Donald Hugh Henley born July 22, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and a founding member of the Eagles. He was the drummer and co-lead vocalist for the Eagles from until the band broke up in , and has reprised those duties for the group's reunions since After the Eagles broke up in , Henley pursued a solo career and released his debut album I Can't Stand Still , in He has released five studio albums, two compilation albums, and one live DVD.
The Eagles have sold over million albums worldwide, won six Grammy Awards , had five number-one singles, 17 top singles, and six number-one albums. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in and are the highest-selling American band in history. Combined with the Eagles and as a solo artist, Henley has released 25 top singles on the Billboard Hot He has also released seven studio albums with the Eagles and five as a solo artist.
In , he was ranked as the 87th-greatest singer of all time by Rolling Stone magazine. Henley has also played a founding role in several environmental and political causes, most notably the Walden Woods Project. Henley attended Linden-Kildare High School where he initially played football, but due to his relatively small build his coach suggested that he quit, and he joined the high school band instead.
He first played the trombone, then in the percussion section. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. Henley left school to spend time with his father, who was dying of heart and arterial disease. While still at high school, Henley was asked to join a Dixieland band formed by his childhood friend Richard Bowden 's father Elmer, together with another school friend Jerry Surratt.
They then formed a band called the Four Speeds. They changed their name to Shiloh and recorded a few songs for Rogers, and "Jennifer O' My Lady " was released as their first single.
