The History Of The Eagles documentary from 2013 did irreparable damage to Randy Meisner’s legacy as a founding member of the Eagles. The story it told of his departure from the band in 1977, his fight with Glenn Frey in Knoxville, and his so-called refusal to sing his signature song, “Take It To The Limit,” is nothing but a tall-tale, full of misleading information and outright lies. Presented here is the truth about Randy’s final weeks with the band in 1977, what really happened in Knoxville, and proof that he performed “Take It To The Limit” right up until the end of the Hotel California tour.
If you stumble upon a description of Randy Meisner’s departure from the Eagles, it usually goes something like this: During the 1977 Hotel California tour, Randy had become increasingly afraid of hitting the high notes in “Take It To The Limit.” This led to a backstage altercation at a show in Knoxville, Tennessee where Randy, tired from having been up all night drinking and cavorting in a hotel room, refused to sing “Take It To The Limit” for the encore that night. Glenn Frey confronted him, which led to Randy punching Glenn, and subsequently quitting the band. Some versions even say he was fired.
This false account of the Knoxville show originated with Irving Azoff and Don Henley in Marc Eliot’s 1997 biography To The Limit: The Untold Story Of the Eagles. Here are their accounts from the book:
Azoff: “He began complaining between shows about having to do the song (‘Take It To The Limit)… The night of the fight between him and Frey began with Randy complaining, as usual, about his throat. And he was drinking. After they finished the show, while the audience was cheering for an encore. Randy was guzzling from a bottle of booze and then said he simply wasn’t going to go back out. That’s when a very fed-up Glenn called him on it. In truth. Randy had become a major pain in the ass, and I think he knew it. He was probably looking for a way to leave. That night he found it.”
Henley: “He didn’t want to do [‘Take It to the Limit’] because he’d been up all night doing drugs with two chicks in a hotel room….The night in Knoxville, that was the biggest song in the set. Because he was strung out, he didn’t want to sing it…The truth of the matter is, he was afraid he couldn’t hit the notes. The audience didn’t give a shit whether he could hit them or not. They just wanted to hear the song. When he refused to sing it, Glenn calmly went over and tried to console him and said, ‘Randy, it’s going to be okay, you can sing it, let’s just go back out and do it.’ Meanwhile, the audience is out there cheering. ‘No, man, I’m not gonna sing the fucking song,’ Randy said, snapping at Glenn. Glenn backed up a couple of steps and said, ‘Well, fuck you then!’ That’s when he threw the towel, Meisner took the swing, and everything escalated.”
—To The Limit: The Untold Story Of the Eagles by Marc Eliot, 1997)
The same story was rehashed sixteen years later in the Alison Ellwood documentary The History Of The Eagles, with Don Henley and Glenn Frey repeating the tale that Randy had become afraid of singing “Take It To The Limit” and refused to sing it in Knoxville:
Debunking The Myths
Using facts from published concert reviews from 1977, plus Randy’s own version of events, I’m going to debunk these myths from start to finish. The facts will show that Randy never refused to sing “Take It To The Limit.” It was also never performed as an encore.
Myth#1: Randy’s fear of hitting the high notes in “Take It To The Limit” led to his complete refusal to sing the song.
One of the few times we see Randy speak in History Of The Eagles is was when he (briefly) relayed his fear of hitting the notes: “I was always kind of scared basically. What if I don’t hit it right? It was a pretty high note.”
