Joe Walsh
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Joe Walsh | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | November 20, 1947 (age 59) Wichita, Kansas, USA |
| Genre(s) | Rock |
| Affiliation(s) | James Gang (1969–1971) Eagles (1976–present) |
| Label(s) | Asylum Epic ABC |
| Notable guitars | Fender Stratocaster Gibson Les Paul Rickenbacker |
| Years active | 1969 - Present |
| Official site | Offical website |
Joseph Fidler "Joe" Walsh[1] (born November 20, 1947 in Wichita, Kansas)[2] is an American guitarist and rock musician. He has served stints in two successful bands, the James Gang and the Eagles. He has also experienced success as a solo artist.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
A native of Wichita, Kansas, Walsh's father (his biological father died in a plane crash) moved frequently due to his work and subsequently moved the family to NYC. Later, Walsh moved to Montclair, New Jersey and attended Montclair High School. He spent time in various bands playing around the Cleveland area while attending Kent State University.
In 1969 he replaced Glen Schwartz as lead guitarist for the James Gang, an American power trio. Walsh proved to be the band's star attraction, noted for his innovative rhythm playing and creative guitar riffs. The James Gang had several minor hits and became an early album-oriented rock staple for the next two years. In November, 1971, Walsh left the group for a solo career.
Walsh released his solo debut Barnstorm in 1972. Although it was a critical success, it only sold moderately. The followup, The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get (1973) was his commercial breakthrough. The first single "Rocky Mountain Way", received heavy airplay and reached #23 on the US top 40 charts. It is still a fixture on classic rock radio.
Over the next three years, Walsh would release a studio album So What and a live set, You Can't Argue with a Sick Mind. These would be his last solo albums until 1978.
In 1976, he joined the highly successful country rock band Eagles as Bernie Leadon's replacement. His addition pushed the band toward a harder-edged sound and away from their early country-style work.
As the Eagles struggled to record the follow-up to their highly successful album Hotel California, Walsh re-ignited his solo career with the well-received discs But Seriously Folks (1978) (which featured his hit comic depiction of rock stardom, "Life's Been Good") and There Goes the Neighborhood. Joe also contributed "In the City" to the The Warriors soundtrack (1979).
Joe Walsh ran for President of the United States in 1980, promising "free gas for all". In an interview for Planet Rock he commented that he did this to raise people's awareness of the election. He felt that many Americans were not even aware that there was an election going on. However, Walsh was ineligible for the presidency anyway, as he was not yet 35.
Following the Eagles breakup in 1982, Walsh continued to release albums throughout the 1980s. Unfortunately, sales were poor. Musical trends had passed him by and he maintained a low profile until the mid-1990s. Walsh sang the US National Anthem at the beginning of game four of the 1995 World Series. In 1989, Walsh recorded a MTV Unplugged with the R&B musician Dr. John.
In 1994, Joe Walsh reunited with The Eagles for a highly successful reunion tour and live album (Hell Freezes Over). Walsh has toured regularly with The Eagles since then and are currently working on a new album titled The Long Road to Eden. Walsh has said they are aiming for an early 2007 release date.
In 2004, Walsh performed live before a huge crowd at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival in Dallas, Texas.
Joe Walsh (WB6ACU) is an active amateur radio operator. In 2006 he donated an autographed guitar to the ARRL for its charity auction.
In 2006, Walsh reunited with Jim Fox and Dale Peters of James Gang for a 15-date summer reunion tour. The tour lasted into the fall.
Some of his most recent compositions, such as "One Day At A Time", deal with his struggles with substance abuse, particularly alcoholism. He is now a teetotaller and has been sober since 1995.
He was also a frequent guest on The Howard Stern Show. His August 8, 1989 appearance on the show was re-broadcast on January 5, 2007 during an episode of Stern's Master Tape Theatre on Sirius Satellite Radio.
Walsh commences 2007 with an appearance at Dear Mr Fantasy - A Celebration For Jim Capaldi: a charity gig being held at London's famous Roundhouse where he will appear alongside Steve Winwood, Pete Townshend, Bill Wyman, Paul Weller and many others.
