Watch A Super Rare Performance Video Of “Rocky Mountain Way” By Joe Walsh

Relive this rare video of Joe Walsh performing his classic “Rocky Mountain Way” back in 1986.

Right after leaving his old group, the James Gang, Walsh became terrified of what his future would bring. With his newly-formed group Barnstorm, Walsh took another shot at music, and this time, he got lucky with the release of the song “Rocky Mountain Way,” for which he wrote the lyrics.

In a 2012 interview with Howard Stern, Walsh explained how he got into writing the song’s lyrics, which happened while he was temporarily residing in Colorado. “I’m living in Colorado and I’m mowing the lawn,” he told Stern. “I look up and there’s the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains and there’s snow on them in the summer. And it knocked me back because it was just beautiful. And I thought, ‘Well I have committed. I’m already in Colorado and it’s too late to regret the James Gang. The Rocky Mountain way is better than the way I had because the music was better.’ I got the words. Bam!”

The song became ingrained in Walsh’s career over the years, apart from his legendary work with his current group, Eagles. “Rocky Mountain Way” became Walsh’s redemption song, teaching the listeners that it’s okay to pick up the rough path in life if it guarantees success in the end.

The video below shows Walsh performing with Mark Hudson at the Late Show with Joan Rivers in 1986. Walsh’s live performances between his James Gang days and Eagles days are a rarity, so consider yourself a lucky fan.