Heartache Tonight: “A Tribute to the Eagles" at the Timber Lake Playhouse -- September 23.
Saturday, September 23, 7 p.m.
Timber Lake Playhouse, 8215 Black Oak Road, Mt. Carroll IL
On September 23, a revered group of chart-topping, Grammy-winning rockers will be celebrated when Mt. Carroll's Timber Lake Playhouse presents the six-piece ensemble Heartache Tonight's An Eagles Tribute, an evening of beloved, iconic hits sure to include such chart-toppers as "Hotel California," "Peaceful Easy Feeling," "Best of My Love," "One of These Nights," and, of course, "Heartache Tonight."
A rock outfit formed in Los Angeles in 1971, the Eagles are one of the world's best-selling bands, having sold more than 200 million records, including 100 million sold in the United States alone. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and were ranked number 75 on Rolling Stone's 2004 list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time," and with five number-one singles and six number-one albums, six Grammy Awards, and five American Music Awards, the group stands as one of the most astoundingly successful musical acts of all time.
Founding members Glenn Frey (guitars, vocals), Don Henley (drums, vocals), Bernie Leadon (guitars, vocals), and Randy Meisner (bass guitar, vocals) were recruited by Linda Ronstadt as band members, some touring with her, and all playing on her third solo album before venturing out on their own on David Geffen's new Asylum Records label. Their self-titled debut album in 1972 spawned two top-20 singles in the U.S. and Canada, "Take It Easy" and "Witchy Woman," and the next year's follow-up Desperado, while only peaking at number 41 in the U.S., inspired hits in "Tequila Sunrise," "Outlaw Man," and the title track. In 1974, guitarist Don Felder joined the band, and On the Border produced the top-40 hit "Already Gone" and the Eagles' first number-one song in the U.S. and Canada: "Best of My Love," which also became the musicians' first hit overseas. In 1975, One of These Nights became the Eagles' first chart-topping album in the U.S. and a top-10 album in many other countries, boasting the number-one hit "One of These Nights" and the top-five songs "Lyin' Eyes" and "Take It to the Limit."
Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975), 45 years after its debut, is currently still the best-selling album in the United States with 38 million copies sold, and its original released primed the public for the late-1976 debut of Hotel California, which would sell more than 26 million copies in the U.S. (making it the country's third-biggest seller of all time behind Michael Jackson's Thriller), and more than 32 million worldwide. The album yielded two number-one singles in the U.S. and Canada ("New Kid in Town" and the album's title track) and in 1979, the Eagles released their last studio album for nearly 28 years with The Long Run, which premiered the eventual top-10 hits "The Long Run" and "I Can't Tell You Why." The Eagles broke up in 1980 but reunited in 1994 for the album Hell Freezes Over, a mix of live and new studio tracks, and toured consistently. Thirteen years later, the group released Long Road Out of Eden, the Eagles' sixth number-one album in the U.S.
Six gifted musicians compose the tribute ensemble Heartache Tonight. Keyboardist Chris Plasch has been a part of the Midwest music scene for more than 30 years in various rock/country/R&B/Christian bands including Providence, Deluxe Edition, and Billy Croft & the 5-Alarm, and has shared the stage with Toby Keith, The Mel Tillis Band, Jo Dee Messina, The Band Perry, among many other artists. Vocalist/bassist John Forrest is a fixture on the Chicago music scene who has collaborated with Chicago Slim Blues Band, Alliota Haynes & Jerimiah, The Buckinghams, the Mighty Joe Young Blues Band, The Harvey Mandel Machine, the Vanessa Davis Band, Ouray, the Tom Carey Band, and Mr. Meyers.
Veteran Chicago musician Tom O’Brien is best known for his guitar work with Chicago's Bad Examples and their kid-friendly alter ego Ralph’s World. Vocalist/guitarist Tom Carey has recorded a pair of CD’s, The Last Resort and Sugar Moon, and has toured nationally with the Doobie Brothers, America, Charlie Daniels, Bad Company, and Jimmy Buffett. Vocalist/drummer Chris “Bean” Weng brings the “Don Henley” voice to the band, and during his career has shared the stage with rock and roll giants such as Joe Cocker, Kansas, and Slash. And guitarist Jim Altenbach, who brings the Telecaster twang to Heartache Tonight, has been a fixture on the Chicago music scene since the mid-1980s, doing session work and performing with a number of instrumental/prog-rock bands.
Heartache Tonight's An Eagles Tribute will be performed in Mt. Carroll on September 23, admission to the 7 p.m. concert event is $25-30, and more information and tickets are available by calling (815)244-2035 and visiting TimberLakePlayhouse.org.
