Fans of NBC's hot new police procedural Miami Vice were in for a treat on Feb. 1, 1985: an appearance from an Eagle!
Former Eagles singer Glenn Frey was on hand in a cameo appearance on the series' 16th episode "Smuggler's Blues." In it, Detectives Crockett (Don Johnson) and Tubbs (Phillip Baker Hall) aid the DEA with a dangerous, international undercover mission. The duo are aided by Jimmy Cole, a guitar-playing pilot portrayed by Frey.
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Not surprisingly, Frey's song "Smuggler's Blues," from second solo album The Allnighter, figured heavily into the episode. Miami Vice executive producer Michael Mann reportedly heard the song on the radio and realized its lyrics would match up with a show he was working on allegedly pitched as "MTV cops." Frey allowed "Smuggler's Blues" to appear on the show's chart-topping soundtrack, and also contributed an original, "You Belong to the City." Both songs became smash hits as a result, with "City" peaking at No. 2 - one spot behind Starship's "We Built This City" and one ahead of Miami Vice's theme song by Jan Hammer, a recent No. 1 smash.
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