[edit] Albums
[edit] The James Gang
- Yer' Album (November 1969)
- James Gang Rides Again (October 1970)
- Thirds (July 1971)
- James Gang Live in Concert (December 1971)
[edit] The Eagles
- Hotel California (December 1976)
- The Long Run (September 1979)
- Eagles Live (November 1980)
- Hell Freezes Over (November 1994)
- The Long Road To Eden (expected 2007)
[edit] Solo
- Barnstorm (September 1972)
- The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get (June 1973)
- So What (December 1974)
- You Can't Argue with a Sick Mind (October 1976)
- But Seriously Folks (August 1978)
- There Goes the Neighborhood (March 1981)
- You Bought It, You Name It (May 1983)
- The Confessor (1985)
- Got Any Gum? (October 1987)
- MTV Unplugged (February 1990)
- Ordinary Average Guy (January 1991)
- Songs for a Dying Planet (May 1992)
[edit] Compilations
- The Best of Joe Walsh (November 1978)
- Rocky Mountain Way (September 1985)
- Look What I Did! (May 1995)
- Joe Walsh's Greatest Hits - Little Did He Know... (1997)
[edit] Other Appearances
[edit] Albums with REO Speedwagon
- Ridin' The Storm Out (1973) (Slide Guitar)
[edit] Albums with Ringo Starr
- Old Wave (June 1983)
- Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band (October 1990)
- Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band Volume 2: Live from Montreux (September 1993)
- Vertical Man (June 1998)
- VH1 Storytellers (October 1998)
[edit] Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album | ||
| Hot 100 | Mainstream Rock | UK | |||
| 1970 | "Funk #49" (w/ James Gang) | #59 | - | - | James Gang Rides Again |
| 1971 | "Walk Away" (w/ James Gang) | #51 | - | - | Thirds |
| 1971 | "Midnight Man" (w/ James Gang) | #80 | - | - | Thirds |
| 1973 | "Rocky Mountain Way" | #23 | - | - | The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get |
| 1974 | "Meadows" | #89 | - | - | The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get |
| 1975 | "Turn To Stone" | #93 | - | - | So What |
| 1977 | "Rocky Mountain Way" | - | - | #39 | Rocky Mountain Way EP |
| 1978 | "Life's Been Good" | #12 | - | #14 | But Seriously Folks... |
| 1980 | "All Night Long" | #19 | - | - | Urban Cowboy Soundtrack |
| 1981 | "A Life of Illusion" | #34 | #1 | - | There Goes The Neighborhood |
| 1983 | "Space Age Whiz Kids" | #52 | #21 | - | You Bought It, You Name It |
| 1983 | "I Can Play That Rock & Roll" | - | #13 | - | You Bought It, You Name It |
| 1985 | "The Confessor" | - | #8 | - | The Confessor |
| 1987 | "The Radio Song" | - | #8 | - | Got Any Gum? |
| 1987 | "In My Car" | - | #14 | - | Got Any Gum? |
| 1991 | "Ordinary Average Guy" | - | #3 | - | Ordinary Average Guy |
| 1991 | "All of a Sudden" | - | #13 | - | Ordinary Average Guy |
| 1992 | "Vote for Me" | - | #10 | - | Songs for a Dying Planet |
- Does not include songs with the Eagles.
[edit] Trivia
- Was a background musician (1st guitar solo) on Eagles bandmate Don Henley's 1982 hit "Dirty Laundry" (listed as such in the liner notes of Actual Miles: Henley's Greatest Hits)
- Walsh played a prisoner in The Blues Brothers. He is noticeable as he is the first prisoner to get on the cafeteria tables during the Jailhouse Rock song at the end.
- Appeared on the comedy game show Street Smarts.
- Holds an Extra Class Amateur Radio License. His station callsign is WB6ACU.[3]
- Walsh gave Jimmy Page (guitarist for Led Zeppelin) his main guitar, a sunburst Gibson Les Paul.
- Walsh appeared as a mystery guest on the Howard Stern show on August 8, 1989, along with Pat Cooper.
- Walsh played a version of Life's Been Good in an episode of the animated series Duckman.
- Walsh played his guitar alongside Laura Hall in a surprise appearance in Drew Carey's pay-per-view presentation of "Drew Carey's Improv All-Stars" in Las Vegas. He participated in one game in each show, the ending game "biography." Both times he was applauded for his hilariously off subject additions to the story being created piece by piece by the entire cast of the show.
- Kent State University awarded Walsh an honorary degree in music in December 2001.[1]
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
- Walsh, Joe. Biography.
[edit] External links
| Eagles |
| Glenn Frey | Don Henley | Joe Walsh | Timothy B. Schmit |
| Randy Meisner | Bernie Leadon | Don Felder |
| Discography |
|---|
| Studio albums: Eagles | Desperado | On the Border | One of These Nights | Hotel California | The Long Run | The Long Road to Eden |
| Live: Eagles Live | Hell Freezes Over | Farewell 1 Tour-Live from Melbourne |
| Compilations: Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) | Eagles Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 | The Very Best of the Eagles |
Categories: Articles lacking sources from March 2007 | All articles lacking sources | 1947 births | Living people | American rock guitarists | Kansas musicians | Amateur radio people | People from Wichita, Kansas | Kent State University alumni | People from Columbus, Ohio | Slide guitarists | Eagles (band) members
