How did you become a fan of the Eagles/a specific Eagle?

[Ive always been a dreamer]

I'm glad you shared your story with us, wc. I love reading all the different ways that us fans discovered and got hooked on the band and/or various band members.

[WalshFan88]

Long story but here goes!

A family friend had been trying to get me into music, and to play guitar. So I tried to learn, never took it seriously and pretty much blew it off. Unfortunately in 2007 (January), he was in a horrific car crash, a fence came through the car and mangled his face. The short story of that is that he is on a trach and feeding tube. Very sad. It makes me sad we never got to jam. He had Epilepsy and apparently had a seizure as he was driving. He knew it was coming as he was heading to work and turned the car headed home but never made it there in time and had a seizure and drove into a fencerow. Very sad.

The next month (February), I took his advice on how to take guitar seriously. He said "go through your parents albums and listen to every one of them, and get into music and be a music lover first, you gotta love music to play guitar". So that's what I did. I listen to a LOT of music I liked, some I loved. But NONE made me go "Wow, I wanna be a musician". Then I found my parents copy of Hotel California. I put it on, and the very second the title track started in, it gave me chills. It was a life-changing song. When I heard the solo I knew I liked the 2nd half of it better, and said "I wanna be a guitar player!!!!".

That day I went, got my guitar I had from my previous attempts and printed out the basic "cowboy chords" off the internet and got to it. I later found out that part of the solo was none other than Joe Walsh. Then I found out he played and sang Life's Been Good, which I came across on the radio one day. I found out about all members past and present and their history and was able to associate their solo songs with the Eagles members and started listening to their whole catalog. At that time it was Eagles through The Long Run as far as studio albums go. I did listen to Eagles Live and HFO. Then I found F1.

I really fell in love with Hotel California, and that song IS my favorite song of all time. My favorite guitar intro of all time. My favorite guitar solo of all time. My favorite album of all time, made by my favorite band of all time. That song means a lot as because I have posted before, I've had a rough life with all of my medical problems and live at home disabled and listening to their music helped me, and most importantly got me into guitar playing and gave me something to do and enjoy than just sitting around bummed out. Then a couple years after I started I came across this guitar store, a mom and pop store, and became great close friends with the owner. He and I started what became The Stone Eagles. We started as a classic rock cover band (and with about half of our set eventually being Eagles songs, we decided we needed to become a tribute band! ). Then we started taking it more seriously and becoming a tribute band. We don't dress like the Eagles, but we try to nail the music as close as we possibly can for our audience and that's more important.

So that's how I got into being a fan of the Eagles, and even more so a fan of Joe Walsh. I like Don Felder too, he and Joe are my favorite guitar duo of all time, but I like Joe a little bit more. My favorite former member is Don Felder. I like Randy Meisner's bass playing too. I like Bernie Leadon's playing too but I'm not a huge straightahead country fan. I dig some of it when mixed with rock.

And that's the end of the story. I owe it to this band because I became happier and became a guitar player. I feel Hotel California changed my life.

[MikeA]

Two "thumbs up" Austin!

[GlennLover]

So glad the guys inspired you like that & that the music has enriched your life. I'm sure they would be moved by your story. I know Glenn is very touched by stories like this (as I've seen in television clips & read in articles).

[WalshFan88]

So glad the guys inspired you like that & that the music has enriched your life. I'm sure they would be moved by your story. I know Glenn is very touched by stories like this (as I've seen in television clips & read in articles).

What I didn't get into in my post is my medical problems and the life I've had but it really impacted me. It got me playing music, which has made my medically disabled life a bit brighter. I have a benign but inoperable spinal tumor and am in lots of pain plus I have endocrine and other orthopedic problems (arthritis, osteoporosis, herniated discs) everyday but music and playing with my band makes me happier. It gives me a purpose to live for.

I would love to meet the band and tell them my story. And the ability to play a song with them. That is my dying wish. I don't know if it will ever happen, but one can hope and dream I guess. I'd be content with just meeting them and saying "Thanks". That's really what it comes down to. It made my life a better place. I remember I was rushing to get out and now I'm much happier and a lot less miserable. I can't work, but I do get to play with my band and it makes me happy and feel somewhat productive and that I'm contributing something, in this case it is music. I try to entertain but also uplift others.

[sodascouts]

That's really moving, Austin. Thank you for sharing your story with us.

[WalshFan88]

That's really moving, Austin. Thank you for sharing your story with us.

You're welcome. I am glad to. It just goes to show how music can change a person. It did for me because prior to that, I was at my wits end, miserable, and wanting out of life.

[AzEaglesFan]

I am so glad that you get to enjoy music and it has enriched your life. I have worn hearing aids for years and without them I am extremely deaf. It does have it's advantages, I can sleep thru barking dogs and loud parties. I used to fear that I will go completely deaf and won't be able to enjoy music. So far the hearing aids have worked but I have a lot of touble talking with people on the phone.
I pray that your health issues will improve and that you can enjoy and play music for a very long time.

[TimothyBFan]

WOW---Isn't it amazing what music can do!?!? Thanks for sharing your stories!

[Prettymaid]

These stories truly are uplifting and if there is one thread the Eagles should read here it's this one.