Stage fright is normal for any performer, no matter how famous. Elvis Presley, whom Randy idolized as a child, struggled with crippling bouts of stage fright throughout his entire career. Here is what Presley said about it in 1972:
Elvis: “I’ve never gotten over what they call stage fright. I go through it every show… I never get completely comfortable with it, and I don’t let the people around me get comfortable with it, in that I remind them that it’s a new crowd out there, it’s a new audience, and they haven’t seen us before. So it’s got to be like the first time we go on.”1
This is an important quote because it shows the essence of being a great performer–one that doesn’t just go through the motions, but takes pride in his performance. Just like it was the first time he’d ever been onstage. Perhaps this is the way Randy felt about singing “Take It To The Limit.” He didn’t want to just blow through the song and get it over with. He wanted it to be memorable. He cared about the performance. And more often than not, he “nailed it”:
Randy: “The high note that I sing at the end was tough to do live. It was pretty difficult, it was a challenge every night. But I pretty much nailed it every night. There weren’t many times I didn’t because we were rehearsed really well.” 2
Randy nailing the high notes at the Capital Centre in Landover, MD, March 21st, 1977
THE FACTS:
Below is a complete listing of the Eagles 1977 Hotel California tour dates. The performances of “Take It To The Limit” have been highlighted in yellow. These performances were documented by reviews published at the time of the event or existing audience recordings. They show that Randy performed the song right up until the final date of the tour in Houston on July 9th, 1977. Unfortunately, reviews do not exist for every show, or if one does exist, it may not mention each song that was played.
Notice below that one of the documented performances of “Take It To The Limit” occurred at the Civic Coliseum in Knoxville, Tennessee on June 28th, 1977.
Click the venue to see the reviews.
| DATE | VENUE | LOCATION | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 14, 1977 | Civic Center | Springfield, MA | “Take It To The Limit” was performed. |
| March 15-16, 1977 | Nassau Coliseum | Uniondale, NY | Only “Hotel California” is mentioned in the review. |
| March 18, 1977 | Madison Square Garden | New York, NY | “Take It To The Limit” and “Try & Love Again” were performed. |
| March 19, 1977 | War Memorial Auditorium | Rochester, NY | “Take It To The Limit” and “Try & Love Again” were performed. |
| March 21-22, 1977 | Capital Centre | Largo, MD | “Take It To The Limit” and “Try & Love Again” were performed. |
| March 23, 1977 | Richmond Coliseum | Richmond, VA | “Take It To The Limit” was performed. |
| March 26, 1977 | New Haven Coliseum | New Haven, CT | “Take It To The Limit” was performed. |
| March 27, 1977 | Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena | Binghamton, NY | Only “Take It Easy,” “New Kid In Town,” “Lyin’ Eyes,” and “Already Gone” are mentioned in the review. |
| March 29, 1977 | Forum | Montreal, Canada | “Take It To The Limit” was performed. |
| March 30, 1977 | Maple Leaf Gardens | Toronto, Canada | “Take It To The Limit” was performed. |
| March 31 – April 1, 1977 | Richfield Coliseum | Cleveland, OH | “Take It To The Limit” was performed both nights. |
| April 25-28, 1977 | Empire Pool, Wembley | London, England | “Take It To The Limit” was performed on at least two of the four nights. |
| April 30 – May 1, 1977 | Apollo Center | Glasgow, Scotland | “Take It To The Limit” was performed. |
| May 3-4, 1977 | New Bingley Hall | Stafford, England | “Take It To The Limit” was performed. |
| May 7,1977 | Olympiahalle | Munich, Germany | “Take It To The Limit” was performed (via audience recording). |
| May 8, 1977 | Festhalle | Frankfurt, Germany | “Take It To The Limit” was performed (via audience recording of the show). |
| May 9, 1977 | Philipshalle | Dusseldorf, Germany | No review could be found. |
| May 11-13, 1977 | Rotterdam Ahoy | Rotterdam, Netherlands | “Take It To The Limit” was performed on at least two of the three nights. |
| May 15, 1977 | Congress Centrum | Hamburg, Germany | No review could be found. |
| May 17, 1977 | Grona Lund | Stockholm, Sweden | No review could be found. |
