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From his
early hits with the James Gang through to his tenure with the Eagles
— as well as a successful solo career — Joe Walsh remained one of the
most colorful characters in rock & roll, lending his distinctively reedy
vocals, off-the-wall lyrics, and expansive guitar leads to a series
of AOR staples including "Funk #49," "Rocky Mountain Way," and "Life's
Been Good." Born November 20, 1947 in Wichita, KS, Walsh initially studied
the oboe and clarinet, later playing bass in local bands the G-Clefs
and the Nomads; while attending Kent State University, he finally picked
up the guitar, fronting the collegiate combo the Measles from 1965 to
1969. He then joined the Cleveland-based hard rock trio the James Gang,
appearing on their debut LP Yer' Album. The trio's 1970 album, The James
Gang Rides Again, proved the group's commercial breakthrough, launching
the FM radio favorite "Funk #49" and achieving gold status. While the
follow-up, Thirds, was another success, yielding the classic "Walk Away,"
Walsh found the James Gang's power-trio format too confining and left
the group soon after.
After relocating to Colorado, Walsh formed a new group, Barnstorm, recorded
a self-titled 1972 LP before making his proper solo debut the following
year with The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get. The record cracked
the Top Ten on the strength of the pop hit "Rocky Mountain Way" and
was followed in 1974 by So What. In the wake of 1976's You Can't Argue
with a Sick Mind, Walsh replaced guitarist Bernie Leadon in the hugely
popular West Coast rock quintet the Eagles, making his debut on their
best-selling Hotel California album. He also continued his solo career,
issuing But Seriously, Folks in 1978; the record's highlight, the hilarious
"Life's Been Good" — a dead-on portrait of rock star debauchery — became
his biggest pop hit, nearly reaching the Top Ten. In 1979, Walsh announced
his campaign for President of the United States, promising "free gas
for everyone" if he won (he didn't.) The Eagles' final studio album,
the chart-topping The Long Run, appeared that same year.
The soundtrack to the film Urban Cowboy generated Walsh's next solo
smash, "All Night Long," which cracked the Top Twenty in the summer
of 1980; although 1981's There Goes the Neighborhood featured his final
Top 40 entry, "A Life of Illusion," he continued recording steadily,
resurfacing in 1983 with You Bought It—You Name It and issuing The Confessor
two years later. In between, Walsh ran for the vice presidency, again
unsuccessfully. Following 1987's Got Any Gum?, he toured with Ringo
Starr's All-Starr Band, returning to his solo career for 1991's Ordinary
Average Guy. In 1994 he joined the reunited Eagles for their blockbuster
Hell Freezes Over tour and remained on the road as a solo act for years
to come.
This
bio courtesy www.allmusic.com
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