Don Henley Q&A

Don Henley Runaway Weekend Q&A
July 23, 2017
This is our report from Don's Q and A. We hope we are capturing this for those of you who couldn't be
there. We found it difficult to take notes because we were right up front, but we had some friends
helping out with the note-taking. Now, we have to make sense of the notes, use our memories and put
it together into something we hope is informational for you. It will take a while. Remember, Don spoke
for about 3.5 hours!
Don entered the room to thunderous applause. He carried a cup of coffee and a bottle of water. Two
other bottles of water awaited him on a small table to his left. There was also a handheld microphone
waiting for him there.
Don greeted the crowd and thanked everyone for coming. He let us know that he was still waking up
because he had a late night. He was up until about 4 am, in my kitchen having barbecue and birthday
cake with my son. He laughed and said that everyone probably thought he was out having a wild party
with Stevie and Joe. No man, were all old, we go to bed! The crowd laughed. I had to tell them there
was a thing I had to do today. Im happy to be here and I feel moderately well. It took me a while to you
know relax and come down last night. You know it was pretty exciting.
Don said that the best thing that happened at the concert the previous evening was that his voice
showed up. He said that it hasnt been doing that all the time lately. He liked having all his friends with
him at his concert. He said that it was sweet of them to come down and celebrate with him. He said,
they will of course all be paid back. He mentioned that Stevie will turn 70 next May and that he
would be there in some capacity. He didnt know what Joe and Timothy intended to, but that he would
probably be there as well.
Don told the crowd that he found out a few weeks ago that Paul McCartney was playing in Shreveport,
Louisiana, on the same night (Shreveport is about 3 hours east of Dallas). Don said that he was flattered
that we chose to attend his concert instead of Pauls. He said that if he had the night off, he would have
gone down there. Don told us that Paul sent birthday greetings to him. He said that Paul and Ringo both
sent him greetings. He explained, you know, Joe Walsh is married to Ringos brother-in-law.
Nothats not right. Well, you know, these days. Don said he hadnt had enough coffee. He tried again.
Joe is married to Ringos sister. Let me put it this way. Ringos wife and Joes wife are sisters. Don said
its been wonderful to get to know them better and it has been a real thrill because both former Beatles
are musical heroes. Don said that he partially learned how to play drums by listening to Ringo play on
Beatles records. Ringo was a much better drummer than he got credit for. He was extraordinary. And of
course, Mr. McCartney is just so talented. Don said that Paul sent a text message to Joes wife that Joe
showed to him and that really made Dons night. ....besides all of you, course.
Don said hed get started with the questions. He asked us, You know Im not singing today, right?
Because I cant. I used it up all last night on the stage and gave it everything I had. Don said that he just
got off his tour and that his voice was beat up pretty bad. He went to a voice coach as soon as he
finished. The voice coach looked at his throat and said that she couldnt help him right now. She told
him to go home and rest for a week or two and rest and that maybe then she could help him. So, he
went and called up a voice coach in Nashville who helped him on Facetime over the computer. The guy
helped him get his voice back in shape. Don said that to prepare for this show, he slept for two days in a
row. Don told us that sleeping is critical for a singer. I dont sleep. I dont know if you know that about
me, Im a nocturnal animal and Im up until all hours of the night. Im doing business and answering
emails and making sure that everything is okay. Somebodys got to stay up and watch.
Time for the questions and answers.
The first question asked Don to talk about his work with Caddo Lake.
July 23, 2017
Don told us that there are so many facets to his effort at Caddo. Its so big and there are so many things
plaguing it that he couldnt go into a lot of detail. He promised to give us an overview of whats
happening there. Don started to explain what Caddo was for those who werent from around there.
That prompted him to ask, How many from out of state? A good majority of hands in the room went
up. It was amazing how many people were there from somewhere else. Don laughed. Don said, That
just goes to show you that the local people are all, oh, thats just him. He waved his hand dismissively.
I dont need to see him. I see him at Whole Foods. People then started yelling out where they were
from. People were from all over. Don seem taken aback most by the people from Japan and Scotland.
Don said Scotland with the accent and then said arrrrgh. The Scot said that Don needed work on
rolling his rs and Don agreed. Don told us that his .mothers ancestors came from southwestern
Scotland from the county of Ayrshire which is where the poet, Robert Burns was from. He continued
that they migrated from there to Northern Ireland and from there to the United States and ended up in
Maryland.
Someone then shouted out that they were from Norway. Don said that he had friends in Norway. Don
said that his fitness trainer in Dallas had parents that moved from Norway to Mesquite, Texas. The
fitness trainer is a wonderful woman who kicks my ass three times a week.
At this point, Don realized he had gone off on a tangent. We were going to talk about Caddo.
Don explained that Caddo is a fairly large lake that lies on the border of Texas and Louisiana. The
watershed covers 13 counties in Texas. Caddo is billed as the only natural lake in Texas. Don told us that
all of the rest of the lakes in the state are reservoirs or as they call them in his parts, Rez-a-voys. Don
said that Caddo is a natural lake in the sense that it was a series of natural lakes hundreds of years ago,
but that at some point, oil was discovered there and they wanted to drill oil platforms over the lake but
that it was too muddy. They couldnt get out to the platforms because of mud. Don said that they built a
small dam at Caddo. Its called a weirthats a word for small dam. This allowed the swamp to fill up
with water so the guys could get to their old platforms. Don told us that Howard Hughes was
instrumental in this effort. He was one of the first guys to look for oil at Caddo. Caddo was the first
place that they learned to drill for oil over water and it is historic in that sense. So the lake is semi-
natural. It holds the most species of fish out of all other lakes in Texas. It has endangered species there
like bald eagles, alligator snapping turtles and an ancient breed of fish called the paddlefish. Don said
that his outfit (The Caddo Lake Institute) is in the process of replacing them and putting them back in the
lake.
Its an incredible body of water with extremely biodiversity. It was declared as a Westland of
International Importance under a treaty. The RAMSAR treaty was signed in Iran.
To make a long story short, Caddo Lake is an ecological treasure. Its about 2700 acres of wetland and
has all kinds of waterfowl, fish, bears, bobcats. It has a history of steamboat navigation back in the old
days. It has an interesting history of pearls. There was a Japanese man who dived for pearls down there.
He opened a pearl factory. Bootlegging was a big thing there. Its a fishermans paradise. If you ever
want to go bass fishing, thats your place. There are Cyprus trees.some of them are as old as 400 years
old. I could go on and on about the lake. If you ever get the chance to go down there, you can go
kayaking or canoeing, you can go fishing, they have cabins for rent. Just try to stay out of the way of the
big motor boats with the 200/300 horsepower engines. If I were king, I would outlaw those
things.thats a long answer to a short question. Don continued that he grew up fishing down there
and caught his first fish there in 1957 with his dad. Don told us to google Caddo Lake and look at some
of the photographs. It looks like Jurassic Parkits an extraordinary, magical, mystical place.
The next question was from a woman from Cambridge in the UK about artists who play albums from
start to finish. She wondered if Don would ever play The End of the Innocence that way in concert. Don
July 23, 2017
misunderstood her, though, and thought she was asking if he would ever come back and play in the UK.
When she told him she was from Cambridge, Don said, Ohwell la-di-dah Don said hes been to
Cambridge and that it is a wonderful place. She mentioned that it will soon be the 30th anniversary of
the End of the Innocence. Don thought she said 13th, but then said, I love how you people keep up
with these things. I have no idea. Don said, Im sure well be back to England in one form or another
whether its me as a solo artist or the Eagles. Everyone clapped. The British Isles, or the United
Kingdom or whatever you are calling it this week are one of my favorite places to play and Im pretty
sure well be back. He said that he had a lot of ancestry over there.
This question reminded Don about the big anniversary being marked for Hotel California. This
yearwell actually last year was the 40th anniversary of the Hotel California album. It came out in
December of 76, so people didnt really hear it until January or February of 1977, so they are putting out
a 40th anniversary issue, but they didnt get it out last yearit will include some live tracks from the
1976/77 Hotel California tour. He told us this was one of the reasons he doesnt sleep. I stay up all
night mixing those tracks. From remote control. I mix them with headphones on and theres a guy in
Austin sitting in a recording studio mixing them and sending me the mixes. I make notes. I send the
notes back to him. He remixes it. Weve been doing that for weeks. And were putting together the
Dodger Stadium thing and this thing. Don laughed and said, I say that because people are always
saying to me, what do you do in your spare time? And I got 3 kids. Theres a lot going on. Theres a lot
coming up. Weve got this thing coming up in New York later this week. Don said that Classic West
went pretty well, apparently. He said that he didnt think he had a very good night, but the
newspapers didnt notice.
Don continued on this tangent. Deacon Frey did a wonderful job. And so did Vince Gill. Pardon my
French, but Vince Gill sings his ass off. Hes really an extraordinary musician and an extraordinary singer.