| May 18, 1977 | Stadium Nya Ullevi | Gothenburg, Sweden | “Take It To The Limit” was performed (via audience recording). |
| May 28 & 30, 1977 | Oakland Coliseum Stadium | Oakland, CA | “Take It To The Limit” was performed. |
| June 18, 1977 | Roanoke Civic Center | Roanoke, VA | “Take It To The Limit” was performed. |
| June 19-20, 1977 | Omni | Atlanta, GA | “Take It To The Limit” was performed both nights. |
| June 21, 1977 | Carolina Coliseum | Columbia, South Carolina | “Take It To The Limit” was performed. |
| June 23, 1977 | Nashville Municipal Auditorium | Nashville, TN | “Take It To The Limit” is not mentioned in review. |
| June 24, 1977 | BJCC Coliseum | Birmingham, AL | “Take It To The Limit” was performed. |
| June 25, 1977 | Municipal Auditorium | Mobile, AL | No review could be found. |
| June 27, 1977 | Greensboro Coliseum | Greensboro, NC | “Take It To The Limit” was performed. |
| June 28, 1977 | Knoxville Civic Coliseum | Knoxville, TN | “Take It To The Limit” was performed. |
| June 29, 1977 | Mid-South Coliseum | Memphis, TN | “Take It To The Limit” was performed. |
| July 1, 1977 | Civic Center | Savannah, GA | “Take It To The Limit” was performed. |
| July 2, 1977 | Miami Baseball Stadium | Miami, FL | “Take It To The Limit” was not mentioned in the review. |
| July 3, 1977 | Tangerine Bowl | Orlando, FL | “Take It To The Limit” was performed. |
| July 6, 1977 | Myriad Convention Center | Oklahoma City, OK | No review could be found. |
| July 7-8, 1977 | Tarrant County Convention Center | Fort Worth, TX | “Take It To The Limit” was performed both nights. |
| July 9, 1977 | Jeppesen Stadium | Houston, TX | “Take It To The Limit” was performed. |
Myth #2: “Take It To The Limit” was an encore song during the 1977 Hotel California tour
In History Of The Eagles, Don Henley said that “Take It To The Limit” was “our encore number” and that Randy refused to sing it that night in Knoxville. The facts show that “Take It To The Limit” was never performed as an encore during the entire Hotel California tour. This coincides not only with documented setlists from other shows in 1977, but also with Randy’s own version of events. Randy always asserted that he was ill that night and didn’t want to go back out for a third encore. No particular song was ever mentioned.
Below is Randy’s version of the story. I have provided a couple of different accounts.
Randy:
“We had been out for a total of eleven months, and everybody was starting to feel the strain. My ulcer was acting up, and [I had] a bad case of the flu as well. Still, we all sounded great onstage, the audience loved the show, and we were being called back for another encore. ‘No way,’ I said. I was too sick, and generally fed up. I decided I wasn’t going back out. ‘You pussy,’ Glenn said to me, in my face. So I took a swing at him. We started going at it, and the security police were backstage like that. They grabbed the both of us, and after a few minutes let go of Glenn but continued holding me. He grabbed a towel, wiped the sweat off his face, walked right up and threw it in mine.” (The Story Of The Eagles: The Long Run, Marc Shapiro, 1997)
“I was frustrated. Things were rocky with my marriage. Don and Glenn became a little more powerful. It finally came to a head in Knoxville, Tennessee. We did the gig and I had the flu or something. We did two encores and came off stage, and I said, ‘Man, that’s about all I can do.’ Glenn called me a pussy. I snapped and took a swing at him.” (Desperados : The Roots Of Country Rock, John Einarson, 2000)
THE FACTS:
Randy sang “Take It To The Limit” in Knoxville, but not as an encore. It was performed early in the show as part of the main set, per the review in the Johnson City Press Chronicle. This information is corroborated with other reviews from the tour which show that “Take It To The Limit” was always performed within the first hour of the concert, typically between “Lyin’ Eyes” and “New Kid In Town.”3
The Press Chronicle review also states that the Eagles came back out for two encores at the end of the Knoxville concert. The first encore included “James Dean” and “Best Of My Love” performed back to back, and the second encore was “Take It Easy,” their final number. Randy has asserted that Glenn wanted to go back out for an additional (third) encore. But this song would not have been “Take It To The Limit” since it had already been performed earlier in the show.
