Episode 31: Don Felder (The Eagles) Interview

Don Felder is renowned as a former lead guitarist of The Eagles, one of the most popular and influential rock groups of our time. Felder spent 27 years with the Eagles, who have sold over 150 million albums worldwide to date and own the fine distinction of recording the top-selling album of all time — Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975), which has sold over 38 million copies (and counting). “I’m honored and blessed enough to have contributed to and been a part of a very talented mixture of voices, writing, guitar parts, and production,” he says of the group. “It was a magical, unique combination that happened in a certain place and time. I’m very proud of that. Every time I hear the work we did on the radio, I go, ‘Oh! We were really good!’”.

“Hotel California” has served Felder quite well over the years — as well it should. “People love the music, the guitar solos, and the overall vibe that song has,” admits Don. “When I got up and played ‘Hotel California’ at the United Nations a few years back, everybody in the room knew the song and was singing along with it — even those heads of state and presidents who didn’t speak English! I got an enormous standing ovation for it. At that point, it dawned on me what a global impact that one song had. And now, by the time ‘Hotel’ appears at the end of the night in my live set, everybody is standing on their feet, ready to go and ready to receive that powerful electric energy.”

Felder has also recorded with and performed alongside top-drawer artists all throughout his career such as The Bee Gees, Peter Frampton, Michael Jackson, Alice Cooper, Warren Zevon, Diana Ross, Stevie Nicks, Vince Gill, Barbra Streisand, Elton John, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, and the aforementioned Stephen Stills. (Don’s impressive list of collaborators, like the road, could literally go on forever.)

GUITAR TRAX is hosted by mulit-Emmy award winning guitarist Brian Tarquin featuring in- depth interviews with today’s hottest guitar legends and airs every Monday night from 10pm-12pm on NPR's WFIT 89.5FM on the Florida space coast and can be streamed on WFIT.org. Brian Tarquin & Heavy Friends lifted up the spirits of our veterans through music with Beyond The Warrior’s Eyes which peaked at #1 Top Fusion Album on Roots Music Reports and #5 on Relix/Jambands charts. In 2023 Brian’s music video “Speed of Sound” featuring Joe Satriani won Best Video of the Year by the Josie Music Awards. His all star album Brothers In Arms topped the metal radio charts peaking #7 on the NACC Loud Rock charts and #11 on the Metal Contraband charts. Both in 2022 & 2023 the Josie Music Awards nominated Tarquin for "Musician of the Year (Guitar)" and "Music Producer of the Year." In 2023 the Hollywood Independent Music Awards nominated his company BHP Music-Guitar Trax Records for "Independent Record Label of the Year."