Last Friday (January 17), the Eagles played their first show of 2025 at the Sphere in Las Vegas. Fans who attended the show immediately noticed that the band’s lineup had changed. Longtime guitarist Steuart Smith was not onstage. Instead, Dallas, Texas-based singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Chris Holt was in his place.
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The lineup change came after Smith received a diagnosis of Parkinsonism. According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, Parkinsonism “is a term used to describe a collection of movement symptoms associated with several conditions including Parkinson’s disease. These symptoms include slow movements, stiffness, walking and balance issues, and/or tremor.” Symptoms can also include thinking changes, speech issues, and sleep disturbances.
“It is with profound regret that, due to performance issues associated with my diagnosed Parkinsonism, I find that I much bow out of my role with the Eagles while I can still do so gracefully,” Smith shared in a statement. “It’s been a great quarter of a century and I had hoped to be able to finish out this year with the band, but I must now do what’s best for all concerned,” he added.
“Steuart Smith has retired from touring,” Don Henley added in the statement. “The Eagles will be forever grateful for the extraordinary talents that he brought to both our recordings and live performances. Steuart will be greatly missed, but he will always be part of our musical family. We know our many fans join us in wishing him well.”
The Eagles Are in Good Hands with Chris Holt
While the Eagles and their fans are sad to see Steuart Smith go, Chris Holt is a top-notch replacement. He has formed and played in several bands over the years. Additionally, Holt has performed alongside some of the biggest stars in classic rock. His website states that he has played with Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne, the Doobie Brothers, Stevie Nicks, Ringo Starr, and others.
Most recently, he joined former Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell’s band Dirty Knobs.
Watch Don Henley introduce Holt during his first show with the band in the short clip below.
Featured Image by Paul Bergen/Redferns
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