Eagles, Bernie Leadon and Jackson Browne Play "Take It Easy" as Glenn Frey Tribute
Last night, the Eagles and Jackson Browne performed a spirited version of "Take It Easy," the Eagles' first hit from 1972, as a tribute to band cofounder Glenn Frey, who died January 18.
The band lineup for the Grammy Awards performance was notable because it featured original Eagles guitarist Bernie Leadon, who played his famous guitar solo on the same stage as Don Henley, his former Eagles bandmate, plus guitarist Joe Walsh and bassist Timothy B. Schmidt, who joined the band after Leadon's tenure.
Leadon quit the band in 1975, and Walsh actually replaced him.
In terms of composition, Browne laid the groundwork for "Take It Easy," but Frey added what has evolved into the song's best-known line, "It's a girl, my lord, in a flatbed ford, slowing down to take a look at me."
Browne released his own version of the song in 1973, but it failed to chart.
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Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
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