It’s a peaceful, easy feeling knowing that Don Henley of the legendary band Eagles hails from Linden.

The founding member of the famed music group was actually born in July 1947 in nearby Gilmer, Texas, but grew up in Linden. Henley was a singer, songwriter and drummer with the iconic band from 1971 until the group broke up in 1980, at which time he launched a solo career.

In the 1990s, he was also behind efforts to get the Music City Texas Theater established in Linden, in a late 1940s building that was formerly known as the Linden American Legion Auditorium. After a major renovation to the structure, Music City Texas Theater opened in 2003. The nonprofit theater was originally conceived by the Linden Economic Development Corporation as a way to promote tourism in Linden and Cass County as well as the surrounding area.

Today, the theater hosts concerts ranging from nationally known artists to regional and local entertainers from all genres of music. From time to time, the theater also presents “Super Shows” featuring huge stars from the entertainment industry, and one of those past concerts featured Henley. Others who have performed at Music City Texas Theater include Jackson Browne, Emmylou Harris, Jimmy Buffett and Joe Walsh.