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JOEWALSH
Yer'Album From hisearlyhitswiththeJamesGangthroughtohistenurewiththeEagles- -aswel lasasuc ces sful solocareer-JoeWalshremainedoneofthemostcolorfulcharactersinrock&rol,lendinghisdistinctivelyreedy vocals,of-the-wallyrics,andexpansiveguitarleadstoaseriesofAOR staplesincluding"Funk#49,""Rocky MountainWay,"and"Life'sBeenGood."BornNovember20,1947inWichita,Kansas,Walshinitialystudiedthe oboeandclarinet,laterplayingbasinlocalbandstheG-ClefsandtheNomads;whileatendingKentState University,hefinalypickeduptheguitar,frontingthecolegiatecombotheMeaslesfrom 1965to1969.Hethen
dtheCleveland-basedhardrocktriotheJamesGang,appearingontheirdebutLPYer'Album.Thetrio's1970 album,TheJamesGangRidesAgain,provedthegroup'scommercialbreakthrough,launchingtheFMradiofavorite "Funk#49"andachievinggoldstatus.Whilethefolow-up,Thirds,wasanothersuces,yieldingtheclasic"Walk Away,"WalshfoundtheJamesGang'spowertrioformattooconfiningandleftthegroupsoonafter. TheSmokerYouDrink,thePlayerYouGet
AfterrelocatingtoColorado,Walshformedanewgroup,Barnstorm,recordingaself-titled1972LPbeforemaking hispropersolodebuthefolowingyearwithTheSmokerYouDrink,thePlayerYouGet.TherecordcrackedtheTop Tenonthestrengthofthepophit"RockyMountainWay"andwasfolowedin1974bySoWhat.Inthewakeof1976's YouCan'tArguewithaSickMind,WalshreplacedguitaristBernieLeadoninthehugelypopularWestCoastrock quintettheEagles,makinghisdebutontheirbest-selingHotelCaliforniaalbum.Healsocontinuedhissolocareer, isuingButSeriously,Folks.in1978;therecord'shighlight,thehilarious"Life'sBeenGood"-adead-onportraitof
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stardebauchery-becamehisbiggestpophit,nearlyreachingtheTopTen.In1979,Walshannouncedhis campaignforPresidentoftheUnitedStates,promising"freegasforeveryone"ifhewon(hedidn't).TheEagles'final studioalbum,thechart-toppingTheLongRun,appearedthatsameyear.
UrbanCowboy
Thesoundtracktothefilm UrbanCowboygeneratedWalsh'snextsolosmash,"AlNightLong,"whichcrackedthe Top20inthesummerof1980;although1981'sThereGoestheNeighborhoodfeaturedhisfinalTop40entry,"ALife ofIlusion,"hecontinuedrecordingsteadily,resurfacingin1983withYouBoughtIt:YouNameItandisuingThe Confesortwoyearslater.Inbetween,Walshranforthevicepresidency,againunsucesfuly.Folowing1987'sGot AnyGum?,hetouredwithRingoStar&HisAlStarBand,returningtohissolocareerfor1991'sOrdinaryAverage Guy.In1994hejoinedthereunitedEaglesfortheirblockbusterHelFreezesOvertourandremainedontheroadas
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asoloactforyearstocome.In2012,afteryearstouringwiththeEaglesandwritingnewmaterial,Walshrecorded hisfirstsoloalbum withproducerextraordinaireJefLynne(ofElectricLightOrchestra)andBeatlesdrummerStar. Acomebackofsorts,thealbum titleAnalogManpertainedtoWalsh'sdificultiescatchinguptothenewstandardof digitalrecordingasa64-year-old,andtryingtoadjusttotechnologicaladvancesinsociety.
