Bernie Leadon, founding member of the Eagles and one of the main builders of country rock, has released the title track from his upcoming album Too Late To Be Cool. The new video shows an artist who knows exactly where he came from and where he’s going.
The visual is a standout. Bernie walks forward through life while the world around him runs in reverse. Traffic, people, and moments spin backward as he moves ahead with calm confidence. It feels like memory and momentum at the same time. His walk carries decades of music, culture, and reinvention. Then, right at the point where you think he might settle into a quiet, reflective mood, he jumps behind the wheel of a Ferrari and tears down the road at 125 miles per hour. The message is clear: Bernie Leadon will always be cool.
Long before this return, Bernie was shaping the sound of American roots music. Born July 19, 1947, he grew up steeped in bluegrass and became a rare multi-instrumentalist. Guitar, banjo, mandolin, steel guitar, and dobro were all part of his toolbox. Those skills powered early bands like Hearts and Flowers, Dillard and Clark, and the Flying Burrito Brothers, groups that blended folk, bluegrass, and rock into something new.
In 1971 he joined the Eagles, completing the original lineup. His playing and harmony work defined the band’s early sound, from Take It Easy and Peaceful Easy Feeling to Witchy Woman, which he co wrote with Don Henley. On Desperado he gave the songs a steady acoustic core, and on On The Border he helped bring in Don Felder, pushing the band into a sharper electric edge. His tribute to Gram Parsons, My Man, remains one of the most heartfelt tracks of the era.
As the Eagles moved toward a heavier rock direction, Bernie stepped away in 1975. Joe Walsh took his place, and the band soared into stadium sized success. The compilation Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) later spotlighted the years shaped by his playing and went on to become one of the best selling albums in American history.
Bernie continued working in the studio world, released two solo albums, and appeared on countless recordings across genres. In 1998 he entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the Eagles, a permanent marker of his influence.
Too Late To Be Cool is a reminder of how much presence, wit, and musical instinct Bernie still carries.
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