By Tam Music 
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Rare Linda Ronstadt 1970s Interview Talks About The Eagles: How a Country-Rock Queen Helped Shape a Legendary Band
Every so often, a rare piece of archival footage surfaces and reminds fans how intertwined the musical histories of the 1970s truly were. One such gem is a little-seen Linda Ronstadt interview from the early 1970s, in which she openly discusses the young musicians who would soon become The Eagles.
Long before they sold out stadiums, before Hotel California, before they became one of the best-selling American bands of all time, the Eagles were simply Linda’s touring musicians—hungry, ambitious, wildly talented, and still searching for their voice.
This interview captures that moment in time, before their meteoric rise, and reveals just how deeply Linda Ronstadt influenced their formation, sound, and destiny.
A Glimpse Into the Past: Linda on Glenn Frey and Don Henley
In the interview, Ronstadt speaks with warmth, humor, and unmistakable pride as she recalls meeting Glenn Frey and Don Henley.
“They were young, but they were serious,” she says, smiling in a way that suggests she knew they were destined for something big.
She talks about their work ethic—how Glenn soaked up everything around him, always writing, always arranging, always shaping ideas. She describes Don as quiet, introspective, and studious, with a voice that could cut through any room.
Linda remembers hearing them harmonize backstage:
“You could tell right then—they had something. Something different. Something special.”
The interview makes it clear that even before the Eagles existed, the chemistry between Frey and Henley was already electric.
Linda Ronstadt: The Mentor Who Didn’t Mean to Be One
Ronstadt never set out to “discover” anyone. She simply hired the best musicians she could find. But the rare footage shows she understood the potential in her band members long before the world did.
She speaks candidly about giving them freedom, letting them experiment with arrangements, and encouraging them to explore their own musical identities.
“I wasn’t trying to shape a band,” she says.
“I was just trying to make good music. They were the ones who took it further.”
Her humility is striking, especially given her enormous influence. Without her 1971 solo tour, Frey and Henley might never have met. Without her encouragement, they might not have realized they could form their own group.
Ronstadt was the spark that ignited the fire.
The Birth of The Eagles — As Told By Someone Who Was There
The highlight of the interview is Linda recalling the exact moment Glenn and Don told her they were leaving to start a band.
She laughs, remembering their nervousness.
“They were afraid I’d be upset,” she says.
“But why would I be? That’s what musicians are supposed to do. They were meant to fly.”
The rare clip captures the generosity of spirit that defined Ronstadt’s relationships. She wasn’t possessive. She didn’t try to hold them back. Instead, she encouraged them, even helped them find the remaining members—Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner—both of whom had also worked with her.
Linda puts it simply:
“The Eagles didn’t break away from me. They grew out of the same soil.”
A Woman at the Center of a Musical Revolution
The interview is also a powerful reminder of Linda Ronstadt’s role in shaping the California country-rock sound of the early 1970s. She wasn’t merely adjacent to the movement—she was central to it.
In the clip, she discusses the musical environment of Los Angeles at the time:
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musicians sharing houses
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writing songs late into the night
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bands forming out of chance encounters
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the blending of folk, country, and rock
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a strong sense of community
Linda was one of the few major female artists in a sea of male bands, yet she commanded respect effortlessly. The interview shows her as both an innovator and a collaborator—someone who nurtured talent without ever trying to own it.
Linda Ronstadt on Watching The Eagles Take Flight
Toward the end of the interview, she reflects on the Eagles’ early success. Take It Easy, Witchy Woman, and Desperado were beginning to echo across American radio.
Her reaction?
Pride.
Joy.
Zero surprise.
“They worked hard,” she says simply.
“And they deserved every bit of it.”
There is no jealousy, no bitterness—only admiration for musicians she once shared cramped vans, tiny stages, and dim backstage rooms with.
A Final Reflection: History Remembered Through Her Eyes
This rare 1970s interview does more than document the Eagles’ early history. It reveals a side of Linda Ronstadt that fans cherish:
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generous
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grounded
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visionary without trying to be
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a woman whose talent shaped an era
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an artist who recognized greatness in others
And perhaps most telling of all, she ends the interview with a line that feels like a prophecy:
“They’re going to be big. Really big. You just wait.”
The world did wait.
And she was right.