Joe Walsh

Joe Walsh (born November 20, 1947 in Wichita, Kansas) was a member of the James Gang, Barnstorm and the Eagles, as well as having a successful solo career throughout the 70's. He played as a session musician with Dan Fogelberg and B.B.King and is currently ranked 54th in Rolling Stones magazine's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. In 1968 he replaced Glen Schwartz as the lead guitarist in the James Gang and quickly became the rock groups main attraction. In 1971 he left the James Gang and formed the group Barnstorm who had little commercial success, then, in 1973 he released his first album under his own name The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get, still with Barnstorm as musicians playing on the album, the single, "Rocky Mountain Way", reached #23 in the US Top 40, following which the group split up, however, Walsh continued his solo career. His most successful album in his solo capacity was But Seriously Folks... released in 1978. During the course of his solo career, Walsh replaced Eagles guitarist, Bernie Leadon, and brought the group in a new direction with a heavier rock sound, contributing greatly to their multi-million selling album, Hotel California (especially on hit singles "Life in the Fast Lane" and the dueling-guitats section of "Hotel California"). In 1994 Walsh reunited with the Eagles for their highly successful tour and live album, Hell Freezes Over, below is a live television version of Walsh's hit single, "Rocky Mountain Way", released in 1973, introduced by the legendary Richard Pryor.