During the hiatus of the Eagles from 1980 to 1994, Frey embarked on a successful solo career. He released his debut album, No Fun Aloud, in 1982 and went on to record Top 40 hits "The One You Love", "Smuggler's Blues", "Sexy Girl", "The Heat Is On", "You Belong to the City", "True Love", "Soul Searchin'" and "Livin' Right". As a member of the Eagles, Frey won six Grammy Awards and five American Music Awards. The Eagles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, the first year they were nominated. Consolidating his solo recordings and those with the Eagles, Frey had 24 Top 40 singles on the Billboard Hot 100.
Early life
Born in Detroit, Michigan, on November 6, 1948 and raised in nearby Royal Oak, Frey studied piano at age five, later switched to guitar, and became part of the mid-1960s Detroit rock scene. One of his earliest bands was called the Subterraneans, named after Jack Kerouac's novel, and included fellow Dondero High School classmates Doug Edwards (later replaced by Lenny Mintz) on drums, Doug Gunsch and Bill Barnes on guitar, with Jeff Hodge on bass.
Immediately after graduating from Dondero in 1966, Frey was invited to join The Four of Us, a local band led by Gary Burrows, who had seen him performing with the Subterraneans. Frey also attended Oakland Community College while in the band, and he learned to sing harmonies performing with The Four of Us. In 1967, he formed the Mushrooms with Gary Burrows' brother Jeff, Bill Barnes, Doug Gunsch, Ken Bash, and Lenny Mintz. That year Frey also met Bob Seger, who helped Frey get a management and recording contract with a label formed by Seger's management team, Hideout Records. Seger also wrote and produced the band's first single, "Such a Lovely Child", and the band made television appearances to promote it. Frey had intended to join Seger's band, but his mother blocked that course of action for smoking cannabis with Seger. In the later part of 1967, Frey also pulled together another band called Heavy Metal Kids with Jeff Burrows (piano), Jeff Alborell (bass), Paul Kelcourse (lead guitar), and Lance Dickerson (drums).
At age 19 in 1968, Frey played the acoustic guitar and performed background vocals on Seger's single, "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man". Frey has said that Seger strongly encouraged and influenced him to focus on writing original songs. They remained good friends and occasional songwriting partners in later years, and Frey would also sing on Seger's songs such as "Fire Lake" and "Against the Wind".
In Detroit, Frey also met and dated Joan Sliwin of the local female group The Mama Cats, which became Honey Ltd. after the group moved to California in 1968. Frey went to Los Angeles hoping to reconnect with his girlfriend, and he was introduced to J. D. Souther by her sister, Alexandra Sliwin, who was with Souther at the time. Frey returned to Detroit after three weeks, but then went back again to Los Angeles to form a duo with Souther called Longbranch Pennywhistle. They were signed to Amos Records and released an eponymous album in 1969, which contains songs he wrote such as "Run, Boy, Run" and "Rebecca", and "Bring Back Funky Women" he co-wrote with Souther. Frey also met Jackson Browne during this period. The three musicians lived in the same apartment building for a short time, and Frey later said that he learned a lot about songwriting from hearing Browne work on songs in the apartment below.
The Eagles
Frey met drummer Don Henley in 1970. They were signed to the same label, Amos Records, at that time and spent time at the Troubadour. When Linda Ronstadt needed a backup band for an upcoming tour, her manager John Boylan hired Frey because Boylan needed someone who could play rhythm guitar and sing. Frey approached Don Henley to join Ronstadt. Randy Meisner and Bernie Leadon were also hired. Because the backing band personnel changed during the tour, the four played together only once: at a gig at Disneyland. While on the tour, Frey and Henley decided to form a band together. And they were joined by Meisner on bass and Leadon on guitar, banjo, steel guitar, mandolin and dobro, forming the Eagles, with Frey playing guitar and keyboards and Henley playing drums. The band went on to become one of the world's best-selling groups of all time. Frey wrote or co-wrote (often with Henley) many of the group's songs, and sang the lead vocals on a number of Eagles hits including "Take It Easy", "Peaceful Easy Feeling", "Already Gone", "Tequila Sunrise", "Lyin' Eyes", "New Kid in Town", "Heartache Tonight" and "How Long".
