Eagles Guitarist Steuart Smith Retiring from Band After Parkinsonism Diagnosis
In a statement shared with PEOPLE, Smith, 72, revealed that he will be leaving the band, known for songs such as "Hotel California" and "Lyin' Eyes."
"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," Smith said.
"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."
According to the Parkinson's Foundation, Parkinsonism is "a set of movement symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease and other disorders." Symptoms include "slow movements along with stiffness, walking and balance issues and/or tremor."
Related: JD Souther, Singer and Co-Writer on Eagles Classics, Dies at 78
Don Henley, a founding member of The Eagles, also praised Smith for his tenure.
'Steuart Smith has retired from touring. The Eagles will be forever grateful for the extraordinary talents that he brought to both our recordings and live performances," Henley, 77, said in a statement shared with PEOPLE.
"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."
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Smith has performed with Rosanne Cash, Shawn Colvin, Rodney Crowell and Wynonna Judd among other artists. He joined The Eagles in 2001, essentially replacing former lead guitarist Don Felder after Felder, 77, was fired from the band.
Throughout his tenure with The Eagles, Smith was known for performing with a twin-necked guitar. He co-wrote several songs on the band's 2007 album Long Road Out of Eden.
As per Variety, during the band's residency at the Las Vegas Sphere, Smith was replaced by session guitarist Chris Holt when The Eagles resumed their residency on Jan. 17 following their September-December 2024 dates.
Related: The Eagles Announce Fall Residency Set at Las Vegas' Sphere
The Eagles were formed in 1972 with founding members Henley, Glenn Frey, Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner.
Along with Henley, the band is made up of John Walsh, Timothy B. Schmit, Vince Gill and Deacon Frey. Their Sphere residency is part of their The Long Goodbye farewell tour, which began in September 2023.
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