Song:Life's Been Good
Album:The Definitive Collection
Guitarist Joe Walsh is best known for his days with The James Gang and Eagles. But he has also had a successful solo career and as an in demand session musician. Life's Been good was his biggest hit single in 1978. He was born Joseph Fidler Nov. 20, 1947 in Wichita, KS. His mother was a classically trained pianist. After his father died in a plane crash, he took his stepfather's name Walsh. Walsh grew up on Columbus, OH and then his family moved to Montclair, NJ and that's where he attended high school. He was in the popular local band The Nomads. While attending Kent State University, Walsh played in several bands in the Cleveland area, especially The Measles. They released a couple of singles. Then Walsh got involved in what would eventually be The James Gang. They signed with ABC Records in 1969. This was when Walsh first met producer Bill Szyczmyk who would go on to produce Eagles. The James Gang appeared in the 1969 film Zachariah. They had success in the early 70s with hits like Funk #49 and Walk Away. Walsh left The James Gang in Dec. 1971. He was invited to replace Peter Frampton in Humble Pie. But Walsh decided against that and he moved to Boulder, CO to form Barnstorm. They released two albums though both were marketed by ABC as Walsh solo albums. The 1973 album The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get did very well featuring the hit single Rocky Mountain Way. Barnstorm split up in 1974 and Walsh released the album So What. It was around that time that Szyczmyk suggested that Walsh should replace Bernie Leadon in Eagles. He has been a member ever since. But Walsh has continued to record solo. He moved to Asylum Records for the 1978 album But Seriously, Folks... The single Life's Been Good is about the life of a rock star. It reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100. It is Walsh's biggest hit to date. He also scored the 1980 top 20 hit All Night Long from the Urban Cowboy soundtrack. You can get all of Walsh's hits on this budget comp. Walsh continued with Eagles and recording solo. He has also toured with Ringo Starr & His All Star Band. Walsh's latest CD Analog Man was released 2012 on Fantasy Records. Beginning in April, he will be part of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 40th Anniversary tour. Here's Joe Walsh performing Life's Been Good on Night Music 1988.
I know he had a long career in music. But I will always like the hit "Walk Away" from his day with the James Gang. I did remember him being in the Eagles but not as much as the other members of the group. And I do remember his other hits being played on the radio growing up. He has had quite the career in music. Thanks for the Bio Frank.
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