Randy was the musical guest on the late-night television show, Friday’s on February 27th, 1981. The show was filmed in Los Angeles and telecast live to East Coast viewers at 11:30pm (West Coast viewers saw a taped recording). The episode featured Billy Crystal as the guest. Randy performed two songs from his recent album, One More Song: “Hearts On Fire” and “Gotta Get Away.” Watch both performances below, plus the closing credits filmed backstage.
Randy was backed by his touring band The Silverados: Bryan Garofalo – bass Craig Krampf – drums Craig Hull – guitar Josh Leo – guitar Sterling Smith – keyboards Don Francisco – percussion Terese Heston – vocals
“Hearts On Fire”
“Gotta Get Away”
Closing Credits
Randy is on the left-hand side between Terese Heston and cast member Maryedith Burrell. Others in the clip include Melanie Chartoff with the microphone. Billy Crystal (in makeup), Larry David behind Burrell in glasses. As the camera pulls back, Michael Richards (Kramer from Seinfeld), plus other members of the Silverados.
The next night, Randy and his band played the Rainbow Music Hall in Denver, CO. The concert was recorded and later released on CD in 2018 as Live In Denver. Listen here.
The Eagles, along with Melissa Manchester, The Temptations, John Sebastian and Sly & the Family Stone performed at the Schaefer Music Festival in New York City’s Central Park on August 1st & 2nd, 1973. Both nights were filmed for a TV special called ‘Good Vibrations from Central Park,’ which aired on August 23rd, 1973.
The Eagles appeared on ABC’s In Concert series on August 3rd, 1973. The 90-minute show also included Ike & Tina Turner and Jim Croce, among others. It was taped on June 20th, 1973 at UCLA’s Royce Hall.
UCLA Daily Bruin, June 21, 1973
Soundcheck
At the soundcheck, Randy wore an unusual knit shirt covered with faces. His ex-wife, Jennifer, recalled that he purchased the shirt at L.B. Murphy’s, a department store in his hometown of Scottsbluff, NE.
Eagles during their soundcheck:
IN CONCERT
The Eagles performed “Tequila Sunrise,” Early Bird,” and “Witchy Woman.” Randy wore another shirt with a Scottsbluff connection for the taping: a yellow Frank Implement Company shirt. Frank Implement was a John Deere dealership in Scottsbluff, which was owned by the father of a friend. Randy worked there for a brief time in 1970. His only real job.
Footage
In 1974, The Who’s drummer, Keith Moon, hosted an In Concert second anniversary special, which revisited performances from the past two seasons. Below is his introduction to the Eagles segment.
Below are the three songs the Eagles performed on In Concert in 1973. Apologies for the low quality.
“Tequila Sunrise”
“Early Bird” (co-written by Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner)
The Eagles played to 200,000 at the music festival, California Jam, held at the Ontario Motor Speedway outside of Los Angeles. The concert was produced by ABC and simulcast on TV and radio on May 10th, 1974. Jackson Browne filled in on several songs with the band in the absence of Don Felder, whose wife went into labor on the day of the concert.
Ad from the Los Angeles Free Press, March 22, 1974
Two stages were used that were perched on 600 feet of railroad track. As one band played, the other stage was set up for the next act, then rolled onto center stage. The stages can be seen under the striped canopies. The semi-circle of trailers behind the stages were the bands’ dressing rooms.
Photo by Mark Sullivan.
The Eagles played a 45-minute set (only 20 minutes was televised) (Not in order of performance)
James Dean Blackberry Blossom Midnight Flyer Already Gone Take It Easy Tequila Sunrise Witchy Woman Peaceful Easy Feeling Early Bird Outlaw Man
Below is a clip of the Eagles’ intro from the radio simulcast on ABC’s KLOS-FM in Los Angeles:
Heading to the stage: L-R: Glenn Frey (behind the door), Don Henley, Randy Meisner, Bernie Leadon, and road manager, Richie Fernandez.
Bernie, Randy (blue shirt), Glenn and Don
L to R: Randy Meisner, Don Henley, Glenn Frey and Bernie Leadon
Randy’s blue shirt with the hand-embroidered eagle was a gift from a fan named Terri “Woody” Smith. She also gave him a yellow shirt with the cover design from On The Border, also hand-embroidered (see it here).
Photos by Jeffrey Mayer.Photos by Julian Baum.
Randy performing “Midnight Flyer” from On The Border, which had just been released:
The footage below includes the five songs that aired in the televised concert on May 10th, 1974:
Below is a post-show interview with Bernie Leadon that appeared in the San Diego Door, May 14th, 1974. Although Bernie talked mostly about the band’s music and albums up to 1974, he did voice his frustration to interviewer Greg Leonard about the band’s mid-day performance at Cal Jam:
“Bernie had just returned from what he felt was a frustrating performance in the mid-day heat. When I met him he was nursing a glass of champagne trying to relax after the tension of playing outdoors, with no prior soundcheck, before nearly 200,000 people.”
Reviews and further reading.
Daily Report, Ontario, CA, April 7, 1974
USC Daily Trojan, April 22, 1974
Circus, August 1974 (includes review of On The Border as well as California Jam.) Love the author’s description of Randy as “impish.”
San Diego Door, April 24, 1974 “The Eagles played the most aesthetically satisfying set of the day.”