Knoxville setlist
(via Johnson City Press Chronicle)
“Hotel California”
“Walk away”
“Victim Of Love”
“Doolin-Dalton”/”Desperado Reprise”
“Lyin’ Eyes”
“Take It To The Limit”
“New Kid In Town”
“Desperado”
“One Of These Nights”
“Already Gone”
“Life In The Fast Lane”
“Rocky Mountain Way”
“Witchy Woman”
Encore #1:
“James Dean”
“Best Of My Love”
Encore #2:
“Take It Easy”
Review of the Knoxville show from the Johnson City Press-Chronicle, July 2nd, 1977 (click to enlarge):
Departure
Randy’s final show with the Eagles was at Jeppeson Stadium in Houston on July 9th, 1977. He recalled that his last days with the band were “pure hell. Nobody was talking to me.” 4 He was also frustrated with the way Don and Glenn had taken over the band & were making all of the decisions. More and more he felt like a hired hand instead of an equal partner in the band he had helped found. By Hotel California, his last album with the band, Randy sang on only one track, his beautifully-written ballad “Try & Love Again,” which appeared, almost as an afterthought, as the second to last track on the B-Side. “I was frustrated. Don & Glenn were the Lennon/McCartney of the Eagles; they wrote all the songs…I wanted more of my opinions to be accepted… I wanted to sing more. I guess I didn’t know the right way to criticize them.” 5
Below: The Eagles at Tarrant County Convention Center in Fort Worth, TX, July 7, 1977. Perhaps the final photos of Randy Meisner as a member of the band. (Photos ©Bob Jones)
Following his departure from the Eagles, Randy made three solo albums, with the second, One More Song, being the most successful. He never expressed any regrets about his decision to quit a band that was at the top of its game. “It was right to leave when I did.” 6
Final Thoughts
One can only speculate as to why such a tale about the Knoxville concert and “Take It To The Limit” was ever fabricated in the first place. What purpose does this falsified story serve except to portray Irving Azoff, Don Henley and Glenn Frey in the most favorable possible light, while belittling Randy Meisner and his contributions to the band? In my opinion, The History Of The Eagles documentary has done irreparable damage to Randy’s musical legacy by creating a fairy tale that he refused to sing his trademark song, so he quit the band. Since 2013, this bogus story has taken on a life of its own. It has been spread across the internet and has become part of most internet biographies of Randy, not to mention print biographies of the Eagles, including Don Felder’s Heaven & Hell: My Life With The Eagles 1974-2001 (see page 185). I have seen countless social media comments where people claim Randy was “fired” from the band for not singing “Take It To The Limit.” This is also patently false. My hope is that I have helped to set the record straight.
Notes
- Interview with Elvis Presley by Pierre Adidge & Robert Abel for the documentary Elvis On Tour, March 31, 1972. ↩︎
- The Story Of The Eagles: The Long Run by Marc Shapiro, 1995 ↩︎
- A word about the Setlists.fm because I see “setlists” from this website scattered throughout the internet as “proof” that Randy sang “Take It To The Limit” as an encore. The vast majority of setlists on setlists.fm are garbage. Why? Because anyone with access to the internet can create an account and upload a list of songs for a particular concert, regardless of whether or not they actually attended the show. No proof is necessary. It is far from reliable and contributes to the spread of inaccurate information. ↩︎
- Shapiro, 1995 ↩︎
- New York Daily News, March 10, 1981 ↩︎
- People, January 12, 1981 ↩︎
Thank You so Much Jessica. I’ve always believed what your hard work has proven!
My pleasure, Gwen. It was long past time to debunk these tall tales and get the truth out there.
I am doing some research on Irving and came across your post. It goes to show Irving will do anything to trash people who aren’t benefiting him financially even when that person is a major part in making Azoff somebody. He obviously trashed Randy so Randy wouldn’t do well on his own.
