Don Felder

American guitarist and songwriter Don Felder, born in Gainesville, Florida, in 1947, emerged from the local 1960s scene before a stint in New York with the band Flow, which recorded a psychedelic rock album in 1970. After relocating to Los Angeles, he became an in-demand session player for various artists and joined the Eagles in 1974—initially as a guest musician and later as a full member—appearing on On the Border (1974), One of These Nights (1975), Hotel California (1976), and The Long Run (1979), at the crossroads of rock, soft rock, and country rock. Within the Eagles, Felder co-wrote Hotel California, providing its guitar framework, and developed a style that fused electric riffs, slide work, and multi-guitar harmonies. In parallel, he worked as a studio guitarist for mainstream pop and rock artists such as the Bee Gees, Diana Ross, Barbra Streisand, Stevie Nicks, and Kenny Loggins, and contributed to soundtracks, notably with Heavy Metal (Takin’ a Ride) for the 1981 animated film Heavy Metal. After parting ways with the Eagles in 2001, Felder continued a solo path begun with Airborne (1983) and followed by Road to Forever (2012) and American Rock ’n’ Roll (2019), staying true to melodic, classically tinged rock that balances virtuoso guitar work with accessible songwriting, while maintaining an active live schedule under his own name.