Fun Facts About Glenn Frey
Some completely random pieces of trivia
- Glenn's middle name was Lewis.
- Nicknames at various times included Roach (for when he was always bumming joints back in the day), Sporticus (for his obsession with sports), and the Lone Arranger (for his individualistic approach towards arrangement of Eagles music, preferring to work alone in the studio). Also, he called himself Elvis sometimes, ie "I told myself, 'Elvis, you can't party like you used to.'"
- Glenn's very first band in Detroit in the late sixties was called The Disciples, and he played acoustic guitar. However, for a short time he played the drums for his next band, The Subterraneans (named after a Jack Kerouac book).
- Glenn also called himself the "Teen King" in the early days because of his talent for scoring with the younger ladies. Before they decided on a name, the Eagles referred to themselves as "Teen King and the Emergencies."
- Other names considered for the Eagles were "The Saltines" and "The Small Frey Dance Band."
- Glenn started piano lessons when he was 5.
- Glenn was left handed, but played his guitar right-handed.
- Glenn had two younger brothers. One of them, Alan, is named in the Soul Searchin' liner notes. He was about five or so years younger. His third brother was much younger, and Glenn's earnings helped put him through college. His mother, who famously commented on Glenn in Rolling Stone, was named Nellie. His dad Eddie is also mentioned in the Soul Searchin' liner notes.
- Speaking of brothers, middle brother Alan broke Glenn's nose when Glenn was 13 by hitting him in the face with a baseball bat... accidentally, of course! Glenn was catching without a mask. Oops!
- As a student at Dondero High School in Royal Oak, Michigan, Glenn was voted "Most Likely to Inhale."
- Glenn was on his high school wrestling team.
- Before getting famous, Glenn lived with JD Souther in a small apartment in Echo Park for a rent of $90 a month. Jackson Browne rented the apartment below them.
- The first demo Glenn ever did for David Geffen was Chug All Night in 1971, which made it onto the Eagles LP in completed form. In 1994, Glenn called it "impersonal" and suggested to one fan who inquired about it that she never listen to it again.
- Glenn had an affair with Joni Mitchell around 1973/1974 and the songs "Help Me" and "Car on a Hill" are about him.
- LA King hockey player Gene Carr became friends with Glenn in the mid-70s, and Glenn would wear his jersey (no. 12) in concert sometimes. (See photo).
- On the Eagles baseball team, Glenn was first baseman.
- For 16 years, Glenn lived in a house that once belonged to James Cagney's brother, located in Coldwater Canyon.
- Glenn called his favorite black Gibson "Old Black."
- Glenn's favorite Eagles album was One of These Nights.
- Glenn's favorite Eagles songs were One of These Nights, I Can't Tell You Why, Take It Easy, Tequila Sunrise, Desperado, Best Of My Love, Take It To The Limit, Hotel California, New Kid In Town, Life In The Fast Lane, and Wasted Time.
- Glenn used to have a cat named Charlie. He was black and white with a black moustache like Charlie Chaplin.
- The first two working titles of No Fun Aloud were Prelude to Obscurity and Do You Know Who I Used to Be?
- The Heat Is On and You Belong to the City both hit #2 on the charts, making them the highest charting songs released by a solo Eagle.
- For a while, Glenn called his solo band the Mad Dogs after his Mad Dog Ranch in Snowmass, Colorado.
- When traveling in Asia in 1992 on tour, Glenn's pseudonym at hotels was Mr. I. Party.
- In the summer of 1993, Glenn taught a three-month course on songwriting at UCLA. At the end of the course, Glenn gave out awards for the best student efforts in different categories (Best Overall Song, Best Title, etc). These awards were called "Glennies."
- Glenn loved to golf and on a good day could make the equivalent of pro shots. For several years, he participated in the prestigious Pebble Beach Pro-Am tournament, and would often pop up at other celebrity golf tournaments.
- According to Cameron Crowe, the character Russell Hammond of Almost Famous was based largely on Glenn.
- Glenn met his wife Cindy while filming the video for Livin' Right in 1988; she was one of the dancers. Their first date was a Lakers basketball game, and they married in Aspen in August of 1990.
- Glenn held season tickets with the LA Lakers for years.
- Glenn had three children: one daughter (Taylor) and two sons (Deacon and Otis).
- Glenn owned homes in Los Angeles, New York City, Kauai, Palm Springs, Laguna Niguel, and Snowmass, Colorado. His purchase of the Colorado home was the inspiration for River of Dreams.