I was in high school trying to figure out how I was going to pay for college. In my junior year, at age 17, I started driving to school and every morning and every afternoon I would listen to a few of the local pop stations on my old Ford Falcon's AM radio. I heard the songs time and time again. There was Take It easy, Already Gone, Tequila Sunrise, Witchy Woman, Peaceful Easy Feeling (My favorite), and James Dean. It didn't take long before I knew the words to them all. I would sing along on my many trips to and from school and work.

I was also learning to play the guitar and was "in" to all of the really good guiatar players then, Joe Walsh being among them. What a lot of people do not realize is that the Eagles have become a part of our American culture. I would love to see them perform at the Super Bowl or on the Mall in DC on July 4.

The Eagles received so much air play in Philadelphia that even if you knew nothing about the band, you still knew their music.

Later when Joe Walsh joined them I was hooked. At the time I would consider myself a serious student of music (all kinds). I started to get into Don Henley's music (he is a true musical genius) and Glenn Frey in the 80's around the time of Miami Vice. I couldn't get enough of Smuggler's Blues. When I first heard "I Can't Tell You Why" I thought it was Carole King. I was amazed to find out it was an Eagles Song. TBS is that good. Like Glenn Frey said, "He is the ribbon on the package."

I didn't become successful until I was in my late 30's, so I didn't have the resources to go to a lot of shows. I was busy raising a son and taking care of a family.

But now the son is a college graduate and I am at a point in life where I get to "smell the roses" a little bit. I had to wait a stretch before they cam thru our area, but every time the Eagles came thru, my wife and I were there. It was very gratifying to see Joe Walsh perform live. We are very fortunate to have attended three shows in 08 and to have seen Don Henley solo in 07.

I repeat, the Eagleas are a part of our American culture, every bit as much as the Beach Boys. I hope all of the Border members in Europe and the Pacific Rim enjoy the upcoming shows. After seeing them three times, I can tell you with certainty they have never been better. I would even go as far as saying I am a little envious of you all knowing your concert experiences are still ahead of you as mine are fading into memory. Enjoy every minute of it.