The twenty-nine-year-old Deacon Frey was born as the son of Glenn Frey and Cindy Millican. Growing up, he was surrounded by the knowledge of his father’s legacy. Having Glenn Frey as a father must have been a heavy-duty for his son Deacon, who has had to carry the torch forward after his passing in 2016. Deacon’s father left shoes too big to fill after his death due to rheumatoid arthritis, colitis, and pneumonia complications.
The devastating passing of the icon was hard on the remaining members of the Eagles as they had lost not only their long-time friend but also a crucial part of their band. After all the work that Glenn Frey had laid into the Eagles, the remaining members didn’t have the heart to call it quits for good.
In order to continue their career, Don Henley suggested that Deacon Frey could continue Glenn’s legacy and have the family blood in the band. This offer was the only way the singer would consider hitting the road. Since Deacon was born into the knowledge of his father’s impact on the rock scene, to stardom and fame, he was aware of his responsibility when he accepted to become a part of the Eagles to honor his late father in 2017.
Deacon Frey decided to take over his father’s role in the band. Even though it was an immense pressure and responsibility for a young musician like himself, Deacon was still up for the challenge. He hadn’t even performed in front of a big crowd in large venues, so the band had started to prepare him for the upcoming shows.
Don Henley revealed the reason behind his suggestion to bring on Glenn’s son in 2017. He said, “The only way it felt justified to me was to have family blood in the band. And I have to hand it to Deacon. We rehearsed for a couple of months. And his first gig with us was at Dodger Stadium. He had done some gigs with his father – private parties, clubs, in front of maybe 200 people. To go from that to 55,000 people is extraordinary. I don’t know many people who could have done that without freaking out.”
The band’s latest Hotel California 2020 Tour began on September 27, 2019, in Las Vegas and will wrap up in San Diego on March 3, 2023. However, in the middle of the tour, the Eagles announced that after touring with the band and playing a run of shows for nearly five years, Deacon Frey would leave the band to venture out and start his solo career.
Although this was a sad moment for the fans and the remaining members, they understood that he had a bright future ahead of him to try new things, explore a new side of the industry, and find his sound and voice instead of substituting his late father.
