Formed in Los Angeles, California, USA, in 1971, this highly successful unit consisted of musicians drawn  from singer Linda Ronstadt 's backing group. Of the original quartet, Bernie Leadon (b. 19 July 1947,
  Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; guitar, vocals) boasted the most prodigious pedigree, having embraced  traditional country music with the Scottsville Squirrel Barkers, before gaining significant rock experience as
  a member of Hearts And Flowers, Dillard And Clark and the Flying Burrito Brothers. Randy Meisner  (b. 8 March 1947, Scottsbluff, Nebraska, USA; bass, vocals) was formerly of Poco and Rick Nelson's  Stone Canyon Band; Glenn Frey (b. 6 November 1948, Detroit, Michigan, USA; guitar, vocals) had  recorded as half of Longbranch Pennywhistle ; while Don Henley (b. 22 July 1947, Gilmer, Texas, USA;  drums, vocals) had led Texas-based aspirants Shiloh.

    Such pedigrees ensured interest in the new venture,  which was immediately signed to David Geffen 's nascent Asylum label. The Eagles, recorded in London  under the aegis of producer Glyn Johns, contained 'Take It Easy', co-written by Frey and Jackson  Browne, and 'Witchy Woman', both of which reached the US Top 20 and established the quartet's  meticulous harmonies and relaxed, but purposeful, country rock sound. Critical reaction to Desperado, an  ambitious concept album based on a western theme, firmly established the group as leaders in their field
  and contained several of their most enduring compositions, including the pleadingly emotional title track.
 
    The follow-up, On The Border, reasserted the unit's commerciality. 'Best Of My Love' became their first US  number 1 while new member Don Felder (b. 21 September 1947, Topanga, California, USA; guitar,  vocals), drafted from David Blue 's backing group in March 1974, considerably bolstered the Eagles'  sound. The reshaped quintet attained superstar status with One Of These Nights, the title track from  which also topped the US charts. This platinum-selling album included 'Lyin' Eyes', now considered a
  standard on Gold format radio, and the anthemic 'Take It To The Limit'. The album also established the  Eagles as an international act; each of these tracks had reached the UK Top 30, but the new-found  pressure proved too great for Leadon who left the line-up in December 1975. He subsequently pursued a  low-key career with the Leadon-Georgiades band. His replacement was Joe Walsh (b. 20 November 1947,  Wichita, Kansas, USA), former lead guitarist with the James Gang and a successful solo artist in his own  right. His somewhat surprising induction was tempered by the knowledge that he shared the same  manager as his new colleagues. The choice was ratified by the powerful Hotel California, which topped  the US album charts for eight weeks and spawned two number 1 singles in the title track and 'New Kid In  Town'.
 
    The set has become the Eagles' most popular collection, selling nine million copies worldwide in its  year of release alone (by 1996, 14 million in the USA), as well as appearing in many 'all-time classic'  albums listings. A seasonal recording, 'Please Come Home For Christmas', was the quintet's sole recorded  offering for 1978 and internal ructions the following year resulted in Meisner's departure. His replacement,  Timothy B. Schmit (b. 30 October 1947, Sacramento, California, USA), was another former member of  Poco, but by this point the Eagles' impetus was waning. The Long Run was generally regarded as  disappointing, despite containing a fifth US number 1 in 'Heartache Tonight', and a temporary hiatus taken
  at the end of the decade became a fully fledged break in 1982 when long-standing disagreements could not  be resolved. Henley, Frey and Felder began solo careers with contrasting results, while Walsh resumed the  path he had followed prior to joining the group.

  Although latterly denigrated as representing 70s musical conservatism and torpidity, the Eagles' quest for  perfection and committed musical skills rightly led to their becoming one of the era's leading acts. It was
  no surprise that they eventually re-formed, after months of speculation. The resulting album proved that  they were still one of the world's most popular acts, even though it was a hastily assembled live collection.
 
    Their 1994/5 tour of the USA was (apart from the Rolling Stones' parallel tour) the largest-grossing on  record. With the overindulgences of the 70s behind them, it is an exciting prospect to look forward to an  album of new Eagles songs, written with the patina of age. In the meantime, the public are happy to  continue to purchase their two greatest hits packages. Volume 1 has now overtaken Michael Jackson 's  Thriller as the biggest- selling album of all time, with 25 million units in the US alone.