Were happy to have him. Don came back to the original question. Well be there, I just dont know
when. If the good lord is willing and the creek dont rise.
The next person to ask a question wished Don a happy birthday. Thank you. Its over now, he replied.
This person told Don that this whole weekend was something she could scratch off of her bucket list.
She wondered if Don had a bucket list. She wondered what was on it and what has been scratched off.
Don smiled ruefully and said, There are several things that have been scratched off. They tend to get
replaced. Don said that he wants to travel more with his children. He said that while he hasnt been
absentee father, hes been gone a lot and missed a few things over the years. He said he tries to be
home for important school activities. When Im home, Im home. Im not going off to an office. When
Im home Im home. When Im gone, Im gone. Its not like a 9 to 5 thing where I have to leave in the
morning and come home in the evening. Im either gone for 2 weeks or Im home for 2 or 3 weeks.
Usually, they are glad to see me leave.
Don wants to show his kids some of the world, while it still exists. He also said that one of his dreams
was to grow a corn field like his dad had. His dads cornfield was a magical place and he would go there
to hide. It was like a maze. It was like a fairy tale. I smelled great. He talked about how he would lay
down and look up at the clouds through the corn stalks (ed note: Ive often wondered if Dons dads
cornfield was free of snakes, bugs and other vermin. Every corn field weve been in was NOT a nice place
to lay on the ground.)
Don said that our society today doesnt give kids enough dream time. Don said that was missing
because we are glued to our gadgets. Don talked about how at night, we could see satellites like Sputnik
go by in the sky. He wants to do more of that kind of stuff in the future. He wants to go more fishing.
July 23, 2017
Don reiterated that he wants to see more of the world. While hes traveled quite extensively, he doesnt
get to see a lot of it from hotel rooms or airports. You see the road into town. You see the road from
the hotel to the venue where you are going to play. You see your dressing room and you go back to your
hotel. When Im on tour I dont go out much because I cant afford to talk in loud restaurants.
I would like to go and see the world that Ive actually been to, but havent seen.
Don said he has specific places hed like to visit. He mentioned that hes been to Italy, but would like to
go back and eat his way through that country. He would like to visit the Galapagos Islands and other
special and important environmental places. Hes like to see Antarctica. Hes been to Iceland, but hed
like to go back. Hed like to spend more time in Great Britain tracing his family tree.
Theres so much to do and I want to live a really long time and show my kids. Its important to me to
show my kids. I want them to know about their family tree and where they come from.
Don affirmed that he has a huge bucket list, but that .parachuting is not on it. Ill be just fine without
that.
The next person to ask a question was from Georgia. Don told her, I have ancestors buried in Georgia.
The questioner replied, We do too.
Mine got out, Don replied. Except the ones that are buried there. They didnt get out. This exchange
was quite humorous.
The questioner told Don that the End of the Innocence was a special song for her and she wondered if
Don had a special song or lyric that was special to him.
Don thought and said, ooohI dont want to get into politics.
Don spoke about how The End of the Innocence has taken on a new meaning since the November
election. He mentioned the lines about the lawyers cleaning up the details. That resonates for me.
Don said that The Heart of the Matter always resonates with him because we always need
forgiveness from somebody.
Don said that he likes singing The Last Resort. Don said that on The Cass County album (which he said
wasnt a commercial success) that he enjoys doing The Cost of Living which he recorded with Merle
Haggard.
I feel really fortunate to sing with Merle Haggard before he left the Earth. He said that song moves
him because hes not here anymore.
Don explained that he was moved the previous night because it was a special occasion. Some nights,
honey, its just a job. It depends on where you are and on how drunk the audience is and how they are
behaving. If they are being quiet and respectful, then I can get into my head. But if there are some
people down frontand they are always down frontthat have had too much and they are talking loud
through the ballads and things like that it makes it really difficult for us. If there are cell phone cameras
with the little white lightsyou feel like a deer being hunted. So it all depends on the circumstances.
There are still songs that move me.
The next question was about the line in If Dirt Were Dollars. She just looked at me,
uncomprehendingly like a cow at a passing train. This fan wanted to know if Don made up that line or if
it was an old Texas saying.
Don confessed that it was neither after grinning and squirming in his chair.
July 23, 2017
Don said that he paraphrased it from what he thinks is a British saying. He said that he read it
somewhere. He said that he didnt plagiarize it, he just changed it around. He said that nobody ever
talks about that song and that he thought it was a clever line.
Don said, Its not just womenyou can look at men and you say something to them and they look back
at you and your realize they havent understood or comprehended a word youve said. He said that its
a great image. He then acted out what cows look like when trains go by.
He mentioned the Far Side cartoon where the cows are standing up on two legs and one of them yells,
Car! and they all get on four legs and pretend to eat grass. And then when the car goes past, they all
stand up again.
The next fan to ask a question told Don that when he sees the Eagles, he cant take his eyes off of
Steuart Smith. He asked how Don met and brought Steuart into the band. Don said that he could watch
Steuarts hands for a long time because he is a master. Before going on about Stu, though, Don wanted
to address the fact that the guy who asked the question was from Cass County, Illinois. Don wanted to
let us know that there are 9 Cass Counties in the United States. He named a few of them (Texas, Illinois,
Michigan, Minnesota). They are all named after a Senator from Michigan who became Andrew Jacksons
Secretary of War. He was evidently a guy with a lot of clout because he has 9 counties named after him.
I dont know if he was a very nice guy.thats neither here nor there.
Don went back to Stu. He said he met him in the early 2000s. Don Felder had just been removed from
the band andwe needed a guitar player who could play that kind of music. Don said there just arent
very many guys in the United States who can play like that. Don was at a Shawn Colvin show at the Ford
Theater in Hollywood and Stu was playing with her along with a bassist named Larry Klein. Don said that
he knew Larry and was a big Shawn Colvin fan, but that he was riveted by Steuart Smith. That guy is
great! Incredible.
Don said he got in touch with Stu and told him, Im in this little group called the Eagles and were
looking for a guitar player who can play in the style that you play. There really arent very many of you in
the United States or the world. Don said Stu kind of shrugged and said, I dont knowI kind of like
playing with Shawn. I like her music. Its a good gig for me.
Don told him, Listen. Im talking about some serious employment here. So Stu agreed. Don said he had
a couple of meetings with him and then it was time to take him to meet Glenn. Don told Glenn, I found
this guy. Hes incredible. He can do everything Bernie could play. He can do all these bended licks and he
can play anything.
Glenn agreed to meet Steuart, so Don took Stu to Glenns studio in West LA. He had Stu run through
three or four songs and Stu did great. When they finished, Stu left the room. Don asked Glenn what he
thought and Glenn said, Bingo. Don said that Steuart is the kind of guy that cant stop working or sit
still for five seconds and that he always has another project. Don said, If we hadnt found him, Im not
sure we could have continued.
The next fan to ask a question complimented Dons lyrics and said that she thought that Cass County
was some of his best work. Don replied, Well, tell that to Capitol Records. This fan wanted to know
how difficult it was to collaborate with someone on songwriting.
That process has changed over the years. In the old days when Glenn and I used to write songs
together, wed get together in the same room and get a couple of acoustic guitars and sit across the
table from one anotherand wed write that way. As time went on, Don said that he and Glenn would
get together sometimes and then go their separate ways and work on the songs and then come back
together to compare notes. That evolved into working completely separately and sending each other
songs and writing remotely. Don said that toward the end, they would get together in the same room.
July 23, 2017
When Don write with Steuart, they send each other music and lyrics and create something before
getting together. Don says there is no set way that a song gets written. Don said that a lot of it can get
done on my phone or on a computer. You rarely see it done the old fashioned way anymore.
Don now likes for people send them music and hell add to it. Don says that these days, Ive gotten sort
of selfish about the lyrics. I like to write them all myself. I dont collaborate very much on lyrics anymore.
I would if it were Jackson Browne or JD Souther or somebodybut most other people, I want their music
and I dont want to hear their lyrics. Not that Im not open to it. Its justI hate to reject people. I hate to
criticize things and say thats not working for me. Thats not it. You have to have a very strong ego and
personality to write songs. Like acting, theres a lot of rejection involved. You have to learn how to reject
other peoples ideas in a very diplomatic and non-offensive way. Songwriting is a very delicate process.
Don said thats why he and Glenn were so good at it. They could say anything to each other. Don said
that there arent many people you can do that with without them getting, their widdle feewings
hurt.
Its a rare relationship. The great thing about Steuart is that he just leaves me alone. He doesnt try to
interject.
The next fan wanted to know what Dons favorite song it, why hes so sad in his songs and who hurt him.
Don said that he thinks that the best songs are sad songs. He doesnt enjoy happy little songs. He quoted
Randy Newman who said that happy songs are harder to write. You have to keep it funny.you have to
start and end funny and that is really hard to do. Don said that all the great romantic songs through
history (Sinatra-McCartney) are sad. You can only hear, You Are My Sunshine, so many times. On the
other time, I could listen to Yesterdayover and over and over again.
