A classic rock band has performed without a key member for the first time in 51 years.<\/p>\n
The Eagles<\/a> played a concert at the Sphere<\/a> in Las Vegas on Saturday without Joe Walsh. The legendary singer-guitarist was sick with the flu, Don Henley told the audience.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had a choice to make,\u201d Henley said. \u201cWe could either cancel the whole thing, or we could man up and do the show. So we came down here this afternoon and had an emergency rehearsal for two hours. And fortunately, in this band, we have a deep bench.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Ultimate Classic Rock<\/a>, country musician Vince Gill<\/a>, who joined the Eagles in 2017, stepped up to handle vocals on Walsh classics like \u201cRocky Mountain Way\u201d and \u201cLife\u2019s Been Good,\u201d and Deacon Frey took over the iconic guitar solo in \u201cHotel California<\/a>.\u201d The only setlist change was playing \u201cBest of My Love\u201d instead of \u201cFunk #49.\u201d<\/p>\n Walsh, 78, was ill Friday night, too, but powered through most of that night\u2019s concert, according to UCR. However, The Eagles had to skip \u201cRocky Mountain Way,\u201d Walsh\u2019s 1978 solo hit.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe\u2019s going to be okay. He just needs some time. Give him some love,\u201d Henley told fans.<\/p>\n Walsh, who joined the Eagles in 1975, had never missed an Eagles concert before Saturday. He is expected to be back in the lineup at the band\u2019s next Sphere performance<\/a> on Friday, Jan. 30.<\/p>\n The Eagles are a Grammy-winning band and one of the best-selling music artists of all time thanks to hits like \u201cHotel California,\u201d \u201cTake It Easy,\u201d \u201cDesperado,\u201d \u201cBest of My Love<\/a>\u201d and \u201cTake It to the Limit.\u201d The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group\u2019s current members include Henley, Walsh, Gill, Timothy B. Schmit, and Deacon Frey, the son of late co-founder Glenn Frey.<\/p>\n