I read Randy was under a conservativeship and it seems many people in Azoffs wake have been involved in these terrible legal nightmares.
Currently he is enslaving Harry Styles. Though most will believe that is an exaggeration I don’t think it is. Harry is supposed to be on a break after a rigorous two year tour and is seen with women to help promote their careers. We’re looking for info to help free artists so they csn do what they love without selling their dignity.
Very interesting. It was almost as if Irving was seeking revenge against Randy. The story of his exit from the Eagles in the documentary was clearly skewed to favor Don and Glenn, and ultimately, Irving. It was all one-sided. The entire documentary is very pro-Irving.
Managers are very powerful and can make-or-break people. Artists sell their souls to line their pockets. It’s a vicious circle that needs to be broken.
I hate the way Randy, Bernie Leadon & eventually Don Felder were treated by Glenn & Don Henley. Thank you for clearing this up. Randy deserves better for his legacy.
He certainly does.
You are a super sleuth! I feel so bad for Randy after being lied about for all of these years.
Jessica, once again your “deep-dive” research is amazing. The facts you present speak for themselves, and for Randy as well!
Thanks, Mark. That means a lot coming from you.
Hi Jessica, I happened to run across the RAW PICKS article last night while I was ‘Randy-surfing’ & I was so impressed that someone way across the other side of the world shared it & that he actually did some homework & shared this post of yours instead of any of those articles that have perpetuated these lies. I thought you might think it was cool, so I came here to tell you, but I see now that you already got “pinged” about it. It should have dawned on me that you would’ve been, but I still wanted to comment as I have too long overlooked expressing my thanks & appreciation for all you do. I love sharing your posts & I re-shared this one today as I felt it needed to be again. The research you do is amazing. I was already a long-time Randy fan, but thanks to you & your site I’ve learned so much I never knew about Randy & my love & respect for him as a musician, for the impact his career has had on music & for him as just a dear, sweet man has grown & grown. You are a rock star researcher! Thank you again for all you do.
Hi Karen,
Thanks for telling me about the Raw Picks article. It’s nice to know this post is reaching people and getting the truth out there. I’m so glad you enjoy the site and your support is greatly appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to leave such a nice comment.
Thank you for this, setting the record straight. I’m just wondering now why all of a sudden Randy Meisner’s 1977 performance of ‘Take it to the Limit’ at the Capital Centre, which had millions of views, and still has numerous ‘response’ videos, was taken down (on YouTube). Now the number one Take it to the limit videos are either audio only and/or covers or montages, etc.
It was probably removed due to copyright. It’s hard to find any Eagles concert footage on there. You can find Randy’s performance of “Take It To The Limit” at the Capital Centre, plus with other live performances of the song, at the link below. I will keep these up as long as I can:
https://randymeisnerretrospective.com/performances/
Your research is amazing. Why isn’t it being shared with the general public, especially with the “encore” myth taking center stage following Randy’s passing?
Thanks, Amy. I wish more people knew the truth. The fact that this lie continues to be perpetuated shows that most people believe whatever they read online, in a book, or a see in a documentary. There’s no fact-checking, not even by newspapers like the Los Angeles Times. I encourage people to share this post as often as possible, especially when they come across someone spouting the encore myth or the myth that he was refusing to sing TITTL. It’s a shame that these lies are still being bandied about after his passing.
Totally like the loyalty going in her efforts.
Appreciate it, Lisa.
Jessica, I was so pleased to be able to, at last, get the whole, true story about Randy leaving the band! I have read most of those accounts and viewed “The History Of The Eagles”, and I always thought there was something off about those accounts. I never did like the way Glenn and Don Henley treated Randy, as well as Don Felder and Bernie Leadon for that matter. I would have thought at least Don Felder would tell the real story in “Heaven And Hell”. I just recently found this website and I am so glad I have! I Googled Randy’s name and found a couple of phone numbers for him and even called a couple of times but there was either a busy signal or prompt to leave a message. I just wanted to express how much of a fan I am and how much I enjoyed his music. and if he was working on anything. Oh well, at least we still have his music to enjoy and thanks to you, videos as well!! I have some that I downloaded before they were taken down. Thank you so much for your tireless efforts to keep Randy’s memory alive for us, his loyal fans!!