Don said that he thought that we had all been hurt at one time. Don said that especially when he was a
kid he got beat up and bullied. Hes had a lot of girlfriends
Don said its like Joni Mitchell said, You take all of your pain and you turn it into art. Most great art has
tragic element to it, according to Don. Don had a hard time thinking of a happy song.
Its not just individuals who hurt you. Life hurts you. Just living on the planet you get hurt by friends, by
family, by the political situation, by the suffering of other people. People who go hungry on this earth
and all of the horrible things that happen. All of that hurts if you are aware of it. If you read the
newspapers and you know whats going on in the world, you have to experience some sorrowsome
pain. That works its way into the songs.
Don then plugged the new Randy Newman album. He said that Randy, Leonard Cohen and Paul Simon
were it for him.
The next fan wanted to know about some of the word choices and twists in the lyrics of Dons songs.
Don said that RayBan should have sponsored my tour because I gave them a hell of a lot of free
advertising and I didnt receive a penny for it.
Don acknowledged that there was a little twist at the end of New York Minutethat it starts off as a very
dark song and then at the end it says that things can change and you can get out of the rain. Don
guessed that he studied a lot of O Henry stories in high school.
Don then explained the egg and dart line in Waiting in the Weeds. Don said that he had seen it
misquoted a lot of times online. Do you read those lyric sites? They are always wrong. A-Z Lyrics?
Theyre terrible. Don explained that egg and dart is an architectural term and that you can see
examples of it in older houses. Its a ceiling molding design that features a round egg shape interspersed
with a pointy thing that is the dark. Don said it symbolizes life and death. SoI just threw that in there
July 23, 2017
because it went with the theme of the song. Don told us that Waiting in the Weeds is one of his
favorite songs that hes ever written. And you would never hear it on the radio because they dont play
the good ones.
Some fans said they wanted to hear it live. Its hard to do. Don remembered that they did it for a
while, but that its hard to sing, but that he would give it a shot next time.
Don said that hes been accused of being too serious and too morbid in his songwriting. Don said,
though, that if we look carefully at his songs, that we would find some humor. Don quoted a Randy
Newman interview in which Randy said that hes one of the only people doing satire these days. Randy
mentioned that Henley does it a little, but that nobody notices. Randy said that Henley cant do satire
because hes in the Eagles and nobody wants to hear him be the bad guy. Don said that many of his
funny barbs go over peoples heads.
The next fan wanted to invite Don to Cleveland. Don thought he was just in Cleveland. He was in
Cincinnati. He said he confuses the two.
The next question came from Phoenix. Don said that it was hotter there than here. This fan wanted to
know if Don sings in the shower and if he does, what song does he sing?
Don said he never sings in the shower. He told us that a couple of his kids sing in the shower, but he
doesnt. I dont know why. The waters too loud. He acknowledged that it sounds good in the shower.
He then apologized.
A fan from Boston wanted Don to talk about Walden and how it captivated Don.
Ill try to condense the story.
Don told us that it all started with where he grew upin a small town. Don said that he spent most of his
childhood in the woodscatching frogs and tadpoles. He said this left him with an affinity for nature. His
dad was also a part-time farmer with a large garden. Don also said he had a magical English teacher in
high school that everyone loved and would visit after they left school. Don said he wasnt sure if he read
Thoreau in her class or if it was after that. Don said he was an English major first at Stephen F. Austin
and then at the University of North Texas. Don said he wasnt clear on whether he studied Thoreau or
Emerson then either. He said he didnt really come to them until late 1968 when his father became ill
with heart disease.
He came home, literally one night and overnight he was ill. He looked different. He felt different. The
blue had come out of his eyes. He said that theres something wrong with me and he went to the doctor
and they told him that all of his arteries were calcified. So he had to sell his business about a week
later.
This had an effect on Don. He dropped out of college and went home to help his mom take care of his
dad. Don said that summer a lot of his friends came home and they rode dirt bikes and worked on their
music. It was then that he came to Emerson and Thoreau. Don told us that he and his mom were
members of the Southern Baptist church and the hell-fire and brimstone and being told he was going to
burn in eternal hell fire wasnt really doing anything for him to help deal with his dad.
That summer, he realized how beautiful the nature around his hometown were.
Then Don told us the proper way to pronounce Thoreau and mentioned that he had his 200th birthday.
Don then told us that when he and his buddies were communing with nature, there may have been
some substances involved that made it look even prettier.
Heylook at that tree!
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He said that they noticed things that they ordinarily wouldnt notice that gave them more beauty. They
had a friend named Harold who would say, Hey man. Thats a tree! Thats not any tree. Thats A TREE!
Don then jumped ahead and told the familiar story about how he saw a story on CNN and heard about
plans to build an office park at Walden Woods. (office park is Dons favorite oxymoron or contradiction
in terms). Don said that up to that point that it hadnt dawned on him that Walden was a real place. So
he called up the guys in the CNN story and offered his help. They gave Don a tour of Walden (he didnt
have the right shoes on because there snow and ice on the ground). Don wanted to get the people
trying to preserve the woods help, so he went to Senator Ted Kennedys office. He met Kathie Anderson
and she offered to quit her job and help Don start a non-profit organization and publicize it in order to
raise millions of dollars. He talked about their successes in preserving the woods and how theyve built a
library with the largest collection of Thoreau related materials, including some pencils that he made.
Don talked about how you can trace the formation of our national park system to Thoreau. He said that
John Muir and Teddy Roosevelt get all of the credit, but that it really all started with Thoreau. Don then
hit us up for about $25,000,000 more.
The next fan wanted to know why they stopped playing tracks from Long Road Out of Eden in concert.
Don was incredulous. None of them?
The person said she had seen the band 31 times. Don replied Well, then you would know.
Don said he was trying to remember what songs were on that album. People shouted out the songs they
did. Don said they should probably do Busy Being Fabulous again, but that it was hard to sing. Don
said that he didnt have a definitive answer. He said that they decided there were other songs people
would rather here.
Its funny in this business. People connect songs to a certain times in their lives. They want to live in the
past and I cant blame them because the past was sort of better in some waysand we gauge the
audience reaction every time we do a concert and if we dont get the amount of applause we expect, we
go well theyd rather hear something from the third album.
Don said sometimes theyd rebel and do something whether or not the audience wanted to hear it. Don
said that they had honed their set list down to a greatest hits things. But due to some of the changes
that are occurring in the band, well probably dig out some of those old songs and do them again
because we really should. There are some really good songs on that album. Don said he blamed radio
for a lot of this because they wont play new songs. He doesnt know if it is there research or
demographic studies, but they play what they think people want to hear and they dont give new stuff a
chance. Don said this was frustrating. He said that Cass County got limited airtime because of ageism
and its a shame. Don said that he could do a whole sermon about corporate radio that hasnt served
him well. Don explained that there arent mom and pop radio stations anymore and that they were
programmed locally. Now, though, they are programmed from corporate offices about. Don said that
things were political and there was still payola. I dont want to go too far into this because it gets ugly.
Don said that this was unfortunate because some people get better as they get older. He offered the
example of Leonard Cohen. Some people have wisdom to impart. They have things to say in their songs
and they dont get played. He said that what you hear is mindless, bubblegum crap that doesnt have
anything to say to anyone.
The next fan said that she read in an interview that because of pressure to complete albums, Don felt
like some songs were unfinished. She wanted to know which songs those were and what he would do to
finish them.
July 23, 2017
Don said he didnt remember that. He said that he would work on a song for a millennium if I could do
it.
Don said that sometimes a song finishes itself and sometimes you have to wrap it up the best you can.
He said that he couldnt remember any songs like that off the top of his head. He told us that some
songs turn out better than others. Some of them write themselves. They just come to you and they
turn out whole and well done and they tell a story and the story ends up just fine. Others are just
stubborn and you have to sit there and make up an ending. Sometimes you are happy and sometimes
you arent.
Don said that its like books. He said that lately hes read something where the ending really
disappointed him. The book started out great and when he got of the way through and it tanked.
Don also said that some of his songs were written backwards or from the middle. Don say that he tries
to make all songs on an album good, but that it doesnt work out. Even the Beatles had some junk.
The next fan told Don that she adores his duets. She wanted to know that if there was someone that he
sat down to do a duet with where he just knew it was going to be a hit because there was a connection.
Don said that you can never know whats going to be a hit. Don said he knew that Walkaway Joe
would be a hit. He thought maybe Leather and Lace would be a hit. Don said that he sort of figured
that his duet with Patty Smyth would be a hit. Don also explained that whether or not something is a hit
depends on where the person is in their career. Duets are done, frankly, to give more clout and get a
double potency thing here that might make this a hit. Don said that a lot of it is very calculated. He said
that singing with Dolly Parton was one of the great joys of his life. Don retold the story he tells about
Dolly coming into the studio with her two little old lady friends and just nailing the recording of "When I
Stop Dreaming".
