"The guitarist succumbed to the illnesses on Monday, January 18 in NY".

Soft and twangy, his hits as co-founder of the Eagles defined the region like the vivid colors of orange crate art had during the city's early boom years and as the Beach Boys had during the surf craze.

The rocker, who joined the Eagles in 1974, and performed with Henley and Frey in the band until 1980 and again from 1994 to 2001, writes, "Glenn's passing was so unexpected..."

On Monday, Frey's family released a statement on his website, confirming his death.

Like most people, Don Felder was taken by surprise by the sudden death of his former Eagles bandmate Glenn Frey. Glenn was the James Dean of the band. Frey died yesterday at the age of 67.

Henley said Frey was like a brother to him, and even though they experienced some dysfunction - like the breakup that lasted for 14 years - the bond they forged was never broken. He always went out of his way to acknowledge and encourage me ever since.

Glenn Frey was one of The Eagles' chief songwriters, and was also responsible for their breakout hit Take It Easy with Jackson Browne. Originally a quartet featuring Frey and Don Henley, the band was turning from the country-bluegrass roots of its first two records and looking for a hard rock sound.

If David Bowie made some of the most important music of the 1970s to stimulate the mind, producing songs and styles that challenged convention, Glenn Frey and the Eagles were behind some of the greatest songs of that era that resonated in the heart and soul.

"The band wasn't about private jets and limos and the Ritz Carlton in those days", he said. We are all in a state of shock, disbelief and profound sorrow.

Frey's best songs with the Eagles embodied that home, best known through the golden, sun-drenched silhouettes of palm trees on the cover of its classic album "Hotel California". With Don Henley he co-wrote such popular standards as Desperado, The Best of My Love and Hotel California, giving them song power to the highest degree and making a supposed '70s band an all-time act. Leadon had a background in country and bluegrass and became unhappy with the Eagles' new direction.

Founding bassist Randy Meisner clashed with Frey during a show in 1977 and soon quit, succeeded by Timothy B. Schmit. Legal action followed, settled out of court, but Frey and the other Eagles cut off ties to Felder. Frey and Henley became estranged for years, their breach a key reason the band stayed apart in the 1980s.

"He was in tears", Felder said.