Your comments are much appreciated and nice to hear, David. Thank you.
Sadly, Felder’s book rehashed many of the same inaccuracies that were found in previous bios. It’s just lazy research on the part of his co-writer, or even himself. Like you, I always felt there was something not quite right about the accounts in History Of The Eagles. They seemed just a little too self-serving. And how convenient that Randy’s version of events weren’t even presented. Randy deserved to have his side of the story told and the facts brought to light.
Good to hear from you again.
I would have expected better from Don Felder. I am well aware of the personalities of Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and Irv Azoff, but I’m very disappointed that Don Felder would let down Randy like that.
I have only just found this website after Randy’s sad passing and I just want to say thank you so much for putting this together. It’s wonderful to finally read Randy’s own account of what happened at Knoxville as, so far, I’ve only read those in Marc Elliot’s book and Don Felder’s. One thing Felder probably was right about was the extent of how far Frey (and Henley) must have pushed Randy to get him to blow up like that and the fact that he was “the sweetest man in the business”. I hope he’s at peace now and I have absolutely no doubt his musical legacy will live on forever.
It certainly will. Thanks so much, Mary.
The more I read about the “departures” from the Eagles, the more I see Irving Azoff’s fingerprints all over it. He “represented” the Eagles but really he was in cahoots with just Henley and Frey.
Thank you so much for this post. This is the first time I’ve ever seen a full and properly cited chronology of Randy’s last months in the Eagles, and it cleared up a lot for me.
I was actually present at the Jeppeson Stadium show in Houston on 7/9/77 but I can’t recall anything about “Take It to the Limit” being performed, which is especially remarkable given that Randy’s vocal on “Midnight Flyer” has always been my most significant memory of a GREAT Eagles show at Saratoga Performing Arts Center on 8/30/74.
What I do remember about the Jeppeson Stadium show was how disappointed I was at what a lackluster, uninspired, by the numbers performance it was. Knowing now that it was the very last show of the tour and the very last show with Randy in the band, it’s not hard for me to understand why.
My only specific memory in terms of the performance was when they busted out their very lame rendition of that Chuck Berry song as the final one of the night. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I thought. “So many great Eagles songs they DIDN’T play and they’re wasting our time with THIS?”
Frey and Henley have done a lot of things I consider reprehensible, petty, and vicious, but denying the other two original members (Meisner and Leadon) and the guy who took their musicianship to the next level (Felder) the opportunity to participate as legacy band members in the Kennedy Center Honors was disgusting, disgraceful, and unforgivable. I know there was a history of complications and bad blood with Felder, but Meisner and Leadon? C’mon. Cutting the two of them out was just pointlessly mean-spirited.
Again, thank you for your good work to correct the record for Randy’s sake and for the benefit of all of us who have so enjoyed and respected his talent and his contribution to a great American band.
Hi Rick,
Thanks so much for your comment. I’m glad you found the post helpful regarding Randy’s last days with the band.
I also appreciate the info regarding the Jeppesen show. I’m not surprised to hear that they seemed to go through the motions during the show. Actually, that same observation was made in several reviews from that tour. At least you got to see them in their prime (1974). I couldn’t agree more about Randy and Bernie getting the shaft with the Kennedy Center Honors. It was completely unforgivable and reprehensible for half of the original four to be left out. Perhaps it’s out of line for me to say, but I felt Schmit was getting honored for work he didn’t accomplish. Randy, especially, should have been there. He was on all of the key albums. If you hear an Eagles song on the radio, Randy is probably on it.
Jessica
I don’t think you’re at all out of line… All Schmit ever achieved was to step into Randy’s boots both in Poco and the Eagles – and he never quite filled them!
