Eagles Continue Sphere Shows with New Guitarist as Steuart Smith Steps Down Due to Parkinsonism
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The Eagles have introduced Chris Holt as their new guitarist for their 2025 Sphere shows, following Steuart Smith's retirement due to his Parkinsonism diagnosis. Parkinsonism, a condition causing movement-related symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease, led Smith to step down after 25 years with the band.
"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," Smith stated in his retirement announcement.
Don Henley expressed the band's gratitude: "The Eagles will be forever grateful for the extraordinary talents that he brought to both our recordings and live performances. Steuart will be greatly missed, but he will always be part of our musical family."
Chris Holt, the band's new guitarist, brings impressive credentials, having performed with renowned artists including Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Stevie Nicks, and the Doobie Brothers. His most recent work was with Mike Campbell's Dirty Knobs.
Speaking to The Dallas Morning News about following in the footsteps of Stueart Smith, Don Felder, and Bernie Leadon, Holt expressed his commitment to honoring their legacy: "It's some of the most beautiful guitar work ever recorded, in my opinion. It's the highest honor for me to do it and it's my duty to get it right."