Thankfully, fans didn’t take it easy bidding for this rock star’s writing.
Eagles legend Don Henley has helped raise more than $100,000 for a Texas food bank — simply by writing out the lyrics to his hit song “Desperado.”
The 72-year-old singer contacted Heritage Auctions offering help after hearing that it was raising money for North Dallas Food Bank in his hometown, with other items coming from local sports stars from the Mavericks and Cowboys.
Henley then wrote out the lyrics to the title track of the Eagles’ second album, 1973’s “Desperado” — with the single sheet on Wednesday selling for an incredible $33,600, the auction house said, calling Henley “as generous a man as you will find.”
“These, of course, are not the original lyrics,” the auction listing had stressed, calling them instead “the words Don wrote at April’s end specifically for this auction, this moment.
“He created a special, one-of-a-kind keepsake for one lucky fan – handwritten lyrics to a song that continues to resonate with fans and seems quite appropriate in these strange times in which we find ourselves in,” the listing said of the tune written with the late Glenn Frey.
Henley also raised another $12,600 with an acoustic guitar signed by Henley and the current Eagles lineup of Joe Walsh, Timothy B. Schmit, Deacon Frey and Vince Gill.
The listing for that had encouraged fans to “bid high” and “touch Don Henley’s heart.”
“And keep in mind: This is the closest anyone’s getting to the Eagles for more than a year,” it said, with the rockers having canceled any tour plans until fall next year because of the coronavirus.
Henley’s items accounted for more than half of the $75,161 raised through bids, with the auction house adding a $25,000 donation and giving all $12,527 buyers’ premiums to the cause.
Other items included a stick drawing by Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach of his infamous 1975 Hail Mary pass to Drew Pearson, signed by both sports legends, which fetched $7,500.
“This effort will provide 300,000 meals for hungry North Texans during a critical time,” North Texas Food Bank CEO Trisha Cunningham said of the amount raised.