(Credits: Far Out / TIDAL)
Sat 27 December 2025 22:30, UK
As the co-vocalist of the Eagles, Glenn Frey’s voice soundtracked the sound of California rock’s most defining songs.
Springing from their influences in rhythm and blues, bluegrass and soul, as well as the burgeoning folk, country and rock that overtook the 1960s, the Eagles emerged in 1971, harnessing their knack for soulful melodies and enchanting instrumentals.
The Eagles’ inception, however, came from another icon of the California rock movement: Linda Ronstadt. In 1971, she and her manager, John Boylan, recruited Frey and Don Henley for her backing band. The two musicians were signed to Amos Records at the time and moved from Michigan and Texas, respectively, to Los Angeles, meeting while spending time at the famed West Hollywood nightclub, the Troubadour. They, along with Randy Meisner and Bernie Leadon (of the Flying Burrito Brothers), joined Ronstadt’s group of musicians for her summer tour, promoting her 1970 album, Silk Purse.
While on the road, Frey and Henley decided to form a band and, letting Ronstadt know of their plans, recruited Leadon at her suggestion. Ronstadt even devised to have Leadon play for her so that the pair could propose their idea. They enlisted Meisner, too, and played together on Ronstadt’s 1972 self-titled album, and appeared altogether with Ronstadt only once on stage, at a concert at Disneyland.
Soon after, they were signed to Asylum Records, a label started by David Geffen, and the four set out to refine the Eagles’ sound.
Though the Eagles’ origins came from the likes of Ronstadt and the emerging folk and country rock revivals, Frey would name a later work of the singer’s as his favourite. Speaking to the Express in 2012 about the six albums he loved most, Ronstadt’s 1983 album What’s New featured on his list.
“Linda was our muse and a brave artist who followed her instincts,” he said. “This album, the first of three with Nelson Ridids my benchmark.”
What’s New marked a major shift for Ronstadt, who, at the time, was lauded as the leading woman in rock ‘n’ roll. But, she was determined to expand beyond the borders of the genre, and convinced her record company and manager, Peter Asher, to allow her to realise her vision.
What’s New became an album of traditional pop standards, introducing younger generations to pre-swing and swing-era music. Looking to legends including Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett and more, Ronstadt sought to rescue their catalogues from obscurity, trapped in Las Vegas club acts and so-called elevator music.
On NPR, she referred to their songs as “little jewels of artistic expression” to save them from “spending the rest of their lives riding up and down on elevators”. The album’s second single, ‘I’ve Got a Crush on You’, had been performed by Ronstadt for several years, even performing it on The Muppet Show in 1980. Originally composed and written by George and Ira Gershwin, respectively, the jazz standard was used in the Broadway productions of Treasure Girl and Up the Band. In turn, Ronstadt recorded a gorgeous rendition that harnessed all of the song’s emotion.
“Songs such as ‘I’ve Got a Crush on You’ are perfect,” Frey asserted, “Well-written, infectious, beautifully sung.”
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