It was an intimate view of a master of the craft of songwriting at last night’s Songwriters Hall of Fame Master Session at NYU with guest Glenn Frey. Moderated seamlessly by NYU Songwriter-in-Residence Phil Galdston, the evening began with opening remarks by SHOF Chairman Jimmy Webb, who extolled Frey’s contributions to the catalog of hits from legendary band, The Eagles.
Frey then took the audience on a magical ride through his early days of collaborations with celebrated songwriters the likes of Jackson Browne, JD Souther and, ultimately, Don Henley, along with some of his other influences, one of whom was Joni Mitchell who, he said, taught him a “love of words.” Frey imparted key insights into his method of songwriting, at one point saying “don’t tell me how you feel, tell me a story.” He said one of the many ways he learned his craft was by dissecting other hits; taking songs apart to see how they were put together and what made them work. Throughout the session, Phil Galdston periodically played bits of some of The Eagles iconic hits to illustrate Frey’s stories, such as “Lying Eyes,” “Life In The Fast Lane,” and the inimitable “Hotel California,” also featuring a great cover by the Gypsy Kings. Frey took to the keys himself now and then, and ended the night on guitar, playing one of his most touching songs, a collaboration with Jack Tempchin, “It’s Your World Now.”
It was most certainly an evening to be remembered, and look for news of more to come in the ongoing series of Songwriters Hall of Fame Master Sessions at NYU.
Photos by Chianan Yen, Courtesy NYU Steinhardt