All About Rock Legend Don Henley

Legendary singer, guitarist, and drummer for quintessential American rock band The Eagles is once again gracing our shores for a string of headline slots as part of A Day On The Green Festival. In the lead up to the Victorian leg of the festival, to be held at the beautiful Mt Duneed Estate on Saturday the 18th of March, we’re dedicating this week’s blog to some of the most interesting facts from Don Henley’s life and career.

Don Henley

He brought his own mattress along on the Hotel California Tour

At the height of Eagles’ fame during the 1976-1978 Hotel California tour, Don Henley insisted on bringing his own king sized bed and mattress to each and every hotel throughout the tour. Although this may seem a bit extravagant, Don Henley blamed the bedding requirements on back problems he’d developed while drumming on tour. Unfortunately for Henley (and his bad back), most concierges refused to have the mattress brought into their hotels, according to The Eagles’ head electrician Joe Berry.

Henley is connected to the Fleetwood Mac song “Sara”

Don Henley and Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks were dating in the 1970s when Nicks suddenly fell pregnant. She ended up having an abortion, and wrote the song “Sara” as a way to express her sadness over giving up the baby. The song is also dedicated to Mick Fleetwood’s then wife Sara.

Henley got into music by accident

Henley grew up in a musical loving family, and took piano lessons as a child, however he never intended to pursue music as a career. High school aged Henley was more interested in football than music, however when his field skills proved to be less than satisfactory, his childhood friend Richard Bowden suggest he join his school’s marching band instead. Henley was found to be a natural drummer and the rest is history.

There’s a song called “Don Henley Must Die”

Fellow rock and roller Mojo Nixon recorded the song “Don Henley Must Die” in the 80s as an anti-ode to The Eagles singer, however Henley turned the tables when he surprise-crashed the stage at one of Nixon’s shows to sing the song with him.

Henley is a political and environmental activist

Henley co-founded the Caddo Lake Institute in 1993, a non-profit wetland science research institute designed to boost environmental education programs in schools and universities throughout East Texas. In 2000 he founded the Recording Artists’ Coalition alongside Sheryl Crow and Alanis Morrisette, among other musicians, with the aim of protecting musicians’ rights and intellectual property.

See Don Henley live in concert, alongside his incredible 15-piece band, at A Day On the Green, Mt Duneed Estate, on Saturday 18th of March 2017. Henley is expected to play a variety of songs from his 40 plus year career, including songs from The Eagles era, as well as solo hits like “Boys Of Summer” and “All She Wants To Do Is Dance”. He will be joined by special guests Jewel, Richard Clapton and Meloday Pool. To make your experience at A Day On The Green even better, Melbourne On The Move are providing coach transfers to and from the event, from inner Melbourne, Laverton and Werribee. Find out more and book your tickets here.