Former Eagles guitarist Don Felder shared his thoughts on performance standards in an interview with Kyle Meredith.
“I remember seeing Eric Clapton in the 70s. He played at the forum here, and I took my son to see him who was a budding guitar player,” Felder said. “Eric was on the wrong side of sobriety at that time. I guess that’s the best way to put it. He was playing along and made a couple of mistakes, bad notes.”
“My son looked at me and said, ‘Did he just make a mistake?’ I went, ‘Yeah I think so,'” he continued. “He was swaggering around. Not every song but frequently he would clam. My son had a good enough well-trained ear that he could recognize a clam when he heard it. I will never do that. I will never let myself be disappointing to the people that are my fans and my audience.”
“I was not going to walk out on that stage, and people go, ‘He’s not as good as I remember. He’s not that good,'” Felder added. “So I have this bar that I’ve set really high for myself. Physically, I take great care of myself. I eat well. I exercise. I do everything I can to stay healthy, and I maintain my skills, my gift of music writing, creating, recording, playing, live singing, all of that. It’s something that I think demands a lot of maintenance.”
Felder’s commitment to excellence has defined his entire musical career. This was particularly evident during his tenure with the Eagles.
Don Felder’s official website highlighted his role in shaping the Eagles’ signature sound. His musical excellence shone through his contributions to iconic songs like ‘Hotel California,’ where he wrote the music and performed the legendary guitar work.
His perfectionist approach flourished after leaving the Eagles. Gold Radio noted that Felder maintained an active solo career. He released critically acclaimed albums, including ‘Road to Forever’ in 2012.
The guitarist’s high standards have never wavered throughout his performing career. Eagles Online Central documented his reputation for delivering polished live performances. He maintained the same precision he demanded during his Eagles years.
His dedication to performance standards contrasts sharply with the period he referenced in Clapton’s career. This highlights the importance of maintaining professional discipline in live performances.