Don told us that recording with Merle Haggard was a trip. He was something else. Don said that Merle
got a little grumpy because he made him do too many takes. According to Don, Merle was used to going
in and doing one or two takes and getting out of there. Merle didnt appreciate the 16 or 18 takes.
Don said that he was honored and privileged to sing with him.
Don told us how Merle came to his studio in Dallas with his whole entourage. His wife and his son and
his bus driver and his manager and they all came filing in the studio. He sat down beside me and said,
you know I really like this song Don told him that was great because he wrote it with Merle in mind.
Merle then looked at Don and said, whats happened to the music? Don told him he didnt know.
Don told him I think its come too far from the land and too far from the church. Don said that Merle
was very philosophical, until I made him do 18 takes.
Don said that Merle got grumpy and one time came storming into the control booth asking, is this
some kind of fucking joke?
Don replied, No, sir. He told Merle he was looking for the rich baritone that was prominent on some of
Merles early recordings.
Merle turned to him and said, I believe you are looking for a younger man.
At that point, Stan Lynch elbowed Don and said, thats a great song title! Don said, So we wrote
that.
July 23, 2017
Don reiterated that he was honored and that his 3 favorite singers in the world are Merle, George Jones
and Ray Charles. He also added Aretha Franklin and Trisha Yearwood.
The next fan wanted to know how much longer we can look forward to hearing the Eagles perform.
Don said that Leonard Cohen performed until he was darn near 80. Don said he looks at Cohen and Mick
Jagger. If I could just get that thin. I dont think the man eats food. Keith Richards, of course, is a
miracle.
Don said that there were two factors involved. One is their physical health. Don said that it may look
easy up on stage, but that it is athletics. He mentioned playing the drums and singing at the same
time. Don said he works out about 2 hours before every show. Stevie Nicks warms up her voice 3 hours
before a show. Don said he rides an exercise bike and lifts weights and stretchesthat it is very different
from the 1970s.
Don told us that it is more difficult these days to maintain his voice. He doesnt drink when hes on tour
because alcohol swells the vocal chords. Its more important to him to perform well than to have a
drink, though sometimes he really needs one.
Don also said that it also depends on if people went to come out and see them. Were finding out now
with these next few gigs.
Don said as long as those two things hold out, we can count on a few more concerts.
The thing we did at Dodger Stadium the other day wasnt our best work. We were a little nervous. A lot
of technical things went wrong, but I have to say that Deacon Frey, Glenn Freys son, I was so proud of
him. He was as cool as a cucumber. Hes 24 years old. If you can imagine, hes never played in front of an
audience of more than 100 or 150 people and he was in Dodger Stadium in front of 50,000 people and
he just killed it. And Vince Gill, of course, is one of the best singers and guitarists on the planet. Me and
Joe had a bad show, but the new guys did just fine. We got some new crew members, were ironing out
some things. Hopefully the thing in New York will go a lot smoother. Were going to do some more of
those. Theres going to be one in Seattle. There will be one, I think, in Atlanta, Georgia. And then well
see. Its an experiment to see if the reviews we got in LA are any indication, things are looking pretty
good. They were very kind to us.
He continued and talked about the absence of Glenn. I wont say it wasnt strange without Glenn. It is.
And Its going to be. But seeing his son up therelooking at his son fromIm right behind him on stage
and I swear to God, his hair is exactly likeits like looking at Glenn at that age. Its heartwarming and
freaky at the same time.
Don said it was a wonderful thing and reiterated that there will at least be a few more concerts.
The next fan said that she would like a concert added in the center of the United States.
Don replied, Theres nothing in the center of the United States. After the crowd reacted indignantly,
Don added, How about Chicago? The fan suggested Austin. Don. Thats not the center! Weve never
been that popular in Austin. We might do somethingIm trying to locate a place. Let me put it this
waywell be around. Well be coming to a theater near you.
This fan's question wanted to know the most unusual place youve ever played. She referenced Dons
comment from the previous week about playing Dodger Stadium one night and someones backyard (for
a benefit) the next.
Don told us about playing on a soccer field somewhere in the Middle East. Don thought it was Qatar. He
talked about the pronunciation. I used to pronounce it Kah-TAR but some oil men told him it was
pronounced Cutter (ed note: the show was actually in Dubai). He said while they playing a dust/sand
July 23, 2017
storm came in. I looked out the window about 2 hours before we were supposed to play and the city
had disappeared. You couldnt see a thing.
The dust/sand caused a delay while they cleaned sand out of the speakers.
Don said that playing Moscow was interesting. Iceland was interesting. Don talked about how when they
played Northern Ireland, they shut down the Northern Ireland Parliament and dissolved the
government. They played on the grounds of the seat of their government and all of the government
employees were leaning out of the windows as they played.
Don said that all of the places hes played run together. Don talked about Singapore and their strict laws
regarding littering. South Korea, which I would not want to go back to right now.
NorwaySwedenJapan is interesting. Australia. New Zealandwhich would be a place to go when the
shit hits the fan. Its way out of the way and its beautiful and theyve got water and mountains.
The next fan asked Don which people, living or deceased, he would like to have a meal with.
Oh, man. Thats a big list.
Don said hed like to meet one of his ancestors named Alexander McWhorter because he was a
Presbyterian minister from Newark, NJ. He had degrees from Princeton and Yale and he was the
chaplain for Washingtons troops and said before the blessing before Washington crossed the Potomac
(as history teachers, we have to point out that it was actually the Delaware, but its okaywe forgive
Don. We looked up his ancestor and hes pretty famous and cool. Check out his Wikipedia! And if you
are really into these things, the University of North Carolina has his papers in their collection.) Don said
hed like to ask him what that was like.
Don would like to have dinner with John Lennon. He said that hes the only Beatle he hasnt met. He had
lunch with George and knows Ringo and Paul. He said he met Julian Lennon at one point.
Christ is always on the list. Id like to ask him what REALLY happenednot all that stuff thats written
down by white men 300 years later, but what REALLY happened.
Hed also like to meet Chopin and tell him how awesome his stuff is. He was a rock and roll star in his
time. He was the dude. He also mentioned Albert Einstein.
The next fan told Don how much he loved Waiting Tables. The fan wanted to know how Don decides
how to construct a set list.
Don said it was tough. He said that you want to play the songs that you know people want to hearthe
hits. Don likes to throw in a few album cuts. Clint Eastwood has a theory about making movies2 for
them1 for me. Don likes to throw in things like Talking to the Moon which he says he only plays in
Texas. Don mentioned that he always has a soft spot for waitresses because its a touch job. He
mentioned how The Last Picture Show is one of his favorite movies and how much he likes Ellen
Burstyns portrayal of a waitress in that film. (eds. note: The part of the waitress was actually played by
Eileen Brennan)
Don says the audience gets quiet when they dont hear what they want to hear. Sometimes Don does
something for himself anyway to break up the monotony. Don says they go over the set list every night
and decide whether or not to make changes. Sometimes it depends on where these are and sometimes
it depends on how his voice is doing. Don says getting the balance just right is tricky.fast versus slow
songs, the keys the songs are in and things like that have to be considered. Don said they put a lot of
thought into the set list.
July 23, 2017
Don said that he reads on the Internet when people complain like when he left Last Worthless Evening
out of his last tour. Don says that as he gets older, hes going to do more songs for himself. Ill be
honest with you. It gets boring playing the same songs every night for 45 years. He said he knows that
songs are important to people and the culture, but that people also have to realize that I hear these
things in my sleep.
In the Eagles it was a different story. Its sort of a Holiday Inn Express. You know what you are going to
get. I have much more freedom in my solo work and I can do what I want because Im the boss. In the
Eagles thats a compromise.
The next question asked Don about the emotion of singing and if he gets transported emotionally when
he sings and when his voice works in a song.
Don said that it really depends on how his voice is working. He admitted that he had a really good night
during his birthday concert. He mentioned again that he attributes that to the fact that he slept a lot
prior to the concert. Don says that when he isnt singing well, hes struggling in his head and he cant get
into the song. Last night I had fun because for some reason (points to throat) this was working.
Its either a struggle or its a joy. Don told us that his voice really warms up by the end of a show.
When you sing a song for 45 years, theres some acting involvedI think Ive gotten pretty good at that.
Its not like I dont care, but I have to remember that people want the emotion in there. I dont over
emote. I dont like singers who chew the scenery and get all dramatic.
Don admitted that age has had an impact on his voice. Don says that he works with a voice coach who
has told him that hes been singing wrong. Theyve assured him that singing in a different way wont
change his voice. If it does, Ill kill him! Don said that he works really hard to make sure its right. Don
mentioned again that he works out before a show and that he does abdominal crunches. He said he did
them because he thought you were supposed to sing from your diaphragm. His new voice coach told
him you should sing from up by your throat / lungs. Apparently, theres a big debate in the voice coach
industry about this.
