Henley the guitar man?

[Redcloud]

I'd really like to know if Don can actually play a guitar. He is often on stage "playing" a telecaster or an accoustic but has anyone ever heard him play an actual chord on a guitar?

Don suffers from chronic back pain and I think he often stands with guitars or at conga drums to get away from his kit and help relieve the pain. Maybe that is why he uses guitars too. Ive always thought he never looks comfortable holding a guitar and that its just a prop but maybe im wrong.

[WalshFan88]

I think he can probably "play", meaning he knows chords and stuff but as far as how much he plays or anything I don't know.

If you watch him, he mainly plays chords on the Tele during the choruses of the songs. This is very easily seen during Boys Of Summer. He also hits some power chords throughout Dirty Laundry.

I don't think he's much of an electric player but he knows his chords well and sounds better and looks more natural with an acoustic guitar than an electric. I think it IS probably mainly for looks but I do think he can play rhythm guitar. He may not be the next Keith Richards of rhythm guitar, but I do think he can play chords well.

Personally, I'd rather see him play drums or just sing with his mic. Looks more natural that way. It doesn't look so out of place sitting down with an acoustic but Don Henley playing an electric guitar is something I cannot really "grasp", LOL!

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Don has said in interviews that he plays some guitar. I believe he does play a little during the live shows rather than strictly using it as a prop. However, I agree with Austin - he's no Keith Richards (or Joe Walsh or even Glenn Frey). He was introduced to us as a drummer so I think that's what a lot of fans still prefer to see him do (although I don't want him to hurt himself! )

[Freypower]

At the risk of being controversial I don't like it much when Don sings without an instrument. I think he should save that for solo shows. My preference is for drums, but if he's going to be down the front I don't mind watching him play electric or acoustic guitar even if he is not a technical wizard.

[GlennLover]

I remember in one of the LROOE interviews when Don was talking about getting ready for the tour that he said he had to practice to learn the guitar chords for whatever song he was commenting about (I don't remember the details now.) He played guitar (or it appears that he did) on Saturday Night in the '73 BBC concert & also played on Tequila Sunrise on HFO, to name a few instances.

[Freypower]

He also played guitar in BOML in the 70s.

What disappointed me with the LROOE songs was that he played percussion on the grand total of one new song, which was IDWTHAM, leading to the suspicion that he may not have played drums at all on that album. Yet he is credited. I wish he had done so to prove that he can still do it. He is cutting back the drums even more; when I saw them in December he didn't play on LITFL (he played guitar) or on RMW (he played percussion, but for one performance of RMW he LEFT THE STAGE COMPLETELY).

[GlennLover]

He also played guitar in BOML in the 70s.
).

I forgot about BOML. Love the clip from Houston 1977 on Glenn's birthday.

[EaglesKiwi]

He also played guitar in BOML in the 70s.

What disappointed me with the LROOE songs was that he played percussion on the grand total of one new song, which was IDWTHAM, leading to the suspicion that he may not have played drums at all on that album. Yet he is credited. I wish he had done so to prove that he can still do it. He is cutting back the drums even more; when I saw them in December he didn't play on LITFL (he played guitar) or on RMW (he played percussion, but for one performance of RMW he LEFT THE STAGE COMPLETELY).

I think that was because he was still recovering from some back injury or something - hadn't he been not playing drums at all for a while there? Both Rob and I are fairly sure he played drums on LITFL when we saw them a couple of weeks later in Melbourne (& he definitely didn't leave the stage for any songs!).

I think Don can play the guitar and probably better than most people realise, but he has commented that it's harder for him to play guitar & sing at the same time - perhaps he simply prefers to concentrate on the singing without feeling any need to focus too much on the guitar (especially given there are so many talented players there already!).

I'm sure I heard in an interview that he originally wrote some of the music for WITW on acoustic guitar...???

[Mrs Frey]

If I can give my ten cents worth here, Don can definitely play the guitar. The shapes his fingers form are real chords - there's no doubt about that.

Certainly in HFO, his playing was more than just "dressing" - when the Eagles sit in a row with guitars, they are all playing the same chords in different places on the fret board, giving a fuller and more interesting sound, along with Joe's (and in HFO, also Don Felder's) lead guitar parts. Don definitely plays his part, along with Glenn, on rhythm guitar.

I think it's great that each Eagle can play more than one instrument. I wish I was adept at more than just the guitar.

[Freypower]

I think that was because he was still recovering from some back injury or something - hadn't he been not playing drums at all for a while there? Both Rob and I are fairly sure he played drums on LITFL when we saw them a couple of weeks later in Melbourne (& he definitely didn't leave the stage for any songs!).

I think Don can play the guitar and probably better than most people realise, but he has commented that it's harder for him to play guitar & sing at the same time - perhaps he simply prefers to concentrate on the singing without feeling any need to focus too much on the guitar (especially given there are so many talented players there already!).

I'm sure I heard in an interview that he originally wrote some of the music for WITW on acoustic guitar...???

This is from the Hop Farm Festival last year, after the Australian tour. He is playing guitar here. There is no sound, but I have no reason to believe the song is not LITFL. Glenn is playing Old Black.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5261Oidt6I0[/ame]