Introduction
“Peaceful Easy Feeling” began life in the early 1970s as a laid-back country‑rock tune penned by San Diego singer-songwriter Jack Tempchin. While performing in folk coffee shops and sleeping on floors during his early career, Tempchin started working on the song’s opening lines on the back of a promotional poster in El Centro. He later completed the third verse in a parking lot in San Diego, inspired by imagery of a woman with “turquoise earrings” he’d spotted in Old Town San Diego .
Tempchin’s demo eventually reached a newly formed band in Los Angeles: the Eagles. Glenn Frey, impressed by the song’s mellow charm, asked Tempchin if they could further develop it. Less than two weeks later, the Eagles—just eight days old as a band—recorded it for their self-titled debut album. Released as their third single on December 1, 1972, with “Tryin’” as its B‑side , the track featured Frey on lead vocals, Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner on lush harmonies, and Don Henley on drums. The song became one of the Eagles’ most enduring classics, peaking at No. 22 on the Billboard charts .
Musically, the song defines soft‑rock/country‑rock with breezy acoustic guitar, rich three‑part harmonies, and warm, evocative lyrics. Critics praised its melodic appeal—Billboard called it “pop‑flavored progressive country” and Record World dubbed it “mellow country folk music at its best” .
Fast‑forward to 2019–20: country icon Ronnie Dunn included “Peaceful Easy Feeling” as part of his album Re‑Dunn, a deeply personal project of covers that shaped his musical DNA. Dunn performed it with heartfelt authenticity, recalling that playing the Eagles classic in clubs felt “country to me” and became a natural part of his repertoire .
From Tempchin’s humble beginnings to its status in the Eagles’ catalog, and finally Dunn’s soulful homage, “Peaceful Easy Feeling” remains a timeless bridge between country roots and soft-rock storytelling.