Don Felder is renowned as a former lead guitarist of the Eagles, one of the most popular and influential rock groups of our time. On Thursday, July 7, at 7 p.m., Suffolk Theater in Riverhead presents Felder in concert.
It’s easy to see why Felder garners such a level of respect. Not only is he a proud, longstanding member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, having been inducted with the Eagles back in 1998, he was also inaugurated into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville in 2016 and the Florida Artists Hall of Fame in 2017. Felder spent 27 years with the Eagles, selling over 150 million albums worldwide to date and owns the fine distinction of recording the top-selling album of all time.
His Don “Fingers” Felder nickname is well-warranted, as anyone who has ever watched the man’s hands blaze across whatever guitar fretboard can readily attest — whether it be acoustic or electric, single-neck or double-neck. In fact, the inherent prowess of those dexterous digits helped Felder navigate the burgeoning rock scene in his native Gainesville, Florida, while he was growing up there in the 1960s. That formative time included a stint teaching guitar to a young sandy-haired Southern gentleman by the name of Tom Petty.
Felder’s discerning musical taste ultimately bore much great fruit in iconic, prime rock-era Eagles songs. Bear witness to how his matchless lead-guitar tone added extra fuel to “Already Gone,” “One of These Nights,” “Take It to the Limit” and “New Kid in Town,” in addition to his co-writing “Victim of Love,” “Those Shoes,” and his most popular co-creation, “Hotel California,” which he recast in an entirely new way for the Eagles’ “Hell Freezes Over” in 1994. The original “Hotel California” single won Record of the Year in 1977, and the “Hell Freezes Over” single version was nominated for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal in 1995.
Felder, a true American rock and roll guitar hero, is looking forward to building upon his rich legacy as one of the most innovative riff-generating songwriters of the modern rock era while continuing his growth as a featured touring and recording solo artist.
Tickets For Don Felder are $55 to $85 at suffolktheater.com. Suffolk Theater is at 118 East Main Street, Riverhead