Don said that he rarely loses himself in a song. Hes too busy thinking about singing the notes. Don
admitted that he lost himself a few times the night before. He got emotional thinking about how lucky
he was to be there at his age and to have his career and have all sorts of people come and see him. I
was overcome with gratitude a couple of times last night, but it was only because my voice was
working. Don said that singing is biological and emotional.
The next fan shared a personal story about how Boys of Summer is her safe happy place song and she
wondered if Don had a song that could make his bad days better.
Don got a huge grin on his face and leaned forward and uttered one word: Silence
Don got serious, then and told her, I want to tell you something. What you just said about that song
and what it means to youI was asked by a reporter the other dayIve actually had people come to me
and ask, When you listen to your records what songs do you like to listen to? I tell them, Dude, Im sick
of them by the time were done mixing them! By the time I get through making an album, Ive heard it a
hundred timesbut what you just said, is the reason that I do what I do. What you just said to me is
more important than all of the gold records and all the Grammys and all the awards and accolades Ive
gotten. The fact that those songs mean that to people.
Don then mentioned what he told the Dallas Morning News about reading fan mail from vets and
people with terminal illnesses and how much it means to him.
Don then tried to answer her question. He said that he likes to listen to other peoples music and that he
likes to put on the Beatles. I still love the Beatles. I just cant get enough. He also mentioned that his
July 23, 2017
kids might play something new like the Backstreet Boys (?). He likes to listen to Aretha Franklin and
Randy Newman. He mentioned again how funny, sarcastic and dark Randy is. Don said Randys music is
therapeutic. Don plugged Randys new album again.
Don told us he wrote Boys of Summer on Zuma Beach on the Pacific Coast Highway when he was feeling
nostalgic. The PCH and I-30 in Texas have been very good to Don.
The next fan referenced something Don said earlier about Don saying things didnt go right at Classic
West. This fan was at that show and she didnt hear anything wrong. She wanted to know what kinds of
things go wrong for Don on stage.
Don responded, Thats the ideafor you not to hear. We try to get our bottom line up so our worst
show is good. There are things you wouldnt be aware of. We wear these in-ear monitor things so that
we can hear each other and the instruments and stuff like that. We have some brand-new guys who are
mixing those right now. Don laughed. There are two of them. One of each side of the stage. One of
them mixes half the band and one the other mixes the other half. Just to be polite about it, they arent
the best monitor mixers weve ever had. We were getting some weirdand it happened last night.
Timothy got up to sing I Cant Tell You Why and there was a keyboard so loud in his ear that his ear
was almost bleeding.
Don said that they need to make some changes. Don said that sometime there are equipment changes
that dont go right. Don mentioned that he had a new drum roadie and hes a little bit lost. Its confusing
because of the fact that there are 2 drummers. They have to change snare drums and other drum
equipment and drum placement is very precise. If one of my drums is 1/8 of an inch off of where it is
supposed to be, it affects my playing. The same thing is true for Scott. Thats why they have markers on
the floor.
Last night, for example, I had to play Scotts drum kid. I was miserable.
Don mentioned again how critical the monitor mixes are. If Walshs guitar, for example, happens to
accidentally come through my ear phone it blows my brains out. Its loud.
Don said they try not be shaken, but there are things that happen can rattle them despite how
professional they are.
The next fan to ask a question was from Amarillo. Don laughed and said he was embarrassed the
previous night when he said that Erica Swindell was from Abilene, Texas. He wanted to know if Don
changes the keys on songs to preserve his voice. Don nodded yes. He also wanted to know if there was
a song other than Hotel California that is misunderstood.
Don said, Im not sure if I understand it. Before continuing with an answer, Don mentioned that there
was a light in the back of the room that was bothering him. He said that his blue eyes were very light
sensitive and that hes, always yelling at spotlight guys. After they adjusted the light, Don said, Now
I can think. Maybe.
Songwriting is like poetry. You try to leave ambiguity in the song so that people can put their own
viewtheir own experience to that song. Don mentioned that The End of the Innocence can mean a
lot of different things to a lot of different people. It could be about the breakup of a family. It could be
about politics.
Don said thats why hes reluctant to explain songs because he doesnt want to mess with someones
interpretation. He said thats why he hates video. It doesnt want a literal interpretation on stage. Hes
rather have people have their own video. Whatever it means to youthats fine with me.
Don mentioned that there have been some doozies of interpretations of his songs. He told the story of
the guy in the early 70s who thought that Desperado was about Patty Hearst and the Symbionese
July 23, 2017
Liberation Army. Theres some crazy people out there. Weve got files full of mail of people who are
really unbalanced. And we get threatsthats a dark side of the business Im not going to talk about
because weve got guys who deal with that.
Don kept trying to think of a misunderstood song. He reminded us about the preacher who thought
Hotel California was about the Church of Satan and told the story of the model in the balcony on the
album cover who the preacher thought was Satan. You can deny it all day long, but people believe what
they want to believe.
And then theres the thing about the Hotel in Mexico which none of us have ever been to. Don was
referencing the Hotel in Todos Santos that the band has filed a lawsuit against for selling t-shirts and
playing Eagles music in the lobby and perpetuating the myth that the song was written there. So we got
tired of it for 20 or 30 years of them capitalizing on that song and having a very healthy merchandising
business. So we sued and they are in the process of caving. He mentioned that they might work out
some sort of licensing agreement with them.
Don then gave his opinion on tribute bands making lucrative money off of their image. If it was really a
tribute, that would be okay, but thats not what its about. Don mentioned that he was on a tangent.
He said he was trying to stall for time so he could think of another song. He threw it out to the crowd.
Someone mentioned the Garden of Allah. Don talked about when Hollywood was glamorous before it
got tacky and stupid. He said that there was a Spanish style hotel called The Garden of Allah that
had bungalows like the Beverly Hills Hoteljust funkier. It was a gathering spot for people like Greta
Garbo and Charlie Chaplin. They had wild parties there. There was a lot of nude swimming and people
having affairs. Now this hotel is a McDonalds and a mini-mall. Don read a book about it. Don said that
he talked to Kirk Douglas when he made the video for the song and Kirk used to go there. Don said thats
how the song started and where he got the name.
I didnt realize it was going to piss off some of my Jewish friends. That wasnt my intent.
Don mentioned that even though the song started with the idea of this hotel, it turned into something
else entirely. It was when the O.J. Simpson trial was going on. It was also partly influenced by a Russian
writer who didnt get as famous as Nabokov or Tolstoy This guy wrote a book called The Master and
Margarita where the devil comes to Washington D.C. and wrecks havoc.
It was a movie I imagined in my headthe trial and the devil showing up and this hotel.
Don mentioned the video for this song and said that most of us probably never saw it because MTV
didnt really play it. Kirk Douglas in the video playing the devil. It was made by Ridley Scotts son and I
spent a lot of money on that video. Way too much money on that video and it barely got played.
Don said he hadnt thought about that song in a while. Don told us that the video is probably on
YouTube. Everything else is.
Lets note here that at this point, the organizer told Don we had time for one more question.
The next fan asked if Don had any unreleased music for upcoming solo albums.
Nope
Don then said that he had a couple of songs. I have a really good song called Human Condition. that
we are going to, at some point, build an album around. It was recorded years ago and I hope to in the
next year or two build an album around that song.
Wed like to interject here. Don is right. Human Condition is a great song. Weve heard it and it is one
of our favorite Don Henley songs. It was supposed to be on the Inside Job album and weve always been
sad that it didnt make the cut. Its got great vocals and great lyrics and features and outro in which Don
July 23, 2017
asks, Whos your daddy? For us, this was one of the most surprising and exciting revelations of the
entire Q and A. Now if only hed talk about Nowhere Town.
Back to the Q and A. Don said hes take more questions despite the organizer trying to shut things down.
The next fan wanted Don to speak about his working relationship with Stan Lynch. Don told us that Stan
was supposed to be there but had family things in Florida to take of. Don said that Stan is one of his best
friends and that he was hanging out at the concert the night before.
Don told us that Stan is very funny and keeps things light. Don said that some of Stans one-liners go
right into songs like A man with a briefcase can steal more money than a man with a gun. Don said
that he and Stan will work together more in the future.
A fan from Bergen, Norway (Don said he knew were Bergen was because he played there). This fan
wanted to know what Don would have done if he hadnt become a musician.
Don said he really didnt know the answer to that. He said he might have been a teacher. He said, I
really didnt have plan B. Don talked about how he and Richard had the good fortune to meet Kenny
Rogers. Don said that Kenny was going to do a farewell concert and he would be at that due to the huge
role Kenny played in his career. These little intersections happen in life and we dont know why. Don
said hes stopped trying to figure out what would have happened if.he said that he feels very fortunate
and grateful for all thats happened.