Great article. Amazing how people generate their own narrative. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts.
I added this to Randy Meisner’s Wikipedia page in honor of your research:
“It is disputed whether Meisner actually refused to sing “Take it to the Limit”; according to a concert review, Meisner did perform “Take it to the Limit”, which was on the regular setlist; after two encores, Meisner refused to go out for a third encore that the audience wanted. [39]”
[39] “Debunking the Myths: The Knoxville 1977 concert, “Take it to the Limit,” and Randy Meisner’s Departure from the Eagles”. Randy Meisner: A Retrospective. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
Thanks, Ryan. I appreciate it. It would be nice if his death date could be corrected also. It’s actually July 25th, not July 26th, as was widely reported. The July 25th date is per his death certificate.
I was not aware that his death date was the 25th, I assumed you had made a typo. If I can find his death certificate on a reliable source, I will change that on Wikipedia. There are certain rules with Wikipedia editing — for example I said “it is disputed” about Randy’s refusal to sing Take it to the Limit rather than “he did not actually refuse to sing Take it to the Limit” in order to avoid the appearance of bias.
It’s not a typo. I’m going to send you an email.
Jessica, this article is Internet gold. I especially appreciate the citations. I manage a rock band out of Houston, TX that’s known for their tribute to the Eagles (AlreadyGone.net.) As such, the Eagles has been part of my life for the past 18 years and I’ve come to recognize that when it comes to Messrs. Henley & Azoff, to paraphrase the late Queen Elizabeth, “recollections vary.” It’s nice to see the record set straight, or at least an alternative version presented of that night, especially one that seems more in keeping with the actual personalities involved.
On a related note, I think I speak for the entire band when I say that we’re all huge fans of Randy’s. He is definitely a hard act to follow, as evidenced by all the Eagles tributes that have to tune down to sing Take It To The Limit. (We don’t, but we’re blessed with an exceptional lead singer.) The guy had so much talent, which we get to appreciate on a daily basis.
Thanks so much. I truly appreciate the feedback. Congratulations on your band and their Eagles tribute. That’s really cool. I wish you many more years of success. I think Randy would be pleased that you’re keeping his song alive.
Thank you so much for doing this whole research. If the official documentary already made Henley and Frey look like absolute douchebags and jerky bullies, this just proves it even further. Randy didn’t deserve all of this, may he rest in peace.
I’m also disappointed at how Felder and Walsh turned their back on Randy after his departure and at the inaccuracies included on Felder’s book.
Jessica great article! I’ve been Randys friend since 82. Randy has shared so many different things with my wife and myself. We’ve stayed at his house he stayed at my house in Maui. It was so sad at the end his conservator Art Ford and his wife would not allow to talk to Randy, but that’s another story. All of this got brought up again because my wife was, going through a T-shirt Drawer and found Randys T-shirt from the Memphis concert in 1977. And a T-shirt from 1982 Randy Meisner on tour T-shirt. Plus, I’ve got all these cassettes from the studio with Rich and Misner. But I don’t know what to do with. Anyways, thank you again for such a great article.
Hi David,
Thank you for the nice comments about the article and for sharing your story. Your friendship with Randy must have been very special. It was extremely cruel the way Art isolated him from friends and family during his final years. Randy deserved better.
Again, thanks so much for taking the time to comment.
Jessica
Nice background work on this article and it’s nicely laid out to end with the actual facts. I have always had a preference to Randy’s singing/song writing/Bass playing over Timothy’s, not that I don’t like Timothy it’s just between the two, Randy wins out. Although I think Randy fell victim the the Henley/Frey dominance as did Felder years later. I love their songwriting and musical talents I think personally that they could have been better people. I doubt they lacked much but I guess money and power leads many to do bad deeds.
I’ve always felt that maybe there was a bit of jealousy on Glenn and Don’s part as far as Randy. A song that he co-wrote and sang was a major hit and one of their biggest selling singles. I doubt that was lost on them. They seemed to want to put Randy in his place after that. I agree about Timothy. He was certainly talented, but Randy was far more unique.
