“I Don’t Believe You”: Vince Gill Couldn’t Believe This Eagles Classic Was Don Henley and Glenn Frey’s First Song (Exclusive)
Vince Gill recalled being surprised when Don Henley told him that “Desperado” was the first song he and Glenn Frey wrote together. Gill said he expected the pair to have written less successful songs before producing a classic, and the story highlights how highly he regards their songwriting.
Gill shared the memory on the Off the Record podcast while discussing his time performing with the Eagles after Frey’s death in 2016. “Desperado” appeared on the band’s second studio album, which reached No. 41 on the US Billboard 200; the song later gained wider recognition and was included in Rolling Stone’s 500 greatest songs list. Gill said he was grateful to help keep the Eagles’ catalogue alive.
- Henley told Gill that “Desperado” was his first song with Frey.
- Gill was surprised the pair had not written earlier failures.
- He is grateful to perform the Eagles’ catalogue.
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The Eagles are an American rock band formed in the early 1970s. Don Henley and Glenn Frey were central members who wrote many of the group’s songs, including “Desperado”, which appeared on their second album in 1973.
Vince Gill is a country musician who joined the Eagles as a touring and recording member after Frey died in 2016. The band’s songs have remained popular across generations, and Gill has described performing them as a way to help keep the group’s music in circulation.