Don Henley turned in a terse and tidy little set at this 1991 Bridge School Benefit, opening with a smash from his solo years and closing with an Eagles chestnut. In his brief stage time, Henley offers the best of what these shows are about: Eclectic repertoire in an acoustic setting, as friends turn out to play music for a great cause.
The annual Bridge School Benefit has become a highlight of the Bay Area's concert schedule since it began in 1986. Founded by Pegi Young, Jim Forderer, and Marilyn Bozolich, the Bridge School developed educational programs to service the special needs of Bay Area children with severe speech disabilities and physical impairments and has been serving the community for well over two decades now. The annual fundraiser concert has gained support from many of the biggest names in the music industry, with artists performing special acoustic-based sets in the outdoor setting of the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California. This slice from the fifth annual Bridge School Benefit took place on November 2, 1991. The day also featured performances by Larry Keegan, John Lee Hooker, Nils Lofgren, Tracy Chapman, Sonic Youth, Willie Nelson, and of course, Neil Young.
Henley contributed "The End of the Innocence" (which when you get right down to it isn't a very innocent song at all). He covers Joni Mitchell's "River" in "honor" of the holidays: "I don't know about you, but I would always like to be frozen until January 2," he quips. And then there's "The Heart of the Matter," which is a sad one too. In an effort to chase the clouds away, he croons his way through "Come Rain or Come Shine" (yes, the standard) in a jazz arrangement, then rolls out the Eagles' gold with "Best of My Love." In short, this is Henley taking it to the Bridge—and delivering it straight from the heart.