Eagles performed without Joe Walsh at the Sphere on Jan. 24 after the guitarist came down with the flu,.
Remarkably, it was the first time the classic rock legends had played a gig without Walsh since he joined the group in 1975. As Don Henley told the Las Vegas crowd, they made a tough decision when they got the news that he was ill.
“We had a choice to make,” he shared with the fans. “We could either cancel the whole thing, or we could man up and do the show. So we came down here this afternoon and had an emergency rehearsal for two hours. And fortunately, in this band, we have a deep bench.”
How Eagles Performed Without Joe Walsh
Vince Gill, a lifelong fan of Walsh since he first heard him play with the James Gang, subbed in and handled vocals for staple cuts like “Rocky Mountain Way” and “Life’s Been Good.” Deacon Frey and guitarist Chris Holt traded licks on “Hotel California,” with Frey taking the iconic solo. Admirably, the only song substitution they made involved swapping “Best of My Love” in place of “Funk #49.”
Watch Eagles Perform ‘Hotel California’ Without Joe Walsh
Walsh himself had done his best to perform the previous night’s gig, though he was absent for the stage at various points of the evening and they skipped “Rocky Mountain Way.” Henley paid tribute to his longtime bandmate for his attempts to soldier through the concert. “He was sick last night,” he said. “But he heroically made it through last of the show…Joe’s going to be okay. He just needs some time. Give him some love.”
Eagles Recently Celebrated a Big Milestone
The band will continue to play at the Sphere through the end of March, including their next show on Friday (Jan. 30). They’re riding high with the recent news that the legendary compilation, Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975, was certified as the first quadruple diamond certification from the RIAA, which represents sales of more than 40 million copies. That’s a lot of peaceful easy feelings, isn’t it?
READ MORE: Eagles’ ‘Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975’ Earns Quadruple Diamond Certification
