Why Did Don Felder Leave The Eagles? American musician Don Felder rose to fame and success as the lead guitarist of the popular rock band, The Eagles.
However, the artist was terminated from the band leading to a messy aftermath and ongoing speculations out Felder feuding with a few fellow bandmates. The artist is credited for songwriting some of the biggest hits Hotel California, Victim of Love and Those Shoes.
Felder was later inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the Eagles in 1998. Other than working in the band, Don has also joined forces forces with Bee Gees on their album, Living Eyes, where he worked as a session guitarist. Later, Felder went on to release his first solo album titled, Airborne in 1983. Let us find out Why Did Don Felder Leave The Eagles.
Why Did Don Felder Leave The Eagles?
It has been reported that trouble started in the band when Felder began to question Frey’s and Henley’s role as band leaders and tried the question how the money was being spilled in the band.
Don Felder allegedly raised questions complained that the two founded a separate company to handle a career-retrospective box set without making any prior discussion with Felder, Walsh or Timothy B. Schmit.
Felder even issued a lawsuit stating that Henley and Fey’s greed became more insatiable with each new project.
However, Felder pointed out that given how he was originally brought in as a full partner, it is not possible to fired or vote him out. Henley, Frey, and Azoff also responded as they pointed to a clause in the agreement that stated that partners could be terminated under a few circumstances.
However, Don Felder has written in his biography, Heaven and Hell: My Life in the Eagles, that he is open to the idea of working with Eagles guitarist Walsh.
Felder and Walsh were last seen together on stage back in 2001. Felder has praised his fellow band mate, saying how it has been so much fun to be with him and to perform with him while adding how Walsh also has a great sense of humor.
Also read Don Felder Net Worth: How Rich Is The American Musician?
Was Don Felder Fired?
Don Felder has shared his side of the story revealing how when he left the band, he was already going through a separation and divorce with his wife. In an early interview of 2012, Felder further stated how all the images he has adopted and been wearing for almost 30 years in a rock band, with a group of people whom he considered his friends, were all stripped away.
Who else uses their leg as a metronome? 😂 #HotelCalifornia #46Years
Video Credit: Cesar Acevedo pic.twitter.com/G8u74wtdSz
— Don Felder (@donfelder) February 23, 2023
The former band member further stated how he thought a lot about the lessons he had learned from that experience, so he could go forward the rest of his life without carrying that unresolved baggage.
Who is Don Felder’s Wife?
Don Felder was engaged to Diane McInerney. However, the two surprisingly called off the engagement just a few months later. The two got engaged after dating for two years, but reportedly, long distance became challenging for the pair leading to their eventual separation.
Don Felder was earlier married to Susan Pickersgill, the mother of his four kids. The two parted ways in 2000. Later in an interview, the artist admitted that he and his wife would be together if the band had not been on the road between 10 and 11 months a year.
Felder revealed how he was away all the time and with touring and partying, it was easy to forget what is going on at home.
Felder also revealed how his children grew up with mostly an absentee father, and when the band broke up, he tried to make up for that. He made a solo record but chose not to tour and stayed at home and also became the school soccer coach.