Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles chatted about his new solo music and he reflected on his illustrious career.
The late U.S. Army general and former Secretary of State Colin Powell once said: “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.” Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles is a true renaissance man, singer-songwriter, and musician that embodies this wise quotation.
‘Day by Day’ album
His upcoming studio album “Day by Day” is Schmit’s third consecutive self-penned album. Special musical guests such as Jackson Browne, Lindsey Buckingham, John Fogerty, Jim Keltner, John McFee, and Kenny Wayne Sheppard all make appearances, among many other fine musicians and singers.
Schmit acknowledged that he wrote the majority of this album during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On the song selection process for his new album “Day by Day,” Schmit said, “I just write them and record them. If they are up to snuff I put them in the plus column and if I have enough songs, I try to sequence them in a way that makes sense.”
“My songwriting is inspired simply by living my life, and whatever strikes my fancy,” he said. “Sometimes, I don’t really know what I am going to write about but I start free-forming and something might come about that way.”
‘Heartbeat’ song
This CD, which will be released on May 6, features his new single “Heartbeat,” which is built on a subtle R&B/soul groove that is reminiscent of the Eagles’ rhythmic classic “I Can’t Tell You Why.”
In “Heartbeat,” Schmit candidly gets inside what makes long-term relationships work: devotion, commitment, and respect, coupled with the shared understanding that the two people also exist as individuals. “It’s a song for my wife,” he said. “I get a lot of inspiration from my wife, and it’s a song to her and our longevity. We have been living together for over 40 years. The actual heartbeat at the beginning of the song and the middle of the song is actually a recording of her heartbeat.”
The song’s lyric video may be seen below.
“Heartbeat” is available on digital service providers by clicking here. “It’s a really personal song and it’s right up my alley,” he said.
UBS Arena performance in New York
On April 23, the Eagles will be performing at UBS Arena in Bellmont Park on Long Island, New York. “People can expect to hear the whole ‘Hotel California’ album in the first half of our show,” he said. “Then, we will pretty much play a whole bunch more Eagles music after that. We are a well-oiled machine. We rehearse even at soundcheck and we try to give everybody our best.”
Schmit spoke highly about Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill being in the Eagles band with them. “Vince Gill is great, he is a workhorse and he is so talented,” Schmit exclaimed. “Above all, Vince is a really nice guy.”
The digital age
On being an artist in the digital age, at a time when streaming and technology are so prevalent, Schmit said, “You need to go with it. There are pluses and minuses. The minuses really have to do with being paid. There are a lot of pluses to it because you can reach a lot of people instantly.”
Schmit noted that at the same time vinyl is coming back. “I put out my albums on vinyl as well,” he said. “What is great about vinyl is that it has been embraced by the younger generation. My daughter and her husband don’t even own a CD player, they have all vinyl.”
An icon of American music since the early ’70s, Timothy B. Schmit of The Eagles has spent the past 50 years in a creative whirl, blurring the lines between rock and roll, blue-eyed soul, California country, and folk.
Longevity in the music industry
Regarding the key to longevity in the music business all of these years, Schmit said, “It’s all about the songs. That’s the truth. That’s why the Eagles have lasted so many years and that’s why they sell out arenas. It all has to do with the songs.”
“You can have an overwhelming amount of talent as a singer or musician, or both, but without a great song, people are not going to notice your talent,” he added.
Looking back over the last two decades, he acknowledged that he has a lot of good memories. “I have a lot of good things that have happened to me that are not just career-related, it is personal things too such as my children being born,” he said. “I try not to look too much in a rear-view mirror of my life, I prefer to look out the windshield.”
For young and aspiring artists, he said, “Have fun. If you are not really enjoying it, it can be a struggle. If you enjoy that struggle, you are on the right path. You can’t write because you think other people are going to like it, just do it. See if you can find an avenue to get your music out there and see what happens.”
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
In 1998, Schmit was inducted into the coveted Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Eagles. Jimmy Buffett did the induction honors for the iconic band. “The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction was great, it was quite an honor,” he admitted. “When you start playing music, you just do it for fun. Then, it becomes sort of an addiction, and you do your best to see if anybody else likes it.”
Schmit had great words about the music of guitar legend Link Wray. “Link had some really good stuff,” he said.
If he were to have any superpower, he revealed that it would be “to create world peace.”
For his fans and supporters, Schmit remarked, “I would like for people to actually listen to it and hear it so that they can make their own judgments about whether or not they like it. It’s just a collection of my music and I hope that other people will like it.”
Schmit defined the word success as follows: “Success means a lot of things: getting past your failures, successfully moving forward on whatever level, and trying to be a good human. Success means a whole lot more to me than just career success. “
For more information on esteemed singer-songwriter Timothy B. Schmit and his new solo music, visit his official website, and his Facebook page.