The next fan mentioned that Dons son Will played on Cass County. She wanted to know if he was going
to pursue a career in music. Don said that the answer to that question is, I dont know. On the one
hand, I dont want him to live in my shadow. On the other hand, hes a very good musician. Don spoke
about how difficult it is to break into the music business. Don said digitized and stolen music makes it
very hard to make a living off of music because you dont get paid for your songs. Don said that theres
very few places to play music these days in order to get started. Don said that musicians these days
dont really pay their duesthat they go on a TV show and get famous overnight. You just get picked by
a TV audience. I feel sorry for these kids when I see them win becausefirst of all they are going to take
most of your money and very few of them are going to last.
Don said his son doesnt know if he wants to pursue music for those reasons. Don counselled him to do
it for fun and for joy and to, meet girls. Don said he wasnt pushing him to pursue it.
Don mentioned something he read in the paper speculated that maybe one day Will and Deacon would
join together to carry on the Eagles legacy. Don said he doesnt want them to play their fathers songs
their whole life. He would prefer if they wrote their own music. He doesnt want them to be a jukebox.
He wants him to establish his own identity. Don told us that Will just graduated from high school and is
taking a gap year. They have plans to travel. Don says that kids who go to college at 18 dont have a clue
about what they want to do and wish they had waited. Don said Will is just figuring out what his choices
are, but if he wants to be a musician, thats fine. Ill give him a lot of advice. He wont listen
The next questioner wanted Don to talk about how the History of the Eagles came about. Don said that
Irving had been hounding them to do something like that for a long time, but that they were reluctant
because they were always very private. He says they tried to keep some mystique about themselves and
stay out of the media. Im so glad that we came up at a time before TMZ and before all the paparazzi.
You could still be drunk in public when we came up.
Don said they finally relented if they had control and they didnt want it to be like a Behind the Music
(sex, drugs and rock n roll). Don told us that Glenn started looking for a real documentarian and found
Alex Gibney who had won awards for previous films. He was a real, honest-to-God documentarian. He
wasnt just some guy from MTV or VH1
July 23, 2017
Alex Gibney wasnt completely on board. He initially wanted to talk to the band to see if they, had a
story worth telling. He also had the stipulation that the band had to be forthcoming and tell the truth.
They agreed to that, but wanted final approval and said there were some things they werent going to
put in. Don said that they werent going to put their kids in it. Don said he saw complaints on the
Internet that his kids werent in the film. Our kids are nobodys business. They didnt ask to be famous
they didnt ask to be born to famous peoplethey just showed up.
Don talked about how he fights to keep his kids out of the spotlight because its harsh. He then did this
hilarious thing where he mimed holding up a baby and saying, Look at my baby! Look at my baby! He
said that the way some celebrities show off their kids is crazy.
Don said that the documentary took two years. Don said that there were lots of interviews and editing.
Don said that some people were confused by the two parts of the documentary. I had some friends
who happened to turn on the TV when the 2nd part was on first. They watched it backwards. They told
Don that it was really depressing. Don told them they had to watch it in chronological order. You see
the struggle at the beginning and then you see the triumphant ending and then it makes sense. Don
thinks the film was really well done. Don said that even though they left some things out it had enough
controversy to make it interesting. A lot of people have seen it. It was certainly good for business, so
were glad we did that.
The next fan to ask a question lives in London near Olympic Studios where the band recorded their first
albums. He wanted to know how they came to record there. Don asked the guy if they had torn down
the studio. The fan told him that theres a cinema in the building and they are going to put a recording
studio in there.
Don said they recorded there because that was Glyn Johns favorite studio. He said that their managers
wanted to get them out of LA so wed stop drinking and chasing women. It was also cheaper to
record there. Don said that when they recorded their first album, there was a coal strike in England and
the power kept going out. They had to hire diesel generators to power the studio or else everything
would just shut down in the middle of a take. Don said that they put them in a little apartment in the
London boondocks where they spent most of their time trying to find Mexican food. That was
impossible. Don thought at one point they had some shipped over. It was Velveeta, probably.
Don talked about how Glyn and Glenn butted heads. They wanted more control. Don said that Glyn is a
brilliant man and is still a friend of his. Don also says that they were homesick. They were recording in
February in London.
Don then retold the story hes often told about the London philharmonic recording Desperado. Don said
that their friend Jim Ed Norman was acting like a conductor, but he wasnt really a conductorthat he
was faking it. Don mentioned again about how these musicians brought chess boards and played
between takes. Don said that he was scared to death and their comments like, I dont feel like a
Desperado, your move! made him feel even more nervous. He says that came across in the recording.
Don said that Glyn wouldnt let him correct the takes. They made that record in 2 weeksand then 2
years for the next one.
The next fan let Don know that he was going to tell him a story and then ask a question. The guy said
that he was at the Runaway event last year. They drove from Kansas City and stopped in Edmund,
Oklahoma at about 1:30 in the morning. They went into their Holiday Inn Express and there were two
people behind the counter. The lady asked where they were headed and the fan was excited, so he told
them that they were on their way to Dallas to see Don Henley. The woman told him that she didnt
know who that was, so the fan explained that he was in the Eagles. So the fan turned to guy who was
there and said that maybe he knows. The man behind the counter said, I dont really follow sports.
July 23, 2017
Don said, That wouldnt be the first time.

Don said that hes been introduced to people sometimes with the phrase, Hes in the Eagles. One time
a guy said, He looks kind of small. Don them mumbled that he could be a Running Back.
The fan asked Don to retell the story about his trip to Honduras where a native person on top of a
mountain recognized him (I wont retell the whole story hereif you want to read it, you can read last
years report).
Don did start his tale by saying that they often wonder if theres anywhere on the planet they can go
where they wont be recognized. The questioner shouted out, Edmund, Oklahoma
Don replied, Maybe Ill vacation there. Im sure theres a lot to do.
The next fan wanted to know about some of the improvised sounds in the songs like the inhale of breath
before one that really screams in One of These Nights and the grunt in Hotel California. She wanted to
know how those sounds came about.
What? Don said they are just adlibs you do when you are singing. They are spontaneous things. Don
suggested we listen to a Stevie Wonder record because he grunts and breathes all over the place. Don
said its just something you do and the producer either says, thats great well keep that or they cut it
out. Don says they werent premeditated. Some of them are just joy and some were just trying to
emulate James Brown or something. Don said hes never been asked that question before.
Don also responded to the information that the woman who asked the question had been to Linden and
brought greetings from the ladies on the square. Don said there are about 5 old ladies called The
Golden Ladies and they have lunch together ever Wednesday and he loves them all.
The next fan was from Alabama and invited Don to come down to Muscle Shoals to record his soul
album which Don says he ..thinks about a lot. Don said he went to Muscle Shoals in 1971 with Glenn.
Glenn wanted to cut a few tracks down there with the original Muscle Shoals band. Don said that the
guys there now are the sons of the guys who used to play there. They named some of the players.
Don said he may get another album out, he may not. He said he still has 3 kids to put through college
and this other band thing happening. Don said he wants to get more albums out before he fades
away. Don said that it wont get played on the radio anyway and that it would be just a personal love
project and maybe for the people in this room.
The next fan wanted to know when Don started drumming and singing at the same time. The guy said
that when Don played Hotel California the night before he really looked like he was in his element. Don
replied,
Really? I was playing Scotts drums. I was playing somebody elses drum kit. I was miserable. Don said
he faked his way through it.
I first started playing and singing in his living room in 1963. Don pointed to Richard Bowden (I dont
know if I mentioned previously that he was in the audience). Don explained how Richards parents were
great because they stayed up late and would make food for them while they played music in their living
room. Don said that his first drum kit had been assembled from leftover drums and then his mom
bought him a drum kit. Don said he would also practice at home on his parents porch and would play
along with Beatles records.
Don explained that Ringo just turned 78. Vegetarianism works, I guess.
July 23, 2017
The next fan told Don that he and his wife just had a baby. Don congratulated them. The fan told Don
that the song Taking You Home has meaning to him. His son also falls asleep when he hears Eagles and
Don Henley music. Don told him, I wish it would do that for me. Don says that it keeps him awake,
Don said that he wrote that song about his firstborn. He let us know that he used to put his kids to sleep
with Kenny Loggins House on Pooh Corner.
The fan likes when Don does covers. He wanted to know if Don had a favorite interpretation of one of
his own songs by another artist.
Don: No.
Don said there are couple that come close, but that couldnt think of one in that moment. Linda
Ronstadts and Kenny Rogers versions of Desperado are okay.
The next fan also loved Thoreau and wondered if the writers The Village inspired Dirty Laundry. Don
said no. Television news inspired Dirty Laundry. Don said that the news had become theater and
gossip when Dirty Laundry came along and it, only has gotten worse since then. Its a joke. Don said
that he grew up with Walter Cronkite and Edward R. Morrow. Don said that her analogy was an
interesting one that he would explore.
