Originally Posted by
SodaScouts
Thanks to your aunt for leading to this discovery, dreamer!
Honestly, reading the comments under the article, I can understand why some people are reluctant to induct the Eagles into the country hall of fame. Obviously, the main argument for their induction is how influential they were, and how their early stuff was country-rock. Those arguments are certainly valid.
However, there was a time when they were actively trying to ditch the country label. You can read those old interviews from the mid-to-late seventies where they talk about how they rock now, how they're tired of being classified as country-rock, how that's one of the reasons they hired Felder and didn't mind seeing Bernie go, how they wish people would realize that's not what they're about anymore, etc. etc. That's right, they COMPLAINED about people thinking they were all about country-rock.
Yes, things change. Yes, they are marketing themselves to the country audience hard-core now and reaping considerable financial benefits as a result. But let's face it, ask the man on the street, "Would you call the Eagles a country band?" Nine times out of ten - "The band who did Hotel California? No way!" Why? Because, other than "Take It Easy" and "Lyin' Eyes" (arguably "Best of My Love"), they made their name after deliberately moving away from country-rock.
Obviously, I want our boys to have as many accolades as possible... but maybe this time... some others might be a better fit. JMHO.