In 1981, Don Henley made the best duet of his career, and it’s been challenging him ever since
Don Henley’s vocal on Stevie Nicks’s 1981 duet “Leather and Lace” is presented as one of the finest of his career, while also posing a lasting challenge when he performs it. The song’s country-tinged style suited his voice, and the high harmony he recorded has become difficult for him to sing.
Henley said he was unsure whether he could still sing that harmony, and recalled last performing the song with Nicks at her 2019 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as an individual artist. The article says he adapts his approach to protect the overall performance, a skill also evident in his harmonies with Johnny Cash on “Desperado”.
In short
- Henley’s high harmony on “Leather and Lace” has become challenging to sing.
- He last performed the duet with Nicks in 2019.
- He adapts his vocals to keep the performance effective.
Explained simply
Don Henley and Stevie Nicks were both established musicians by the early 1980s. Henley was a singer and drummer with the Eagles, while Nicks was a singer with Fleetwood Mac and was also making solo records.
“Leather and Lace” is a duet, with the two singers sharing the lead and harmonies. Henley’s high harmony is a demanding part of the song, and vocalists may adjust how they sing as their voices change over time.
The song matters as a notable meeting of two major rock artists from that period. Its lasting place in their repertoires also shows how a part that suited a singer when it was recorded can become harder to perform later.