After more than half a century shaping the soundscape of American rock, the Eagles appear to be approaching their final curtain call. Don Henley, the band’s last remaining founding member, has publicly indicated that 2026 will likely mark the end of the Eagles, closing a remarkable chapter in music history. The revelation came during a recent interview on CBS Sunday Morning, where Henley, now 78, spoke candidly about his shifting priorities and the band’s future.
“You know, I think this year will probably be it,” Henley told CBS Sunday Morning. “And I’ve said things like that before, but I feel like we’re getting toward the end. And that will be fine too.” Pressed on whether 2026 would indeed be the Eagles’ final year, Henley replied, “I think so, yeah.”
The Eagles are currently in the midst of a record-breaking residency at the Las Vegas Sphere, which began on September 30, 2024. Originally announced as an eight-show engagement, the residency was extended multiple times due to overwhelming demand. By the time the final show wraps on March 28, 2026, the band will have performed 56 shows at the Sphere—an impressive feat for any artist, let alone a group that first formed more than 50 years ago. Their last scheduled appearance is set for the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on May 2, 2026, which many expect to be their swan song.
The current lineup features Henley alongside Joe Walsh, Vince Gill, Timothy B. Schmit, and Deacon Frey—son of the late co-founder Glenn Frey. The group’s chemistry and musicianship have allowed them to maintain their status as one of the most successful American bands of all time, with more than 200 million records sold worldwide and six Grammy Awards under their belt. Their influence is underscored by their 1998 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
“The Eagles have had a miraculous 52-year odyssey, performing for people all over the globe; keeping the music alive in the face of tragic losses, upheavals and setbacks of many kinds,” the band reflected when announcing their farewell tour, The Long Goodbye, which began in 2023. The tour has served as both a celebration of their storied past and a poignant goodbye to fans old and new.
Henley’s reasons for stepping back are deeply personal. Decades spent shuttling between airports, hotels, and venues have taken their toll. “I would like to spend more time with my family, and I would like to spend more time growing vegetables,” he confided to CBS Sunday Morning. “I’ve traveled all over the world, but I haven’t seen much of it, because we see the airports and the hotel room and the venue and we don’t get out much, you know?”
He added, with a touch of wistfulness, “I’d like to go to some of the same places I’ve been and see more of those places, before it all disappears. Before it gets vaporized, or whatever.” The longing for a slower, more grounded life is apparent, especially as Henley mentions his four children, a grandchild, and his two non-profit environmental organizations—the Walden Woods Project and the Caddo Lake Institute, both of which he chairs. “I don’t ever want to have a one-dimensional life,” he said. “This is great, this is wonderful … but there are just lots of other things to do.”
The Eagles’ journey has been anything but smooth. Formed in 1971 after Henley and Glenn Frey played together in Linda Ronstadt’s backing band, the group quickly rose to prominence, releasing a string of hits that became the soundtrack of a generation. Their 1976 compilation, Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975), was the first album ever to be certified platinum when the distinction was introduced that same year. In January 2026, it became the first album in U.S. history to be certified quadruple diamond, signifying a staggering 40 million copies sold. The record remains the best-selling album of all time in America and the fifth worldwide.
Yet, the band’s legacy is also marked by turbulence. The Eagles famously split in 1980, only to reunite in 1994 for an MTV special—later released as the hit live album Hell Freezes Over—and subsequent tours. Over the years, members have come and gone, but the core sound and spirit have endured. Just last month, the Eagles played their first show without Joe Walsh since he joined the band more than 50 years ago. Walsh was sidelined by the flu, with his parts covered by Frey and Gill during the January 24, 2026, Sphere show.
The band’s farewell run at the Sphere has been nothing short of a phenomenon. Initially planned as a brief engagement, the residency ballooned as fans clamored for tickets, eager for what could be their last opportunity to see the Eagles live. According to Far Out Magazine, “The residency at the Sphere is part of their The Long Goodbye farewell tour, which they first started in 2023.” The demand has been so intense that the final 12 shows will take place in early 2026, with the last date on March 28. A 50th anniversary reissue of Their Greatest Hits is also slated for release on February 17, 2026, on clear, 180-gram vinyl—a fitting tribute to the band’s enduring appeal.
Henley’s reflections on the band’s impending end have been met with a mix of skepticism and acceptance among fans. As Las Vegas Review-Journal noted, rock audiences have seen the Eagles announce farewells before, only to return for another tour. Yet, Henley’s tone this time feels different—more resolute, more at peace with the idea of closing this chapter. “I’m OK with [the end],” he stated. “Because I would like to spend more time with my family, and I would like to spend more time growing vegetables.”
For all the accolades, the sold-out arenas, and the history-making records, Henley’s message is clear: there is life beyond the stage, and he intends to embrace it fully. The Eagles’ final performances at the Sphere and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival promise to be emotional milestones, not just for the band but for generations of fans who have found meaning in their music.
As the echoes of “Hotel California” and “Take It Easy” begin to fade from the world’s stages, the Eagles leave behind a legacy that is both monumental and deeply personal—a testament to the power of music to unite, to heal, and, ultimately, to endure.