bernie Leadon (bMinneapolis, 19 July 1947; guitar and vocals) and Randy Meisner (bScottsbluff, NE, 8 March 1947; bass and vocals). Influenced by other southern California bands like the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers, the Eagles blended strong songwriting, lush harmony vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar and distorted lead guitar to extend the country-rock style more toward hard rock than other groups had done. The groups debut album,Eagles(Asylum 1972), contains three hit singles includingTake it easyandWitchy Woman, which are representative of the groups early approach. The albumsDesperado(Asylum 1973),On the Border(Asylum 1974), andOne of These Nights(Asylum 1975) continue in much the same style; Don Felder (guitar and vocals) joined the band in 1974. Leadon was replaced in 1976 by Joe Walsh (guitar and vocals), and the quintets 1976 album,Hotel California(Asylum), marked an even stronger turn toward hard rock and rhythm and blues. The album spent eight weeks at number one in America and featured two number one hit singles,New Kid in TownandHotel California. The next album,The Long Run(Asylum 1979), was equally successful, marking the bands fourth consecutive number one album, as well as their last studio project. Frey, Henley and Walsh pursued successful solo careers during the 1980s; the band regrouped briefly to recordHell Freezes Over(Geffen 1994) and tour.BIBLIOGRAPHYJ.Sims:The Eagles Take it Easy and Soar,Rolling Stone(17 Aug 1972)C.Crowe:Chips Off the Old Buffalo: the Eagles,Rolling Stone(25 Sept1975)C.Charlesworth:Where Eagles Dare,Melody Maker(11 Dec 1976) [interview]C.M.Young:Hell is for Heroes: the Eagles Slow Burn in Rock and Roll Inferno,Rolling Stone(29 Nov 1979)M.Shapiro:The Long Run: the Story of the Eagles(London,1995)JOHN COVACH