Joe Walsh Artistfacts

Joe Walsh song list

Joe Walsh Artistfacts

November 20, 1947
Joe Walsh was originally born in Kansas but moved around a lot as a kid. Walsh and his family lived in Columbus, Ohio for a number of years before they moved to New York City in 1959. At age 12, Walsh became interested in "ham" radio and started an amateur station with the call sign WB6ACU.
Joe Walsh's oldest daughter, Emma Kristen, died at the age of 3 from injuries suffered in a car accident on the way to daycare. Walsh wrote a song for her called "Song for Emma," released on his album So What in 1974.
As a joke, Joe Walsh ran for president in 1980. He claimed to make his song "Life's Been Good" the new national anthem if he was elected. In reality, Walsh was not old enough to be eligible for the office, so his mission was to raise public awareness of the election. He also ran a mock campaign for vice president in 1992.
Walsh has struggled with alcoholism since the '70s and has been in recovery since 1994. His song "One Day At A Time" is about his battle against the disease.
Aside from his music career, Joe Walsh has frequently dabbled in acting. He appeared in a reoccurring Second City sketch with John Candy called "Gil Fisher" in which he performed a song with his band. Walsh also appeared in The Blues Brothers, as he was a good friend of late comedian John Belushi.
Joe Walsh is related to former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr by marriage. In December 2008, Walsh married Marjorie Bach - the sister of Starr's wife, Barbara Bach - making Walsh and Starr brothers-in-law.
Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page's famous 1959 sunburst Gibson Les Paul guitar was actually originally owned by Joe Walsh. Walsh sold the guitar (also known as "Number 1") to Page in 1970.
He was with a band called the James Gang from 1969-1971. They were a classic "power trio" with just guitar, bass and drums, which meant Walsh had to handle all the guitar parts and also sing. When he left the band, he was offered the gig as Peter Frampton's replacement in Humble Pie, but turned it down because of record company conflicts.
After getting a big check for his work with the Eagles, Walsh bought a farm with a lake in Saxtons River, Vermont, intending to live off the land. He found this lifestyle quite difficult - especially in winter - so he sold the place.
His father, a flight instructor in the Air Force, died in a plane crash when Joe was a year old.

Comments: 3

Turbooffy from Alma Co.Jimmy Pierce. Good on u. Wife & I huge Joe, J. Denver & D. Fogelberg fans. Grew up knowing of the upslope Boulder rock campers. Remember right, werent Steve Stills & Glenn Frey passing thru?? Ofcourse Caribou was a recording 70s magnet. Lennon, E. John, Chicago et al. Thanks for jogging my recall. U r a lucky dude...
Jimmy PierceThank you for the Joe Walsh artifacts I have been listening and following his magical music compositions during the happiest time of my life encompassing the James Gang years to his brilliant , life changing transition moving to Boulder, Colorado forming Barnstorm and purchasing his home I believe from Chris Hillman of Byrds fame . Even though I have never had the privilege personally meeting Joe I feel as though we are brothers from other Mothers having also spent time in Aspen from 1969 to 1973 staying with a friend whose parents owned a sprawling home surrounded by the Rocky Mountains including Buttermilk and Ajax Mountains. My friend introduced me to John Denver who had a friend who knew Dan Fogelberg whom I met at a get together in Aspen where I met my beautiful future wife at the time. Dan invited us to his Mountain Bird ranch near Pagosa Springs Colorado where he told us about Caribou Ranch invited us there where he was recording his Souvenirs album with Joe Walsh producing . Unfortunately in 1974 I like Joe also lost my daughter and wife during childbirth. My friend In Aspen notified me about Joe losing his 3 year old daughter, Emma in a tragic car accident, thus the connection I feel with him. Like the old saying goes those were the best and worst of times. I cry like a baby when I play Joes heart felt song s song for Emma from his So What album. Thank you again for bringing back these beautiful and sorrowful memories for me some 50 years later here being New Year’s Day 2023. All the best to you and yours and Happy New Year. Peace and Love, Jimmy Pierce,
Ken from Louisville, KyJoe had a unique deal to replace Bernie Leadon in the Eagles in 1976. He was allowed to continue his solo career in between Eagles' recording and tours. His big hit "Life's Been Good" was made between the Eagles' Hotel California album and tour and their Long Run album and tour. He was brought in because his producer, Bill Szymczyk was also the Eagles' producer and because Glenn Frey was a huge fan of Walsh and the James Gang.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

I Ran (So Far Away)A Flock of Seagulls

"I Ran (So Far Away)" by A Flock Of Seagulls ends with an alien abduction.

StanEminem

Thanks to Eminem's song, the word "stan" was added to the Oxford American Dictionary in 2017. It means an obsessive fan.

Sloop John BThe Beach Boys

"Sloop John B" is a traditional West Indian folk song, and it was a huge hit for The Beach Boys in 1966. They tweaked the lyric, "This is the worst trip since I've been born" to "...I've ever been on" as a wink to acid culture.

3 AMMatchbox Twenty

The Matchbox Twenty song "3 AM" is about the difficult times lead singer Rob Thomas spent caring for his mother, who had cancer.

Nothin' On YouB.o.B

When "Nothin' On You" reached #1 on the Hot 100, B.o.B became the first American act whose name is a palindrome to top the chart. The other two who did so prior to the Atlanta rapper were both Scandinavian groups - ABBA and A-Ha.