Born 78 Years Ago Today In Detroit, He Co-Founded One Of America's Biggest Rock Bands

It's wild to think that had Glenn Frey not been born in Detroit on November 6, 1948, the world would never have gotten the legendary rock band, the Eagles.

Of course, the group was heavily influenced by the SoCal country rock scene and imagery ("Hotel California" is an obvious example), but Frey's musical journey first started in the blossoming Motor City rock 'n' roll scene. He attended piano lessons at 5, pivoting to guitar after his first encounter with the Beatles live in the '60s. A big part of the genre that appealed to him was the lifestyle surrounding it, and his time as the singer, songwriter, and guitarist of groups such as the Mushrooms, the Heavy Metal Kids, the Four of Us, and the Subterraneans helped to make him a local rock legend. However, by the time the '70s started to roll in, Frey had his sights on a new horizon –– moving out to Los Angeles.

Luckily, his friendship with fellow musician and partner J.D. Souther helped to establish himself in the music scene, and he soon signed with Amos Records, which connected him with future Eagles co-founder, Don Henley. The band formed in 1971 and dominated the decade with absolute ease. Some of their biggest hits, such as "Tequila Sunrise," "New Kid in Town," and "Take It Easy," were sung by Frey, making him synonymous with one of the most pivotal decades of rock 'n' roll history. Even when the Eagles broke up in 1979, his career was far from over.

While the Eagles and their cultural impact are by far Glenn Frey's best remembered venture (his co-founder, Don Henley, even later admitted Frey was the leader), the '70s were only just the beginning of his expansive discography. 

He had already penned songs for other musicians during his time with the Eagles, establishing himself as a creative force with the substance to go solo. His 1982 debut, "No Fun Allowed," performed modestly in the charts, but 1984's "The AllNighter" managed to take his career to the next level. Showrunner Michael Mann heard "Smuggler's Blues" off Frey's latest record and liked it for his new show, "Miami Vice." He cast the singer himself to star in an episode inspired by the song, becoming the first of several crossovers between music and Hollywood for Frey. His single "The Heat Is On" written for the film "Beverly Hills Cop" made it all the way to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 10 –– a feat repeated by "You Belong To The City" written for "Miami Vice" a year later. 

His ear for commercial success was clearly put to tremendous use, and even when he found his success elsewhere, he still managed to make his way back to the Eagles. The band reunited for one final tour from 2013 to 2015, and Frey tragically passed the year after. On what would have been his 78th birthday, we look back and remember a Midwestern legend who took his dream to LA and changed rock music forever.