Longtime Eagles Band Member Announces Retirement After Parkinsonism Diagnosis

After being diagnosed with Parkinsonism, Steuart Smith is retiring as lead guitarist for the Eagles. The 72-year-old musician, who has acted as the “Hotel California” band’s co-lead guitarist for almost 25 years alongside Joe Walsh, announced his retirement on Monday, Jan. 27.

“It is with profound regret that, due to performance issues associated with my recently diagnosed Parkinsonism, I find that I must bow out of my role with the Eagles while I can still do so gracefully,” he said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times. Smith, who had performed with the Eagles for the first part of their Sphere residency in Las Vegas from September to December 2024, continued, “It’s been a great quarter of a century, and I had hoped to be able to finish out this year with the band, but I must now do what’s best for all concerned.”

Parkinsonism is “a term used to describe a collection of movement symptoms associated with several conditions,” which includes Parkinson’s disease, as per the Parkinson’s Foundation. Symptoms of Parkinsonism can include stiffness, walking and balance issues in addition to tremors.

Founding Eagles member Don Henley confirmed in a statement of his own that Smith had “retired from touring” due to his health. “The Eagles will be forever grateful for the extraordinary talents that he brought to both our recordings and live performances,” Henley said. “Steuart will be greatly missed, but he will always be a part of our musical family. We know our many fans join us in wishing him well.”

Smith will be replaced by session guitarist Chris Holt, who joined the band for their Jan. 17 performance at the Sphere on January 17. Holt, who previously toured with Smith as part of Henley’s solo band, told the Dallas Morning News on Jan. 27 that he was “trying to fill the giant shoes of all three that came before me,” referring to Smith as well as previous lead Eagles guitarists Don Felder and Bernie Leadon.

“It’s some of the most beautiful guitar work ever recorded, in my opinion,” Holt continued. “It’s the highest honor for me to do it, and it’s my duty to get it right.” The musician confessed that it is “definitely challenging” playing with the Eagles, explaining, “There’s a ton of iconic lead guitar to play — solos that people know every note of — so you wanna make sure you get the tones and the phrasing just right.”

He added, “The Eagles are legendary perfectionists and the parts are tricky, so it’s no easy feat to nail it, every time.” The Eagles’ Las Vegas residency will resume at the Sphere on Friday, Feb. 14, and will run through Saturday, April 12.