Legendary Eagles Co-Founder Bernie Leadon Releases New Album After 50-Year Career

In 2025, Bernie Leadon, a co-founder of the legendary band the Eagles, has released a new album titled "Too Late to Be Cool." Leadon, who was born in Minneapolis and raised in Gainesville, Florida, grew up steeped in bluegrass and acoustic traditions. His early work with Dillard & Clark and the Burrito Brothers in the late 1960s and early 1970s helped lay the foundation for what would later be known as the Americana genre, blending traditional instrumentation with progressive songwriting.

Leadon's contributions to the Eagles' signature sound in the early 1970s, playing guitar, banjo, pedal steel, and mandolin, were crucial in defining the band's country-rock fusion. He co-wrote the hit "Witchy Woman" with Don Henley and was the lead guitarist on the band's best-selling album, "Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975."

After leaving the Eagles in 1975, Leadon became a sought-after collaborator, working with artists such as Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Now, in the 21st century, Leadon has returned with "Too Late to Be Cool," a collection of original songs that reunites him with Eagles producer Glyn Johns. The album was recorded live to analog tape without overdubs, reflecting Leadon's preference for authenticity over flash.