GLENN FREY - ONE OF THE EAGLES AND AN ARTIST

GLENN FREY - ONE OF THE EAGLES AND AN ARTIST
by Andy Weddington
Tuesday, 19 January 2016

Hey, a woman changed her mind - what else is new? Glenn Frey

The Eagles fourth album 'One of These Nights' was released about the same time, literally within days, I graduated high school.  

It was Summer 1975 and I was flipping hamburgers at McDonalds - my freshman year of college but a few months away. 

Jesse, a couple years my senior who'd graduated from one of the local county high schools, taught me how to run the grill. He was good and a good teacher. And Jesse had a cool way about him without trying to be cool. He liked the girls and the girls liked Jesse. What I realized in later years was that Jesse was a leader.  

Jesse loved The Eagles. At work he sang the catchy title cut 'One of These Nights' over and over and over again. Still I can see Jesse and remember the peace on his face when singing that song. 

Through college I listened to The Eagles. 

I listened to The Eagles through the 80s and 90s. And still I listen to The Eagles. 

It's the music. 

And that music, their music, much coming from the California desert, has meant more to me since living in the desert. 

Desert musician friends play The Eagles music. I listen. And remember. 

To have lived in the desert is to understand. 

To explain futile.

Glenn Frey had ties to a desert community not far from our home.

A few years back he was in town and a reporter landed an interview. 

I read the interview. 

One of Mr. Frey's comments struck a chord with me so I wrote it down...

"When you're an artist, one of the greatest allies you can have is the imagination of your audience. It's better to paint a picture than explain things." 

Last week, teaching folks aspiring to paint, I used that quote to reinforce the point - don't paint to explain things. Suggest. The brain and mind thrive on creativity and problem-solving so exploit that capability and potential. Let the imagination of each in the audience come to their own conclusion(s). It's something I've long believed in painting. How interesting to read that perspective from a musician. Art is art. 

Glenn Frey was a superb songwriter and musician. 

Glenn Frey was an artist. 

This morning I stumbled on another thought of Glenn Frey's...

"People don't run out of dreams - people just run out of time." 

Glenn Frey died yesterday. He just ran out of time. An artist, he was surely full of ideas and dreams. 

Yet for the greater good his art endures. So enjoy his music, The Eagles music, for we all just run out of time - one of these days, one of these nights. 

It's been a strange day - not feeling much in the mood to paint but dreaming and listening to The Eagles. Thanks, Jesse - for the daydreams and fond memories.