“Happy 40th birthday to the Hotel California album. It truly doesn’t seem like that long ago. An honor to be a part of such great project. May you shine for another 40 years,” former Eagles guitarist Don Felder announced today.
The ‘Hotel California’ album was released on December 8, 1976. It went on to become Eagles biggest studio album and biggest album after ‘Greatest Hits’.
Felder co-wrote the title track with Don Henley and Glenn Frey. Arguably, it is Eagles finest moment.
‘Hotel California’ was recorded between March and October 1976 in Miami and Los Angeles. The front cover of the hotel features the Beverly Hills Hotel on Sunset Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California.
The album earned two Grammy Awards. It featured the singles ‘New Kid In Town’, ‘Hotel California’ and ‘Life In The Fast Lane’. ‘Hotel California’ was the first Eagles album to feature Joe Walsh. Bass player Randy Meisner left after the release and was replaced for the next and last album in a long time ‘The Long Run’ by Timothy B. Schmit.
Felder joined Eagles for their third album ‘On The Border’ (1974). Felder returned for Hell Freezes Over in 1994 but was ‘terminated’ by Eagles Ltd in 2001. He sued the band for $50m and settled out of court in 2002.
