Eagles' Double-Neck Rock Guitarist Retires

Another famous rock veteran has been forced to retire by Parkinson’s disease.

Variety reports that guitarist Stuart Smith, who co-led the touring version of the Eagles for 24 years, has officially retired, taking a leave of absence in the middle of the band’s stay at the Sphere in Las Vegas. He attributed the decision to the impact of Parkinson’s on his playing.

Don Henley said, “The Eagles will be forever grateful for the extraordinary talents he brought to our recordings and live performances. Stuart will be greatly missed, but will always be part of our musical family. We know our many fans will join us in wishing him well.”

While Smith was never officially a member of the band, he was a familiar face to anyone who saw the band over the past quarter century, often seen playing a double-neck guitar and standing next to Walsh, sharing lead vocals on such iconic numbers as Hotel California.

Smith co-wrote six songs on the only full-length studio album the Eagles recorded after their first gig in the 1970s, Long Road Out of Eden (2007), and was also credited as a co-producer on the album.

The Eagles' current official lineup consists of co-founder Henley, mid-'70s inductees Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit, and recent recruits Vince Gill and Deacon Frey, who joined the band in 2017 following Glenn Frey's death.

Photo: Stuart Smith (right) at an Eagles Variety concert Variety