On Saturday night (January 24), the Eagles played their first concert without guitarist Joe Walsh in over 50 years after the 78-year-old musician contracted the flu and had to miss their show at the Sphere in Las Vegas. “Joe has come down with a bad case of the flu. We had a choice to make. We could either cancel the whole thing, or we could man up and do the show,” singer Don Henley told the crowd. The band held an emergency two-hour rehearsal that afternoon, with Vince Gill and Deacon Frey – son of the band’s late founding member Glenn Frey – covering Walsh’s parts. A spokesperson confirmed Walsh is dealing with a “tough and difficult” flu but “hopes to be back at it soon.” Henley went on to share from the stage, “Joe’s going to be okay. He just needs some time. Give him some love.” No date has been set when Walsh will return to the band.