The Eagles broke up around 1980 and reunited in 1994, when they released a new album, Hell Freezes Over. The album had live tracks and four new songs. The Hell Freezes Over Tour followed. In 2012 on The Tavis Smiley Show, Frey told Smiley, "When the Eagles broke up, people used to ask me and Don, 'When are the Eagles getting back together?' We used to answer, 'When Hell freezes over.' We thought it was a pretty good joke. People have the misconception that we were fighting a lot. It is not true. We had a lot of fun. We had a lot more fun than I think people realize." At their first live concert of 1994, Frey told the crowd, "For the record, we never broke up. We just took a 14-year vacation."
The Eagles released the album Long Road Out of Eden in 2007, and Frey participated in the Eagles' Long Road Out of Eden Tour (2008–2011). In May 2012, Frey was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music along with Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit. In 2013, the two-part documentary History of the Eagles, directed by Alison Ellwood and co-produced by Academy Award winner Alex Gibney, was aired on Showtime. The documentary won an Emmy Award in 2013 for Outstanding Sound Mixing For Nonfiction Programming. An accompanying two-year History of the Eagles world tour ended on July 29, 2015 at Bossier City, Louisiana, a concert which would be Frey's final public appearance with the band.
Solo career
After the Eagles disbanded, Frey achieved solo success in the 1980s, especially with two No. 2 hits. In 1984 he recorded in collaboration with Harold Faltermeyer the worldwide hit "The Heat Is On," the main theme from the Eddie Murphy action comedy film Beverly Hills Cop; then, Frey performed "You Belong to the City" (from the television series Miami Vice, the soundtrack of which stayed on top of the U.S. album charts for 11 weeks in 1985). His other contribution to the soundtrack, "Smuggler's Blues", hit No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. During his solo career, Frey had 12 charting songs in the U.S. Top 100. Eleven of those were written with Jack Tempchin, who wrote "Peaceful Easy Feeling".
Frey was the first choice to record "Shakedown", the theme for the film Beverly Hills Cop II. Frey did not like the lyrics and then came down with laryngitis, so the song was given to Bob Seger. After the song went to number one, Frey called to congratulate Seger, saying "At least we kept the money in Michigan!"
Frey contributed the song "Flip City" to the Ghostbusters II soundtrack and "Part of Me, Part of You" to the soundtrack for Thelma & Louise. In 2005 he appeared on B.B. King & Friends: 80 on the track "Drivin' Wheel". In the late 1990s, Frey founded a record company, Mission Records, with attorney Peter Lopez. Frey never released any of his own work on the label, and the company has since disbanded.
In 2009 Glenn Frey was voted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame. On May 8, 2012, he released his first solo album in 20 years, After Hours, featuring covers of pop standards from the 1940s to the 1960s. It would ultimately become his final album before his death.
Acting career
As a television actor, Frey guest starred on Miami Vice in the first-season episode "Smuggler's Blues", inspired by his hit song of the same name, and had a starring role in the "Dead Dog Arc" of Wiseguy. He was also the star of South of Sunset, which was canceled after one episode. In the late 1990s, he guest-starred on Nash Bridges as a policeman whose teenage daughter had run amok and gone on a crime spree with her sociopathic boyfriend. In 2002, he appeared on HBO's Arliss, playing a political candidate who double-crosses Arliss and must pay a high price for it.
Frey's first foray into film was his starring role in Let's Get Harry, a 1986 film about a group of plumbers who travel to Colombia to rescue a friend from a drug lord. Frey also did seven episodes of Wiseguy co-starring with Ken Wahl in 1989. Frey's next film appearance was a smaller role in Cameron Crowe's third film, Jerry Maguire (1996). Frey played the frugal general manager of the Arizona Cardinals football team who, in the film's climax, finally agrees to award Cuba Gooding Jr.'s character, wide receiver Rod Tidwell, a large professional contract.
