History Of The Eagles Airs On Showtime

The Eagles will premiere the band's two-part career-spanning documentary, History Of The Eagles, on Showtime tonight and tomorrow (February 15th and 16th.) The doc, which recently had its big screen debut at the Sundance Film Festival, will be released on DVD "as early as March 19" with the package including two discs featuring the documentary and a third disc showcasing eight songs filmed during the band's tour behind 1976's Hotel California.

Part One of the doc chronicles the band's pre-fame years up through their split in the summer of 1980. Part Two touches upon the band's solo careers, their reformation in 1994, and their story up through the present day. The group members pull no punches in discussing their inner-band conflicts and drug and alcohol abuse during the band's career.

All seven Eagles members appear over the course of the documentary -- Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Joe Walsh, Timothy B. Schmit. and former members Don Felder, Randy Meisner, and Bernie Leadon.

Despite Glenn Frey and Don Henley writing and co-writing the bulk of the band's catalogue, it's interesting to note that all the band-members had a hand in writing massive hits for the Eagles -- Don Felder wrote the guitar intro and instrumental tracks to "Hotel California" and "Victim Of Love," Timothy B. Schmit co-wrote "I Can't Tell You Why," Randy Meisner co-wrote "Take It To The Limit," and Bernie Leadon co-wrote "Witchy Woman."

• The Eagles now consists of Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh, and Timothy B. Schmit.
• Their last collection, 2007's Long Road Out Of Eden, was the band's sixth chart-topper and was the highest selling album of the year. To date, it has sold over 3.5 million copies in the U.S. alone.
• Co-founding guitarist Bernie Leadon, who was originally part of the Byrds offshoot band the Flying Burrito Brothers, quit in 1975 and was replaced by Joe Walsh.
• Co-founding bassist Randy Meisner -- who sang lead on the Eagles' 1976 Top Five hit "Take It To The Limit" -- quit the band in 1977. He was replaced by Timothy B. Schmit -- the same musician who had replaced him in Poco.
• Guitarist Don Felder was touring as David Crosby and Graham Nash's lead guitarist when he sat in on the Eagles' 1974 On The Border album, and went on to join the band in time for 1975's groundbreaking One Of These Nights collection.
• Felder was fired from the Eagles in 2001 following monetary disputes with Henley, Frey, and Eagles manager Irving Azoff. The case was settled out of court the following year.