By Hillel Italie, AP

NEW YORK — Glenn Frey, who co-founded the Eagles and with Don Henley became one of history’s most successful songwriting teams with such hits as “Hotel California” and “Life in the Fast Lane,” has died.

Frey, who was 67, died of complications from rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis and pneumonia, the band said on its website. He died on Monday in New York. He had fought the ailments for the past several weeks, the band said.

“The Frey family would like to thank everyone who joined Glenn to fight this fight and hoped and prayed for his recovery,” a statement on the band’s website said.

Guitarist Frey and drummer Henley formed the Eagles in Los Angeles in the early 1970s, along with guitarist Bernie Leadon and bassist Randy Meisner. They would become a top act over the next decade, embodying the melodic California sound.

The Eagles last played in Lake Tahoe in summer 2014 as part of the Harveys Outdoor Concert Series. They played two sold-out shows.

An Eagles greatest hits collection from the mid-1970s and “Hotel California” are among the best-selling albums in history.

Frey was born in Detroit and was raised in its suburbs. His solo hits include “The Heat Is On” and “Smuggler’s Blues.”

Frey was lead vocalist on the Eagles’ breakthrough hit, “Take It Easy,” a song mostly written by Jackson Browne that came out in 1972. His other showcases included “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” ”Already Gone” and “New Kid in Town.”

The Eagles split up in 1980 but reunited in 1994 and were one of the world’s most popular concert acts. The band, which for years was made up of Frey, Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit, was supposed to have been honored at the Kennedy Center last month. But the appearance was postponed because of Frey’s health problems.

Frey, known for his oversized jaw, big grin and blunt personality, loved music, girls and the rock ‘n’ roll life. He would meet up with Henley, Meisner and Leadon while all were trying to catch on in the Los Angeles music scene, and for a time the four backed Linda Ronstadt. They also befriended such other Los Angeles-based musicians as Browne and J.D. Souther, who would collaborate on “New Kid in Town” and other Eagles songs.

They harmonized memorably on stage and on record but fought often otherwise. Leadon and Meisner departed after run-ins with Frey, and guitarist Don Felder, who had joined the group in 1974, ended up in legal action with the Eagles.

Frey and Henley also became estranged for years, their breach a key reason the band stayed apart in the 1980s. Henley had vowed the Eagles would reunite only when “hell freezes over,” which became the name of the 1994 album they never imagined making.

Here’s a look at some of Frey’s most memorable Eagles songs:

• “Take It Easy”: With its glittering guitar opening and touch of country twang, “Take It Easy” was the Eagles’ first single in 1972 and became one of the band’s signature songs. It was mostly written by Jackson Browne, but Frey added a line and sings lead vocals.
• “Tequila Sunrise”: Co-written with Henley and sang by Frey, this heartbreaking song was the first single off the band’s 1973 album, “Desperado.”
• “One of These Nights”: Another hit written with Henley, Frey said in 2003 that “One of These Nights” was his favorite Eagles tune, calling it “a breakthrough song.” It was the title track of the band’s 1975 album and its second single.
• “New Kid in Town:” The first single off of 1976’s “Hotel California,” ”New Kid in Town” features Frey’s lead vocals and Henley’s harmonies. They co-wrote the song with frequent collaborator J.D. Souther.
• “Heartache Tonight”: A late ’70s-early ’80s anthem, “Heartache Tonight” appeared on the 1979 album “The Long Run” and won a Grammy Award for best rock vocal performance by a duo or group. Frey, Henley and Souther wrote the track with Bob Seger. Frey sang lead vocals.