Personal life
Frey was married twice. From 1983 to 1988, he was married to artist Janie Beggs. He married dancer and choreographer Cindy Millican in 1990. They had three children: a daughter, Taylor, in 1991 and two sons, Deacon in 1993 and Otis in 2002 and remained together until his death. Deacon, following his father's death, toured with the surviving Eagles until he departed in 2022 in favor of a solo career.
Illness and death
From about 2000, Frey had suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, which affected his joints. The medication that he was prescribed to control the disease eventually led to colitis and pneumonia; and, in November 2015, the Eagles announced they were postponing their appearance at the Kennedy Center Honors because Frey required surgery for intestinal problems and needed a lengthy recovery period. Because of complications from pneumonia, he never had the surgery and was placed in a medically induced coma at Columbia University Medical Center. Frey died there on January 18, 2016, at the age of 67, from complications of rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis and pneumonia. Medications for rheumatoid arthritis or ulcerative colitis can compromise the immune system's ability to fight off pneumonia. In January 2018, Frey's widow filed a suit against Mount Sinai Hospital and gastroenterologist Steven Itzkowitz for the wrongful death of Frey.
Frey was publicly mourned by his friends, fellow musicians and bandmates, including Don Henley, Randy Meisner, J. D. Souther, Jack Tempchin, Irving Azoff, Linda Ronstadt, Don Felder, and Bob Seger. At the 58th Annual Grammy Awards, the remaining members of the Eagles and Jackson Browne performed "Take It Easy" in his honor. A life-sized statue of Frey was unveiled at the Standin' on the Corner Park in Winslow, Arizona, on September 24, 2016, to honor his songwriting contributions to "Take It Easy", made famous by the Eagles as their first single in 1972. The road which runs next to the high school (now a middle school) that he attended in Royal Oak, Michigan bears his name.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Frey
Studio albums
No Fun Aloud (1982)
The Allnighter (1984)
Soul Searchin' (1988)
Strange Weather (1992)
After Hours (2012)
River Of Dreams
Glenn Frey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When the sun refused to shine
Spent another sleepless night
Got so much on my mind
Think I finally know what's wrong
I think I've gotta leave this place behind
So I said "wake up, Linda,
I've had a dream
To a place I'd never seen
Where the nights were long and cold
And the air was fresh and clean."
And there we were standing
Underneath the western sky
Beside a home we built ourselves
Way up in the mountains high
And we lived happy there, just you and I
On a river of dreams
There's no need to worry now
'Cause I've got a plan
We don't need this modern world
I'm not a modern man
We're gonna get ourselves off these city streets
We're gonna get back on the land
There's a whole lot of people out there
Feel just like you and me
They'd love to pack their leavin' trucks
And say goodbye to all their misery
What'd ya say we pack up that Camaro, honey
And chase the sun until we're free
And if I could I'd lift you up on angel wings
We'd fly away and never worry about a thing
We'd know the joy and riches a simple life can bring
On a river of dreams, on a river of dreams
So get your things together now
I'll be getting mine
I've finally got the feeling girl
The sun is gonna shine
You know people don't run out of dreams
People just run out of time
Let's find that place out there
Underneath the western sky
We'll build a home ourselves
Way up in the mountains high
We'll live happy there 'til the day we die
On a river of dreams
And we'll have stars to wish on every single night
We'll build a fire and make love by candlelight
We'll do our moondance 'til we get it right
On a river of dreams, on a river of dreams
I can see us standing by the river
Holding hands beside the river
The opening lines of Glenn Frey's song "River of Dreams" describe a bleak and sleepless morning in December. The singer feels burdened by the weight of his thoughts and ultimately decides that he needs to leave his current life behind. He wakes up Linda and tells her about a dream he had where they moved to a far-off place they had never been before, where the air was fresh and clean and the nights were long and cold. He proposes that they pack up their Camaro and drive away from the city, leaving their modern lives behind, to find a simpler life under the western sky. They'll build a home in the mountains and live happily ever after on a river of dreams.
The theme of "River of Dreams" is one of escape and renewal, with the singer dreaming of starting over in a new place where he can leave the worries of his old life behind and find happiness. He believes he has found a utopia in his dreams, where he and Linda can rediscover the joy that was missing from their lives. The song's message can be interpreted as a call to find the courage to pursue our dreams and break free from the constraints that keep us from living our fullest lives.