Before taking the next question Don said, I think were going to get to everybody sooner or later!
The next fan announced he was from Florida and told Don, David Geffen said to say hello.
Oh, yeah. Im sure he did. He hangs out in Floridain sinkholes. Anybody been eaten by an alligator?
This fan told Don that the only way he knows him is from public perception. The man told Don that 5
years ago, he never would have imagined that Don would have done the Q and A. The fan wanted to
know if Don felt like he had changed. The fan said that Don usually doesnt have much to say and now
you seem
Don: Like a nice guy? Don continued, I think Ive been misunderstood for quite a long time now.
When we first started out, I will admit that I was an angry young man. Fame is a scary thing. It scared the
hell out of all of us. We didnt know how to handle it and we were very defensivevery insecure. Don
said that young artists often dont feel worthy of fame. He also said that he never liked the spotlight. He
still doesnt like the celebrity thing. He says celebrity has become tacky and disgusting.
Usually, when I opened my mouth back then, I had some smart ass remark to make where I was taking
back to the press which was a mistake because they winits their paper.
Don said that hes gotten older, hes gotten more comfortable with fame and the territory that comes
with it.
I just dont worry about it. I go to the supermarket. I push the cart around. They write about it in the
local magazinesoh, I saw him at Whole Foods! Everybodys got to eat and I like pushing the cart
around. Its therapeutic. I go really late at night, baseball cap.
Don said that Dallas people are polite and dont rush up to you screaming and jumping like they do in
Hollywood. Don said that in the beginning, none of them thought they deserved fame. He said that
some young artists have a certain amount of guilt. Its a hard thing to happen when you are 23 and you
are thrust into the spotlight where you are talked and written about and criticized and analyzed. Don
said that you have to develop a thick skin.
Don said its worse now. Every show on television is about judgementeverything is a contest and
somebody is better than someone else..
July 23, 2017
Don said they had feuds with Rolling Stone magazine and the New York Times. When youve been
trashed by the New York Times, you can pretty much handle everything.
Don said that hes gotten more comfortable, especially since I became a father. If you can raise 3 kids
you know can handle pretty much anything else.
Don continued that hes gotten used to the idea that it is what it is. We did what we did. We wrote
these songs. People liked them.
Don said that now when he reads bad reviews, it doesnt really bother him much. He did say, though,
that they dont get many bad reviews anymore. Old buildings, politicians and madams get respect if
they stick around long enough.
Don admitted that he probably wouldnt have done this 5 or 10 years ago because he wanted to stay out
of the spotlight. I still want to stay out of the spotlight. I still dont like the fame part, except when I
want a table in a restaurant. Then it comes in handy. Or if you want to raise money for charity. Thats
what I find it most useful forif you want to do something good, if you want to raise moneythen it
helps. Otherwise its a pain in the ass.
The fan mentioned something about the fact that this Q and A proves that many peoples perception of
Don is wrong. Don laughed and said, Oh, I can be a jerk, but Ive mellowed some.
Don thanked the fan for the question and said it was an interesting one. He said he could go on about it,
but he wasnt going to.
The next fan wanted to know how Don relaxes. Don said that he gardens. He likes to grow tomatoes and
chili peppers but that its hard in Dallas because it is, so damn hot. Don says that he goes fishing
once in a while. Sometimes he goes to Linden to see Richard.
Don said that he really doesnt have time off. His job is a 24/7 one. Decisions after decisions to make
every day. I exchange probably 100 to 200 emails a day with our manager and other people in the
organization. I thought life would be slowing down by now. Most people retire by now, but its speeding
up and at some point its going to have to stop. Im going with it right now. I know that many people
dont get this chance. I would like to make some more records. I would like to tour some more. I would
like to finish funding my charities. I have a list of things I want to finish. I want to take my kids some
placesa lot of things I want to do.
Don said it was all about health and he works on it hard every day. I take fistfuls of vitamins that may
not do anything, but I take them. As long as they dont hurt me. Don reiterated that he works out
because he wants to give people their moneys worth. He doesnt want to be one of those, old guys
that comes limping out there and gives a half-ass performance.
The next fan quoted Emerson to Don. The years teach much which the days never knew. The fan was
curious what present day Don would say to his 21 year-old-self.
Don said that we didnt have enough time. You did somethings right and you made a few mistakes. You
wasted some time and got off on some side tracksthose hypothetical questions you say if I had done
something differentbut you didnt and you cant go back. It is what it is. Everything I did, including the
mistakes, made me who I am right now.
Don said that hes learned from those mistakes. You can always go back and talk to your younger self,
but your younger self probably wouldnt listen. It all worked out the way it was supposed to.
The next fan pointed out that at several times during the Q and A that Don seemed kind of pessimistic
about the state of the world (saying he wanted to see parts of the world before it all gets blown up, for
example). She wants to know what Don is optimistic about.
July 23, 2017
I dont know if youve seen it, but theres a little thing called North Korea? Theres a little lunatic that
runs it. I worry about that.
Don said that he was sure there were people in the room who didnt believe in climate change but that,
I do. I talked to scientists from NASAIve traveled to some places where the glaciers are melting at an
unprecedented rate. Ive seen places where the sea level is risingI worry about that.
Don said some of his Silicon Valley experts are very worried about artificial intelligence. They are afraid
its so good its going to take over.
I dont lie awake nights, worrying about this stuff. Its on my mind. I think the political scene in
Washington is a horrible mess.
On the positive side, I see incredible advances being made in medicine. For example, if my father had
the cardiovascular care that Ive gotten he would have lived another 20 or 30 years. Ive seen great
advances in medicine. They saved my life back in 2010.
Don also mentioned that technology and the Internet is an incredible thing. Its good and bad. Don is
also sick of pop-up ads (ed noteis Don running Windows XP or something?) Don said that the cell
phone is an incredible invention. Don also said technology is being used to help the environment. He
mentioned Texas leading the industry in wind power. Electric cars and battery technology excite Don.
The news is so alarmist, they would make you think that the world is just coming apart. The fact is, in
many places, the crime rate is lower than it was 10 years ago. There are a lot of good things happening
on the news because what sells news is tragedy and drama.
Music, on the other hand, is getting worse. Don said that you have to search to find the good stuff.
Maybe these difficult times will bring about better songwritingbut were at the shallow end of the
pool now. Don admitted that he sounds like an old fuddy-duddy when he says it, but that its true.
Theres just bad, stupid, worthless stuff out there. Don said that it is all about trends and
demographics. Don said they dont make music for the older generation.
Hopefully well figure out how to get along. Hopefully well figure out what to do in Washington instead
of fighting with each other because nothing is getting done. Weve got to get rid of this radical
partisanship. There used to be a thing called statesmanship where people could reach across the aisle
andwere willing to compromise to lift everyone up. It was called the Common Good. Now politics has
become about naked self-interest. All political rhetoric is designed to give us the impression that we
have nothing in commonits to divide us and we arent going to get anywhere that way.
Don said that somebody is going to come alongthey may be 10 or 19 who is going to show some
leadership and common sense.
Someone in the audience suggested that could be Don. No maam. I dont want that job. I like my job.
Don said that he has to be optimistic because he has kids. Things may get worse before they get better,
but I do believe things will get better in the long run.
The next fan mentioned that Don had said that when hes singing on stage, sometimes his mind goes to
some interesting places.
Don said, like what Im going to have for dinner. The fan said that he was hoping for something a
little more romantic or interesting than that. The fan changed his question then and asked Don burnt
ends, ribs or brisket.
Don replied. I had ribs last night. Don then addressed the original question. He talked about what he
calls going into the zone. Its like when you are driving and all of a sudden you realize youve gone
several miles, but you have no recollection of it. If I think too much about what Im doing, Ill mess up.
July 23, 2017
You have to get in the zone when you are playing the drums and singing. I have muscle memory. I know
what I need to do, I dont need to think about it.
Don said that his mind wanders and he thinks about other things. He says hes not phoning it in, but
theres another part of his brain that is doing something else. Like thinking about ribs. Don reiterated
that he had great barbecue the previous day. He plugged Pecan Lodge again. The man told him that a lot
of fans went there for lunch after his plug the previous night. Don cautioned us that they run out of beef
ribs sometimes and early.
The next fan mentioned being at Grapevine last year and said there were a lot of fans who have
disposable income they use to follow Don around. You should be putting that into Johnson and
Johnson or Amazon. The man said that Don mentioned last year that he was going to look into a Sirius
Eagles channel. Don was surprised there wasnt one, but said, Well, we can get that fixed. Don
reminded us that he did a show on the Beatles channel. Don mentioned there was a Don Henley channel
on Pandora, but that he doesnt get paid for that.
