McHenry High School Eagles concert and WCFL radio station visit – May 12, 1975

The McHenry High School Eagles concert came about because an entire high school of determined students at McHenry Community High School in McHenry, IL won a concert with the Eagles and Dan Fogelberg (with his band Fool’s Gold). They won it in the School Spirit contest sponsored by WCFL radio station in Chicago for May 12, 1975. There are several photos of the concert and backstage below. The newspaper articles below tell the story of how McHenry High School entered and won the Eagles concert.

The Eagles played two concerts at the Arie Crown Theater:

May 10-11, the days before the McHenry High School concert, the Eagles performed at the Arie Crown Theater in Chicago. The Eagles stopped by WCFL radio station to talk with DJ Larry Lujack.

From Cameron Crowe’s interview in Rolling Stone:

“Hiya! This is Superjock Larry Lujack! Sitting with me right here in the Super CFL Studios – straight from California – are everybody’s favorite hit makers…those darn Eagles! In town for two concerts at the Arie Crown Theater, the band is visiting one of Chicago’s top jocks to play, for the first time, the title track and single from One Of These Nights.”

Rolling Stone Magazine – Sept. 25, 1975

The entire Cameron Crowe Rolling Stone interview of Sept. 25, 1975 that begins with Larry Lujack is very interesting and packed with lots of information and stories.

McHenry High School Eagles concert:

McHenry Community High School 1975 yearbook page

McHenry High School Eagles concert – Eagles on stage

Randy Meisner, Glenn Frey, and Don Felder
Randy and Glenn are looking at each other, so they are probably singing “Take It Easy” here. When the Eagles sang that song, Randy and Glenn always looked at each other during the standing-on-a-corner verse.

Randy Meisner, Glenn Frey, and Bernie Leadon

Randy Meisner, Glenn Frey, Bernie Leadon, and Don Felder

Bernie Leadon, Glenn Frey, and Don Henley in the McHenry weight room before the concert

Poster advertising contest to win Eagles concert

Banner hanging in McHenry High School gym

There were angry phone calls and disappointment with the radio station that was sponsoring this contest. After the kids worked so hard to get the petitions ready by the deadline, the station extended the deadline so other schools would have more time.

The McHenry Plaindealer (McHenry, IL) – May 7, 1975

“Weekends and evenings were devoted to the tremendous task of obtaining signatures which ended in success.”

The McHenry Plaindealer (McHenry, IL) – May 14, 1975

“As the result of winning the Radio Station WCFL School Spirit contest, McHenry high school students won $1,000 for their scholarship fund and the opportunity to hear two well-known rock bands in concert.”

The McHenry Plaindealer (McHenry, IL) – May 14, 1975

Randy says “We’re not nervous, and we wanted to come. We were in high school once and wanted to come back and see if it has changed.”

The Daily Sentinel (Woodstock, IL) – May 16, 1975

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WCFL radio station in Chicago with Larry Lujack:

Randy Meisner, Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Cameron Crowe, Irving Azoff (Eagles manager), and DJ Larry Lujack

Don Felder, Randy Meisner, Glenn Frey, Dan Fogelberg, Don Henley, and DJ Larry Lujack

Don Henley is obviously very tired here, and Larry Lujack is quite amused.

Don Felder, Randy Meisner, and Glenn Frey

Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Irving Azoff (behind Henley), and Larry Lujack

“The finished product was given its world premiere on WCFL, one of Chicago’s two major AM rock stations; within two months it entered the national Top Ten.”

Rolling Stone magazine – Aug. 28, 1975