Don Henley will no doubt mourn the passing of his fellow band mate and longtime close friend Glenn Frey for the rest of his life. Frey died less than a week ago, on January 18. He was 67 years old.

“He was like a brother to me; we were family, and like most families, there was some dysfunction,” Henley said in a statement to Entertainment Tonight. “But, the bond we forged 45 years ago was never broken, even during the 14 years that the Eagles were dissolved. We were two young men who made the pilgrimage to Los Angeles with the same dream: to make our mark in the music industry — and with perseverance, a deep love of music, our alliance with other great musicians and our manager, Irving Azoff, we built something that has lasted longer than anyone could have dreamed.”

Don Henley on Glenn Frey: "The bond we forged 45 years ago was never broken" https://t.co/sqZMy4E3UC pic.twitter.com/s4Ush91v6O

— billboard (@billboard) January 20, 2016

Don Henley and Glenn Frey wrote some of the Eagles’ greatest hits together, including “Hotel California” and “Desperado.” The Eagles split up in 1980, but reunited in 1994. They recorded and toured as a band until 2015.

Don Henley gives credit to Glenn Frey for the Eagles.

“Glenn was the one who started it all,” he said. “He was the spark plug, the man with the plan. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of popular music and a work ethic that wouldn’t quit. He was funny, bullheaded, mercurial, generous, deeply talented and driven.”

“We are all in a state of shock, disbelief and profound sorrow,” Henley added. “We brought our two-year ‘History of the Eagles Tour’ to a triumphant close at the end of July and now he is gone.”

Don Henley first met Glenn Frey when playing backup for Linda Ronstadt in the 1970s.

Don Henley released a heartbreaking statement after the death of Glenn Frey. https://t.co/qmGiVTZnSU pic.twitter.com/lqTf1OgciT

— EntertainmentTonight (@etnow) January 19, 2016

“I’m not sure I believe in fate, but I know that crossing paths with Glenn Lewis Frey in 1970 changed my life forever, and it eventually had an impact on the lives of millions of other people all over the planet,” Henley said in a few words of tribute to Glenn Frey. “It will be very strange going forward in a world without him in it. But, I will be grateful, every day, that he was in my life. Rest in peace, my brother. You did what you set out to do, and then some.”

Glenn Frey is survived by his wife, Cindy, as well as three children–Taylor, Deacon, and Otis.