The fan then said that he wanted to get Don something for his birthday, but didnt know what to get the
man who has everything. The man proceeded to tell Don they figured he probably didnt get very fresh
butt nuggets frequently. After Don looked frightened, the man explained that butt nuggets are eggs and
that he and his wife had brought Don 2 dozen farm fresh eggs. There was a lot of laughter about the
phrase butt nuggets.
You are talking about chicken eggs? Were fine then. Don told us that hes got a couple of chickens
and that they dont lay when it gets this hot. No, butt nuggets. Ive never heard that before. Good
advertising. Ill take those. Im not really into the gift thing, but Ill take those. All of you being here today
and last night was gift enough for me. I have a bunch of presents at home that I probably wont open for
2 or 3 months. It drives my kids crazy.
The next fan wanted to ask if Don could talk about they prepared for the Classic concertshow they
chose the set lists and who would sing what.
Don said the set list was pretty much decided from previous set lists. He said that they rehearsed for 2
weeks at a facility in Culver City. They had to start without Vince because he was on tour. They had to
change some of the harmony parts. There are some details they are still working on.
Don said that they always rehearsed a lot. He said that they were going to rehearse in the stadium in
New York for a couple of days. It makes a difference to get out of the rehearsal hall. They rehearsed for
2 nights in Dodger Stadium for the lighting guyfigure out what goes on the IMAX screens in the rear.
Don brought up the new monitor mixers again.
He then spoke about the circle of fear where they will sing a song and figure out the harmonies and
then go to the microphones and play it with instruments and then do it all over again for the next song.
Don said they usually rehearse 6 or 7 hours a day.
The next fan was from Los Angeles and frequents a restaurant that Timothy goes to a lot. She wanted to
know why they chose Vince Gill and if he was going to stay with the Eagles.
Probably.
Don said there were several factors that led them to ask Vince. Don mentioned that Glenn and Vince
were good friendsthey had the golf thing in common. They also all admire Vince and think hes an
amazing singer and guitarist. Don said that Vince was like Steuart who was one of the only guys around
who could have stepped in and done that.
Don said that he was a little surprised because, I thought he was more of a bluegrass guy and he
brought these gigantic amplifiers with himnot one but two that are custom made. So its really loud on
July 23, 2017
that side of the stage. Its as loud as Walshs on the other side. It kind of balances things out, so Timothy
and I are going to have to get used to it. Don said that Vince is an incredible singer and a really nice guy
and they are all very proud of Deacon as well. Don said that Deacon was fully committedthat he was all
in. Hes taking voice lessons, hes got a voice coach, hes working out with a trainer. Were very proud
of him and I know his dad would be proud of him as well.
The next fan shared her personal story with Don. Shes a longtime fan who has always found Dons voice
to be soothing. She shared that she was facing some medical challenges, including MS, and that his
music helps her deal with these challenges. She said that his music has really helped her and when shes
had a bad day, her husband tells her to lie down and listen to Don. She wanted to thank Don for the help
his music has given her.
Thats exactly the kind of thing I was talking about earlier. There are times when I get cynical and I get
sick and tired of doing these songs. Im not going to do these songsIve been doing them for 45 years
and I get sick and tired of them. And then I hear something like that. Or I read a fan letter like I read the
other night with someone in a similar situation or I read a letter from a guy who was in the Iraq War or
in Vietnam or something like that and the effect a song has had on them It brings it home to me what
these songs mean to people. I forget sometimes. Im so close to it that I cant see it and I dont know. I
dont want to make a big deal out of it for myselfIm just trying to be a normal personespecially for
my kids. Its good for me to be reminded once in a while. Its also scary. Its a big responsibility, but
when I hear something like that or I read something like that Im reminded of what these songs
mean.like I said in an interview recently, these songs are much more important than any one of us in
the band. The songs are the thingwe made them and they are going to live on a lot longer than we are.
Its good for me to be reminded of what they mean to so many people and that keeps me grounded and
it gives me enthusiasm to go out and keep on doing themnot for myself and not for the money, but for
what they mean to so many people.
Don thanked the fan for her words and wished her well. Trust me, when we were writing them we had
no idea that they were going to be accepted the way they are and become part of the lives of people.
Don reminded the crowd that his wife has MS. Things are improving. Theres all kind of stuff in the
pipeline and theyre going to figure it out sooner or later, so hang in there.
Richard Bowden was the next person to stand. Ive known this guy since I was 6 or 7 Richard told Don
that its been over 4 or 5 years since theyve been fishing on Caddo. Don replied, Ive been too busy
saving Caddo to go fishing there. Thats the problem. I never get to go fishing or to Walden Woods
because Im too busy trying to save the damn thing. Don told Richard he was right, but they shouldnt
go fishing in July or AugustOctober was good.
The next fan wanted to know what Dons take on New York Minute was. Whats my take on New York
Minute? Its a dark song. Its got a jazzy thing going on. Its got some good collaboration on it with my
friend Danny Kortchmar and a fellow named Jai Winding whose father was a famous orchestra
conductor named Kai Windingits got some jazz chords in there. It was written before 9/11 but it took
a whole new aspect after that.
Don said that he didnt play it for 2 or 3 years after 9/11 and then he decided to start playing it again.
Don told us about how things can change unexpectedly and that you appreciate things in your life while
you have them because things can disappear just like that. Don talked about how it starts with a guy on
Wall Street. A lot of those guys are very unhappy because its all they live for. Don said that he likes
the trumpet solo and the chord progression in it. Don said that they didnt do it the night before
because they did Talking to the Moon instead.
July 23, 2017
The next fan was from Chicago and told Don that she was 4th row center at the Northerly Island show a
few weeks ago (thats the one that was postponed due to severe weather) Don, That was an interesting
night. Her birthday is the same as Dons so she thanked him for having a concert for her birthday.
Don then ruminated on who else shares his birthday. Don listed Albert Brooks and Rose Kennedy. We
offered up Alex Trebek (I know that because Ive appeared on Jeopardy) Don said he wasnt aware of
that and shrugged in a humorous way.
The next fan told Don that she had fun at his birthday concert and said that she thought Don had fun
too. Don replied, I did. More fun than I had at my 60th birthday This fan wanted to tell Don a story
about how he touched her life. She told Don that she has lived on Linden Street and spent her wedding
night at a the Linden Road Inn. She was also the Walden Woods Sweepstakes winner and got to meet
Don in Boston. Don told her he thought she looked familiar and he was, glad thats what it was. After
that she went on a trip to Linden to see JD Souther at the Music City Theater. She has made Linden a
part of her life. Shes on the board of the Linden Heritage Foundation. She visits Linden frequently
because it feels like a second home to her. She said that she works to give Linden a shot in the arm
because its the best way to thank Don for what hes given him.
Don said he appreciated what she said and that he appreciated her involvement. The fan repeated Dons
line that the world has gone, batshit crazy. Don replied, The world has gone crazy, but when you go
to a small town like Linden and meet individual people, it makes you really hopeful because there is still
a lot of really good people out there. If you talk to them one on one. Im not so crazy about the human
race as a whole, but individuals are where its at. Don thanked her again for what shes doing for his
town. She also told Don that everyone at the Linden Heritage Foundation board is very proud of him.
It was a good place to grow up. It had a lot to do with my career. Our first gig was at the Chevrolet
dealership for the coming out party for the 1963 Chevrolet. That was our first gig. Weve come a long
way.
Don then threw out the trivia that Linden has the longest continuously operating courthouse in the state
of Texas. and thats about all weve got. Then he remembered about the Music City Theater.
At this point, Don said, Were almost done, I swear. I just hate to deny everybody because youve come
all this way and you paid all this money. It should be noted that during the last hour or so a steady
stream of people had to make their way to the restroom. Don drank a cup of coffee and a bottle of
water in front of us during the course of the event, so we dont know why he didnt need to take a break
as well. He was a trooper!
He continued, I want you to go away feeling like you got your moneys worth.
The LAST question was from a fan who lives near Cass County, Illinois. Don said, That guy got around!
Her question was about when he was with the Eagles, what determined who did the lead vocals.
Don said, oooh in a kind of painful way.
A lot of it would depend on who brought the song inwho brought the beginning of the song in. Don
said that because Glenn started Lyin Eyes and sang the more country oriented stuff, it made more sense
for him to sing lead on that. Randy started Take it to the Limit so he sang that.
And sometimes, Glenn would decide who sang what. He would hand the ball to whoever he thought
Don said there was some conflict about that sometimes, but that usually it was whoever started the
song and who had the right voice for it. It was done that way, most of the time.
Don ended with, That it?
July 23, 2017
There was a round of applause and Don left the room. Don talked to us for roughly 3 hours and 25
minutes. The organizers told us the day before, the plan was for a 90 minute Q and A.
I think we got our moneys worth.

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Don said, That wouldnt be the first time.

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Don said, That wouldnt be the first time.

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