# The Eagles bandmate Don Henley called a freak of nature: “Chunky and funky”

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-eagles-bandmate-don-henley-called-a-freak-of-nature-chunky-and-funky/
- Published: 2026-11-06T15:09:36+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-06T15:23:21+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-eagles-bandmate-don-henley-called-a-freak-of-nature/
- Topics: Music

## Key points

- Don Henley called Glenn Frey “something of a freak of nature”.
- Frey’s guitar playing balanced rhythm, melody and swagger.
- His contributions can be heard across several Eagles classics.

## Summary

Don Henley praised Eagles co-founder Glenn Frey as an unusually gifted guitarist whose playing combined strong rhythm with memorable, melodic leads. The article argues that Frey’s unshowy style helped give the band’s songs both toughness and tunefulness, making him an important player even when he was not in the spotlight.

Henley described Frey’s guitar work as “chunky and funky” and called him “something of a freak of nature”. Frey often used a battered guitar called Old Black, which had a faulty front pickup that he chose not to repair because he liked its sound. His playing is highlighted on tracks including “Already Gone”, “Lyin’ Eyes”, “One of These Nights” and “I Can’t Tell You Why”.

---
Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.