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The Eagles’ Glenn Frey dies

By | Published on Tuesday 19 January 2016

Glenn Frey

Tributes came in from across the music industry last night after it was announced that Eagles guitarist Glenn Frey had died. He was 67.

Announcing his death, a statement said that “Glenn fought a courageous battle for the past several weeks but, sadly, succumbed to complications from rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis and pneumonia”.

A founder member of The Eagles, Frey sang lead vocals on songs including ‘Tequila Sunrise’ and ‘Take It Easy’. He also had a successful solo career, best known for 1984 hit ‘The Heat Is On”, from the ‘Beverley Hills Cop’ soundtrack. He also appeared on film too, starring in 1986 film ‘Let’s Get Harry’, and taking smaller roles in movies like Cameron Crowe’s ‘Jerry Maguire’, as well as a number of TV projects.

In a separate statement, Frey’s Eagles co-founder Don Henley said: “He was like a brother to me; we were family, and like most families, there was some dysfunction. But, the bond we forged 45 years ago was never broken, even during the fourteen years that the Eagles were dissolved”.

He concluded: “I’m not sure I believe in fate, but I know that crossing paths with Glenn Lewis Frey in 1970 changed my life forever, and it eventually had an impact on the lives of millions of other people all over the planet. It will be very strange going forward in a world without him in it. But, I will be grateful, every day, that he was in my life”.

Speaking to Billboard, longtime Eagles manager Irving Azoff added: “I can’t believe he’s gone. I can’t believe everything we accomplished. It was a staggering body of work and just an amazing run. I don’t think there will ever be another American band [that’s] as successful”.

The Eagles completed their two year ‘History Of The Eagles’ tour in July last year, which began off the back of a documentary of the same name.

In November it was announced that Frey required surgery due to ongoing intestinal issues, putting any further Eagles plans on hold. Azoff told The Wrap that side effects of medication he was using to treat his arthritis subsequently contributed to a decline in his health, saying: “The colitis and pneumonia were side effects from all the meds. He died from complications of ulcer and colitis after being treated with drugs for his rheumatoid arthritis which he had for over fifteen years”.

According to Azoff, plans for a memorial in LA are currently in the works.



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