Boyd Elder created the painted skull artwork for the Eagles’ 1975 album One of These Nights. Also known as “El Chingadero,” the Texas artist became closely associated with vividly decorated animal skulls and Southwestern imagery.
Elder knew the Eagles from an art-gallery exhibition in Venice, California, where members of the newly formed band attended and performed. He later became friends with album-cover designer Gary Burden, who was interested in using one of Elder’s skull pieces for an Eagles release.
Elder presented two works to the band in Dallas in late 1974, and one was selected for One of These Nights. The artwork’s skull-and-feather motif became one of the Eagles’ most recognizable visual identities. Elder later created another skull image used on Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975).
Gary Burden is an important associated name, but he was the designer who helped bring the artwork to the album rather than the artist who created the skull piece. David Alexander and John Kosh were not the correct creators of this cover image.