Don Felder brings decades of rock history—and a few great stories—to Blossom Music Center
When Don Felder arrives at Blossom Music Center on June 28, he’ll be doing far more than opening a concert.
The legendary guitarist will kick off an evening headlined by The Guess Who, creating a double bill that should make classic rock fans feel like they’ve stumbled onto a particularly good vinyl collection. After years of various touring versions carrying The Guess Who name, this marks the lineup many fans have been hoping to see for what feels like forever. Add Felder to the bill, and suddenly an already worthwhile night becomes an event.
While Felder will forever be associated with one of rock’s most celebrated bands, his career extends well beyond any single chapter. The Gainesville, Florida, native carved out a reputation as one of rock’s premier guitarists, songwriters, and musicians long before and long after his years with The Eagles. Along the way, he helped shape the sound of an era, wrote the iconic music for “Hotel California”, and built a career that has remained remarkably active decades after most artists would have settled comfortably into retirement.
Today, Felder continues to tour because, quite simply, he loves playing. Fans attending the Blossom show can expect roughly half of his set to feature Eagles favorites, including the smash hit “Hotel California”, for which he wrote the unforgettable music, alongside selections from his solo catalog. Considering how many arena-sized singalongs those songs have inspired over the years, arriving late would qualify as a self-inflicted wound.
I had the opportunity to speak with Felder a few years ago under circumstances that could generously be described as…organized chaos.
The interview took place in the media room at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame during the opening of the ‘Play It Loud’ exhibit. One moment I was waiting for my next scheduled interview. The next, someone essentially pointed in my direction and said, “Here’s Don Felder.”
That was apparently the entirety of the game plan.
Felder was thrust in front of me with approximately zero seconds for either of us to prepare. We were flying by the seat of our pants, scrambling to come up with questions on the spot. Somehow, through the beautiful magic of controlled panic, the conversation found its footing as Felder graciously discussed writing the music for “Hotel California” and his contribution the the new exhibit at the museum.
Despite the whirlwind introduction, he couldn’t have been kinder. He was patient, thoughtful, and generous with his time. Later that evening, he stepped into the museum lobby and performed “Hotel California” for the VIP audience, proving that even after hearing the song countless times, watching its composer perform it in person remains a goosebump-inducing experience.
For Felder, though, the road that led to one of rock’s defining songs began long before sold-out arenas and platinum records. It started with little more than determination, a guitar, and a willingness to chase uncertainty.
“A lot of it has just been blessings. I was, like, 17; packed up out of Gainesville with a guitar in one hand, a suitcase in the other. I had about 400 bucks in my pocket, which was a lot to save up, and moved to New York City. I had no idea what was going to happen. I wound up playing one show there at the Fillmore East and got a record deal the next day and wound up making an album. I didn’t really like New York City. Living and working in New York City was not made for this Florida boy.”
New York eventually gave way to Boston, where Felder immersed himself in another side of the business. Rather than simply learning to play better, he became fascinated by the process of making records, spending countless hours in recording studios absorbing every lesson he could.
“My high school girlfriend was in Boston. I left that band; left New York; went to Boston; actually worked in a recording studio five days a week and got paid $50 a day. But I wanted to learn how to make records. I was playing during sessions.”
“I was producing sessions. When I moved to California and walked into the first recording studio to overdub or play a slide part with the Eagles, just as friends, just to go in and play a slide part, I told the engineer, I said, ‘Okay, this is what you need. If you set that up, it’ll sound great!’ He’d begrudgingly set that up and, sure enough, it sounded great. And so it was an education that if you wanted to learn how to make records now, you’d have to go to a college or a school of audio engineering. It’d probably cost you about $50,000 a semester.”
That willingness to continually learn became one of the defining characteristics of Felder’s career. Whether writing songs, engineering recordings, producing sessions, or performing before thousands, he never seemed interested in remaining in one lane. Instead, he kept writing his own story, making his own decisions, and pursuing music on his own terms.
Check out our recording of Don Felder performing Hotel California at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.
Felder’s journey has certainly included its share of highs and lows. His tenure with The Eagles ended in 2001, closing a chapter that had helped define one of the most successful bands in rock history. Rather than letting that ending define him, however, he chose to redefine himself.
“When I left the Eagles, I was really tired of the music business. I love music, but I hated the music business, and the lawyers, and the booking, and the thieves everywhere. I don’t want to say any names, but there were thieves everywhere.”
It would have been easy for someone with his résumé to quietly step away. After all, there wasn’t much left to prove. Instead, Felder rediscovered the simple joy that drew him to a guitar in the first place.
