The Eagles’ newly appointed touring guitarist Chris Holt has revealed he didn’t have to audition for the gig, and has detailed what it’s like playing alongside Joe Walsh and Vince Gill.
Holt, who has been playing with Don Henley and Mike Campbell & the Dirty Knobs since 2015 and 2022, respectively, was sworn into the band following long-serving guitarist Steuart Smith's retirement. The veteran guitarist had enjoyed a two-decade-plus stint in the band but was forced to step down at the start of the year in light of health struggles.
In contrast to the open auditions recently held by the Smashing Pumpkins and Chaka Khan, the Eagles kept recruitment in-house, with Holt’s reputation helping him to secure the job.
“It wasn’t really an audition,” he tells Guitar World in a new interview. “When they knew that Steuart was going to step down, I think they had a short list of names that would be considered a good fit. Somehow, luckily, I got the call. It was the highest honor, and I immediately accepted the invitation. It’s the dream gig of a lifetime for a rock n’ roll guitar nerd like me.”
The coup means the band’s classic, harmony-rich three-guitar tandem will remain, and Holt has a key role in the refreshed setup. He is, however, sensitive to the legacy of the band, who have produced seven studio albums and won six Grammys across their prolific career.
“Just being onstage with those two guys is the most exciting thing I can imagine,” Holt continues. “Joe and Vince are very different players, and I love that. They’re both capable of great spontaneity. But we don’t veer off script much in the Eagles – it’s all about the songs – and those guitar parts are so iconic and integral to the songs, so I don’t go changing them up.”
Holt’s hiring was announced in January, with Smith’s retirement coming halfway through the band’s Las Vegas residency at The Sphere. It’s a venue, as John Mayer learned last year, that has strict volume restrictions and stage limitations. Those same restrictions saw the Edge turn to amp modeling pedals for the first time in his career.
Being drafted into the fold at such short notice, and for such high-profile shows to break the ice, is no small task. So how exactly did Holt fit into the band?
“Vince is probably the best guitarist of any of us on that stage, but he isn’t doing a ton of heavy-lifting guitar-wise, ‘cause he’s really singing a ton of stuff in the show,” Holt explains.
“Steuart covered a lot of the trickier lead parts, so I stepped in to do that stuff. It allowed everyone to keep doing their usual parts without having to rework the show too much.
“Playing with Joe is an absolute delight,” he continues. “He’s still got it, and you can still hear so much joy and swagger in his playing every single night. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder and do our thing, and I still feel like I have to pinch myself. He’s been one of my favorite guitarists since I was a kid, so getting to play alongside him every night… it’s a dream come true. I can’t state that enough.”
Lionel Richie guitarist Greg Suran is another player full of praise for Walsh. He recently shared the top-tier soloing advice he got from the guitarist, which has served him well across his rich variety of touring gigs.
Guitar World’s full interview with Chris Holt will be published online in the near future.
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