Clearly, fact-checking is not a stylish thing to do...so pardon my notes:
Joe Walsh joined the group in 1974 when they were already very famous (and so was he: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qF2OP_gFsz4 ). He replaced Randy Meisner (Bernie Leadon was already gone http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL6Fa_1pMCU )
Still no knock on your taste in music though: I’ve seen some great concerts (The Who in SF, Grateful Dead/Who at Oakland, Eric Clapton at the Cow Palace, Traffic at Winterland, etc.) but the most professional concert I ever saw was the mature Eagles just a few years ago at the RBC Center. They still had every ounce of fire they ever had and there is simply no experience like ‘Desperado’ when a grown-up Don Henley sings it.
You're right, don't know why I was thinking Joe was part of the original band.
I heard about them being formed to back up Ronstadt on a recent replay of American Top 40 and just started rattling off names....thanks for the correction.