“I just enjoy playing music. If I had never moved to California, I’d probably still be playing in bars and stuff in Gainesville just because I love to do it. If you grow up dirt poor, like I did, you have nothing to lose. You can only get to be so hungry, so poor. So you might as well do something that makes you really happy. That’s why I just started playing guitar and having fun doing it and playing at Gatorland after football games at the University of Florida and just worked my way up and just took the risk and pursued what my heart wanted, which was being able to play and learn how to play better and make records and be involved in the music business.”
His motivation, he insists, was never fame or fortune.
“It was never about the money. It was never about fame. It was never about wanting to be a star. It was never about the women. Well, wait a minute, maybe the women a little bit, I’ll be honest with you!”
That self-deprecating humor surfaced several times during our conversation. It also helps explain why audiences continue to connect with him. While his guitar playing remains exceptional, there’s a genuine enthusiasm that comes through whenever he talks about stepping onstage.
“It’s just because I love playing music. That’s why I do it today. I don’t need to make another dime for the rest of my life, but I love to go out and play music and have thousands of people up on their feet, going at the end of “Hotel California.” And that’s exactly what this tour does. Everybody loves both sets. My set, The Guess Who set, it’s a great show!”
That’s high praise from someone who has spent decades sharing stages with some of the biggest names in rock. Judging by the songs he’ll be bringing to Blossom, it’s easy to understand why.
Of course, music isn’t the only thing keeping Felder busy these days. He has also devoted considerable time to charitable causes, including an ambitious fundraising campaign benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The prize package is enough to make any guitar enthusiast start checking their wallet.
“I’m hosting a rock and roll retreat sweepstakes again for this summer to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and raise money that goes directly to the hospital. Every $50 that’s spent in their donation is an entry, and, if you win, you get this incredible trip: round-trip airfare to Nashville, Tennessee, from anywhere in the United States.
“You get three nights in the Broadway Suite at the Westin Nashville. Tickets and a guided tour with me to the Musicians Hall of Fame in Nashville. You’re going to attend a Gibson event at the Gibson Garage as my guest, where we’ll go down and take a tour of the Gibson Garage, including their exclusive Gibson Vault, where they have one of the very beginning early Les Paul and some of the first acoustic guitars. You don’t get into that vault unless you’re accompanied by somebody like me.”
“You’re going to get a one-on-one guitar lesson with me at the Gibson Vault and a double-neck to take home with you. If you enter before June 28, you’ll be entered into an additional drawing for a chance to win a signed Les Paul Sunburst guitar. So head to donfelder.com/contest, or you can scan the QR code that you’ll find on my website, and it’ll take you right to the place where you can enter.”
“Every penny goes to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital trying to save kids’ lives. And we really appreciate all the support we had last year.”
Listening to Felder speak, it quickly becomes apparent that he has reached a point in his career where he gets to choose exactly how he spends his time. He isn’t chasing chart positions or trying to recreate the past. He’s writing the next chapter exactly the way he wants to write it—playing songs he loves, entertaining audiences that still adore them, and using his platform to help others whenever possible.
As for Blossom Music Center, fans can expect an evening loaded with legendary songs, unforgettable guitar work, and one of rock’s most recognizable instrumentals when Felder launches into “Hotel California.” Then, after he leaves the stage, The Guess Who will keep the momentum rolling with a catalog packed with classics of their own.
In other words, if you’re looking for a reason to dust off that vintage concert T-shirt hanging in the back of your closet, June 28 seems like an awfully good excuse.
Perhaps even more inspiring is how he’s using that success to give back. Don is a passionate supporter of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and is currently hosting a fundraising contest featuring prizes such as:
– Trip for winner and one (1) guest to Nashville, TN 10/22/2026 – 10/25/2026
– Roundtrip airfare to Nashville
– Three (3) nights in the Broadway Suite at the Westin Nashville*
– Two (2) tickets to the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum in Nashville, TN
– One (1) autographed Epiphone SG 1275 guitar
– Guitar lesson for the winner 1:1 with Don Felder
– Two (2) tickets to a Gibson exhibition featuring Don Felder on 10/23/2026
– Tour for the winner and one (1) guest of the Gibson Garage on 10/24/2026, including the exclusive Gibson Vault
You can enter his contest HERE
COMPLETE SHOW AND TICKET INFORMATION FOR DON FELDER & THE GUESS WHO ON JUNE 28 AT BLOSSOM MUSIC CENTER CAN BE FOUND ON CLEVEROCK’S EVENT LISTING
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