Eagles

Southern California played an important part in rock 'n' roll of the '60s, and The Eagles continued that tradition in the '70s. Glenn Frey came over from Detroit. Don Henley rolled in from Texas. And with Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner, they turned out this definitive debut, which was to the early '70s what The Byrds' "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "Eight Miles High" were to the mid-'60s. Eagles featured three Top 40 singles (Jack Tempchin's "Peaceful Easy Feeling," Henley and Leadon's "Witchy Woman," and the Jackson Browne/Frey co-written "Take It Easy"). Those alone established the band's knack for writing concise, evocative tunes. That the record also featured deep album cuts made it a convincing standout. There are two excellent ballads; ex-Byrd Gene Clark co-wrote "Train Leaves Here This Morning" while Leadon and Frey composed "Most of Us Are Sad." Browne's "Nightingale" and Meisner's "Tryin'" held up the rock 'n' roll end. In 2003, Rolling Stone named the album to its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.