The “Purist” Eagles Member Whose Refusal To Change His Sound Altered the Band Forever

To many, growing a career is a culmination of luck, preparation, and opportunity. Well, for Joe Walsh of the Eagles, that is exactly what happened, as his entry into the band would not have transpired if it wasn’t for one member’s exit. Popular to contrary belief, Joe Walsh was actually not a founding member of The Eagles. Rather, he was just a stray guitar player brought in to give the group a more rock ‘n’ roll sound.

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The member that Walsh replaced was Bernie Leadon, who left the band in 1975 due to some creative differences. Particularly, Leadon didn’t like the direction the Eagles were going, so consequently, he left the band and allegedly did so by pouring a beer over Glenn Frey’s head. Just a month later, Joe Walsh was brought on and became the premier guitarist of The Eagles.

The Creative Dispute That Led to Joe Walsh’s Big Break

Before Joe Walsh joined the Eagles in 1975, he had a solo career and played in the bands Barnstorm and James Gang. During those years, Walsh had formed a connection with both Don Henley and Glenn Frey. That being so, when Leadon decided to leave the band, the two members knew exactly who to pick up.

In an interview with AXS TV, Joe Walsh recalled the series of events that led to his hiring. He told host, Paul Shaffer, “Bernie Leadon was the guy I replaced and Bernie is brilliant, but he’s a purist.” “He is a bluegrass mandolin, acoustic sit on the porch with an acoustic type of guy” and “He did not want to go in that direction.”

The direction Walsh referenced in his interview, is the direction the Eagles ultimately went in. A direction which entailed an unpurist culmination of electric and acoustic southern and folk rock. A sound they arguably pinned and made iconic.

“So I slipped and we didn’t know if it would work, but we said ‘Let’s try it,’” added Walsh. Joe Walsh’s entry into the band benefited the direction the Eagles were trying to go for, as his implementation led to a more popularized sound that ultimately led to bigger gigs and bigger paychecks. So, as talented as Leadon was, it never behooves any artist to hold onto the past, as the future will always tear it down. Seemingly, Joe Walsh knew just that and it paid off immensely.

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