Days spent soaking up the Laurel Canyon vibe and nights spent jamming at the famous Troubadour bar in Los Angeles led the Eagles - whose founding fathers include Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, and Randy Meisner - to become the quintessential California band. Their music navigated dark desert highways, tequila sunrises, and beyond. Take it easy? The Eagles, unfortunately, failed to follow their own advice. They had glorious harmonies on record that concealed chronic disharmony on tours. Those tours left in their wake a trail of splintered hotel furniture and bathtubs full of Budweiser, often at the hands of renowned guitarist and hard partier Joe Walsh. And yet with those songs, and on those tours, the Eagles conquered the world. Despite the tension and the death of front man Glenn Frey, there was - and is - the music, which still resonates today. LIFE's special edition serves as a tribute to the sound and songs the Eagles created in the 1970s and over the 50 years since - and the legacy that endures.