I have to say that I pretty much believed Randy’s version of the way things went down at the show in Knoxville. I also took into account the way previous band members had been treated and why THEY left. I cannot tell you how glad I was that Randy actually punched Glenn in the face and knocked him against a wall. Glenn was a terrible bully and was waaaaay out of line that night. I believe Randy over anyone else’s version of that story because I’ve learned enough to find out Randy’s true character and sweet nature. That man wouldn’t hurt a fly. He just finally got pushed over the edge by Glenn. Would you be so kind as to share your thoughts on Don Felder’s version of that night in his book? I’ve read it and would love to know what you think about what HE says happened that night.
I have problems with Felder’s story because it is basically a rehash of what’s in Marc Eliot’s book, i.e. that Randy didn’t want to sing TITTL. Felder changes it up a bit by saying that not only did Randy not want to sing it, but he didn’t want to sing it front and center on the stage. The latter is true. Randy always sang it at his microphone where he was comfortable. But Felder still contends that TITTL was an encore and that there was a fight backstage about Randy not wanting to go back out and sing it. This is simply not true.
Thank you. I just now found your response to my question. Why do even the band members get it all wrong? What did Felder have to gain by lying about it?
Thank you Jessica,
i am from Germany and have seen the ‘official’ documentary many times, because i like it. Now i know that at least Randy’s leave from the band has another background than told there. I guess Glenn was a really aggressive guy (i got this impression when seeing the documentary), but despite of that also a very good songwriter.
It’s a pity that the truth is not told and i really do not understand why:
The truth would not put that much damage on Glenn Frey’s reputation, at least i came to the conclusion that it was not easy with him after seeing the documentary.
The damage is on Randy …
Best Regards
Stefan
I agree, the lie hurt Randy the most. Thank you, Stefan.
I just found this site recently and I’m absolutely loving it. I’ve refused to read any books about the Eagles. I’ve refused to watch “History of the Eagles”. Randy is an inspiration to me. I only want to hear about his life from him. I have seen many YouTube videos about him and the band, and it’s insane that way too many “creators” get so much wrong. Thank you for your site and all of the extensive work you put into it. I love learning from all that you share with us. Here. For the truest of the Randy fans. God bless him, and you.
Some of those youtube videos are almost laughable. Your kind words are much appreciated, Becky. Thank you!
I quite enjoyed the History of the Eagles because even with the approval of Frey and Henley and questionable stories, you can’t help but see the oversized egos and arrogance of both men and why so many people hated them.
Love the article and the clarifications, Jessica. Wondered though, why there are WIKI references to him still appearing with the Eagles, at Alpine Valley in East Troy, WI., on September 1-3. This article above, notes the Houston July 9 show as his last. Which is it? Is there any chance that those Alpine Valley shows almost 2 months later, had a different bass player?
Hi Andrew,
Those dates were cancelled, per this notice in the Waukesha Freeman newspaper, August 10, 1977.
Wow, Jessica, thanks for the quick reply. You are really on top of it. And with a newspaper clipping too ! I was seeing the Eagles live at Alpine Valley, for their very next tour, with Timothy B Schmitt on bass, but interesting that the Hotel California tour never even got there. Thanks. Let’s face it, those documentary stories are almost always too tidy and self-serving. Nice to clear Randy’s name.
There was supposed to be a Fall tour in 1977, but those dates were cancelled. I agree about the documentary stories being too tidy and self-serving. I would also add that they are very misleading or sometimes just plain false. Unfortunately, people watch and believe everything they see because they think “if it’s in a documentary, then it must be true.” The same goes for much of what people read online.
I was at the Hotel California Tour June 25, 1977 concert in Mobile, AL. Randy did sing “Take it to the Limit” that night. I loved that song! Still do. That concert was like listening to the album…they were awesome! Still the best concert I’ve ever attended.