Line by Line Meaning
On a dark December morning
The singer sets the scene for the start of his story
When the sun refused to shine
He emphasizes the bleak mood of the day
Spent another sleepless night
The singer is indicating that he is going through a tough time
Got so much on my mind
The artist is overwhelmed with various thoughts and emotions
Think I finally know what's wrong
The artist feels that he has come to a realization about his situation
I think I've gotta leave this place behind
The singer thinks that the solution to his troubles is to move away from his current location
So I said "wake up, Linda,
The singer summons his partner to discuss his idea
I've had a dream
The artist reveals that he has had a vision of a better life
I dreamed we moved away from here
The artist's dream is for him and his partner to leave their current situation behind
To a place I'd never seen
The artist's vision is for them to start a new life in a completely unfamiliar location
Where the nights were long and cold
The place the singer envisions is characterized by its weather
And the air was fresh and clean."
The place the artist envisions is also characterized by its clean air
And there we were standing
The singer describes the vision becoming a reality
Underneath the western sky
The singer and his partner are in a new location, which is out west
Beside a home we built ourselves
The singer and his partner are self-sufficient in their new location
Way up in the mountains high
The home is located in the mountains
And we lived happy there, just you and I
The artist and his partner find happiness in their new life together
On a river of dreams
The singer describes their new location as a river of dreams
There's no need to worry now
The singer is reassuring his partner that they have nothing to worry about
'Cause I've got a plan
The artist is confident in his plan to create a new life
We don't need this modern world
The artist believes that modern society is not necessary for happiness
I'm not a modern man
The artist sees himself as someone who doesn't fit into modern society
We're gonna get ourselves off these city streets
The singer and his partner want to leave behind the hustle and bustle of city life
We're gonna get back on the land
The artist and his partner want to live closer to nature
There's a whole lot of people out there
The singer believes that there are others who feel the same way he does
Feel just like you and me
The singer's partner is not alone in wanting to leave their current existence behind
They'd love to pack their leavin' trucks
Others are also willing to leave behind their current life for a better one
And say goodbye to all their misery
Those who feel unhappy with their current situation can find a better life elsewhere
What'd ya say we pack up that Camaro, honey
The artist is proposing that they leave together in their car
And chase the sun until we're free
The singer wants to keep moving until they find a place where they are free of their troubles
And if I could I'd lift you up on angel wings
The singer wants the best for his partner and lifting her on angel wings is symbolic of this
We'd fly away and never worry about a thing
The artist wants their new life to be worry-free
We'd know the joy and riches a simple life can bring
The artist believes that a simple life can bring happiness and fulfillment
So get your things together now
The artist urges his partner to get ready to leave their current situation behind
I'll be getting mine
The singer will also prepare for their journey together
I've finally got the feeling girl
The artist has a renewed sense of hope and optimism
The sun is gonna shine
The singer is confident that things will get better
You know people don't run out of dreams
The singer is positive that there is always hope for something better
People just run out of time
The singer wants to make sure that he and his partner don't run out of time before they can realize their dreams
Let's find that place out there
The artist is still determined to find their ideal location
Underneath the western sky
Their ideal location is still out west somewhere
We'll build a home ourselves
The singer wants to create their new life together with his partner
Way up in the mountains high
Their new home is once again located in the mountains
We'll live happy there 'til the day we die
The artist believes that their life together will continue to be a happy one
And we'll have stars to wish on every single night
The artist is describing the beauty and wonder of their new location
We'll build a fire and make love by candlelight
The artist wants to create a romantic and intimate atmosphere with his partner
We'll do our moondance 'til we get it right
The singer wants to enjoy life's simple pleasures with his partner
On a river of dreams
Their new home is still characterized as a river of dreams
I can see us standing by the river
The singer is still describing their new life in vivid detail
Holding hands beside the river
The singer wants them to continue being close and loving partners
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GLENN LEWIS FREY, JACK TEMPCHIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind