Don Henley Reveals Guests for All-Star Country Album

Eagles founding member and musical legend Don Henley recently previewed eight tracks from his new solo country-infused album at a press event in Nashville, which revealed several big names who will appear on the tracks.

The sneak peak unveiled collaborations with artists like Merle Haggard, Miranda Lambert, Alison Krauss and Ashley Monroe. Henley even did a duet with the one and only Dolly Parton on a cover of the Louvin Brothers’ "When I Stop Dreaming," and rock and roll legend Mick Jagger joins in on "Bramble Rose."

The record, called Cass County after the Texas county where he was born and raised, was produced by Stan Lynch, former drummer for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, with whom Henley has often collaborated and also co-wrote some of the tunes.

Despite the roster of collaborators and the southern-infused twang, Henley says he’d prefer it not to be dubbed his "country record," per se.

“I’m associated with California a lot because of that other band that I play in, but I really and truly was born and raised in Cass County, Texas. I’m a Southerner and a Texan,” he explains to Rolling Stone. “I have ancestors in Tennessee, Mississippi and Georgia. So this is a natural progression for me. It’s not me trying to do the ‘Don Henley country album.’ It’s who I am and where I come from.”

Much of the recording was done in Nashville, which Henley praised as a town that lives up to its Music City nickname.

“I can truthfully say that I enjoyed making this record more than any record I’ve made in my career,” Henley says. “And a lot of the reason is because of the people who participated. There’s some amazing musicians here, and the best thing about it is, most of them are funny. So it was a real pleasure.”

Because of the shift of the culture and business model in the music industry over the last decade or two, Henley does admit he is uncertain if the album will be well received.

"It’s going to be interesting to see what happens with this record. I have no idea what’s going to happen because the musical landscape now is so different,” he says. “You know, the bar is pretty low. [Lynch] and I both have an abiding appreciation for rock ‘n’ roll and country music, and the history of it. I think that’s what’s missing from a lot of records today.”

The album does not yet have a release date, but will be available soon via Capitol Records. It will be Henley’s first solo album since 2000’s Inside Job.

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