The Bernie and Randy years were my favourite. Loved the country-rock they did.

he will always be a eagle

Bernie Leadon was the early sound of The Eagles! His sound was dominant in those early years and he deserves every bit of credit.

His solo on “Peaceful, Easy Feelin’” is one of my all-time favorites.

Bernie Leadon is the reason Desperado is the Eagles best album.

Bernie’s banjo makes Take It Easy complete!

Funnie fact: Bernie Leadon was born July 19, 1947; Brian May was born July 19, 1947; Carlos Santana was born July 20, 1947. Some six strings talents born under the same stars!

In Don Felders book, he states that on the day he joined the band everyone came up to him and was shaking his hand and when Bernie came up to him he grabbed his hand pulled in for a hug and whispered in his ear "Welcome to hell". Don is pretty blunt about the atmosphere the band was in at that time, Bernie was becoming distant, rarely there when everyone else was and Don knew, having been friends with him for a LONG time that Bernie was checking out. He had mentally made his decision and the dynamics had changed, the mood and the fun were gone, the hit machine was in full effect and Bernie wasn't 'feeling it' anymore. His contribution to the early material really does separate the two incarnations of the group. It's SO strange how all these guys ran into each other in Gainsville and then would all later play together or be big stars later. Stephen Stills, Tom Petty etc were all friends of Bernie and Don in the early days.

Loved this video on Bernie Leadon. You are dead on about this band changing themselves out of his use. Personally he was their singularly most talented string player they ever had. His pedal steel, banjo, and dobro along with phenomenal flatpicking acoustic work on their first three lp's were unmatched after he left. My all time favourite album is On the Border because of two songs 'Ol 55 and My Man. Both showed Bernie's beautiful steel guitar playing with that old Eagle style that made Country Rock mainstream way back when.

'My Man' is my fave song by Bernie

Early Bird is one of my favorite songs. The first time I heard it, it blew my mind. It's practically a Bernie solo song.

I was lucky enough to have seen the original Eagles lineup on December 16, 1973 at The Armory in Springfield, Illinois. They were touring in support of their second album 'Desperado'. I saw a bit of history that night. Maria Muldaur was scheduled to be the opening act but shortly before the show she had to cancel due to an illness. The local promoter contacted then Peoria/Pekin troubadour Dan Fogelberg to be her replacement. He did a 45 minute acoustic set (guitar and piano) of his newly penned songs. One year later, I heard and purchased his second album, 'Souvenirs', mainly because of the amazing assemblage of talent and music legends that were on the album. The songs seemed so familiar and it took me a few hot minutes to remember that I had heard most of them that night before The Eagles performance. I believe that this, quite possibly, is the very night that Dan Fogelberg and The Eagles first meet and the rest is music history.

I loved the country rock music !!

Thank you, for this documentary on Bernie! I think he was the most talented musician of those early years in the Eagles. He was also a great song writer, and his song on the first album , "Train Leaves Here This Morning" is one of my all time favorites!

Thanks for shining a light on a unappreciated master picker & excellent songwriter. As the 70s turned into the 80s, alot of players got left behind. Stephen Stills, Nick Drake, Mick Ronson, Ed King, Rick Derringer, 3 of the members of the eagles if you count randy (and I do). All with great stories. I love your channel because you share stories about under appreciated musicians.

The last I heard, that Eagles Greatest Hits album is not only the #1 Eagles album but the #1 album of all time, period! It edged out Michael Jackson's Thriller album a few years ago! Love your Docs RD! Seeya Sunday night!

My favorite Eagles albums are the first 4 albums. I really liked the sound of the band on the Desperado album.

He’s a multi talented guy. Hell of a banjo player!

That's exactly right..I'm 63 years old and I lived in Arizona from the 60s to early 90s and we lived in Apache junction all through the 70s. When one of these night album came out I was already hooked on the early eagles because of Bernie Leadon and Randy Miesner, mostly. Bernie Leadon is by far the best string musician and folk writer ever. I was born in Tennessee in smokey mountains in 1960 so Bernie leadon hit home with me with his style of music. I chose the acoustic guitar and electric guitar because of Bernie leadon. And I sat and learned a lot of eagles songs because of Bernie Leadon. I'd love to meet Bernie leadon one day and just play stuff. Anything it don't matter. I've been friends with a lot of very good star musicians over the years and played for some of them on off tour Venues. Bernie leadon is the one person I always wanted meet and do a little jam session. I'm not near the musician him and most are but I have my act totally together. Hope he does another album soon. Thank you Bernie Leadon.

Excellent Very Informative. Take it Easy came out around '72 when i was 14 and i remember it very well. To me, the Bernie Leadon years are The Eagles. The sound is not the same without him

I saw the History of the Eagles tour with Bernie. It was magic.

Great video centered on Bernie 🎉👍!! "I Wish You Peace" is highlighted from One Of These Nights!! Another great tune overlooked is one of my all time favorites from The Eagles, "Journey of the Sorcerer," which sounds like per this video I have Bernie to thank!!

I got hoooked right away when I heard Bernie playing the 5-string picking on the first album. Became a long time banjo picker ever since.

I love music history. Always read the liner notes and kept up with musicians as they moved around from band to band. I liked this mini documentary very much.

Great piece of work!! Thanks for highlighting Bernie Leadon’s work!

I bought the Bernie Leadon Michael Georgiades album when it first came out. It took a bit to warm up to it, but now many songs on that album are on many of my playlists. "Your the singer" is one of my favorite songs and I refer to it often in my conversations with friends.

Would love to see you do a documentary on a very underrated guitar player Toy Caldwell of the Marshall Tucker band 👍🏻

Thanx amigo ! I met Bernie in 1973 when I knocked on Michael Clarke's "A-Frame" house door to ask Mike if he would play drums in my new country band at the Silver sword Inn in Kula , Maui ..Actually my first real band . I was 22 1/2 yrs old . They weren't much older . Bernie was sitting on Mike's sofa with a Tele . They were jamming . We had a beer or 3 and Michael said yes he would play drums with me . First week end gigs ,Bernie sat in with us and My Young mind was Blown ..I was real green and They were SO kind and generous with the knowledge they shared with me . Michael and I were friends until his death.. I have been a better musician for the experience . I learned a lot and Bernie remains one of my great living Heroes ! Thanx Ya'll >>> J D

He sure did....a great player who is underappreciated

Great video. Thankyou! Bernie was/is brilliant!

Thank you for this documentary! Really great. Always loved and appreciated Bernie's talent; his many contributions to Eagles. Thought he was pretty fine, too. 😊 Was sad when he left the band. I'll have to check out that album you mentioned. Thanks again! You have a new follower. I enjoyed Randy's very much, also. God rest his soul ❤

Excellent video brother Bernie added great vocal harmonies and the eagles never achieved that again with Bernie’s replacements

as always i know a little more than i did! Thanks River Docs!

Bernie brought the roots to the "Country Rock" genre. Banjo on "Take It Easy", his multi-instrumentation was paramount in the band! His resume speaks for itself, imho... I'm happy for him, livin' the Dream! #BigLove

just goes to show that success is fleeting and unpredictable...the eagle's brand grew strong .and lived a life of its own...lots of talent...that's for sure

🥁🌞🌈...Bernie Leadon always on fire solois guitar playing music country Rock...👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻💯💯💯🔥🔥🔥❤️❤️❤️🎸😎🤟

❤ country rock era of the Eagles timeless

Very good documentary. Thanks

What a great video…Thanks 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Absolutely loved this, thank you very much

Buddy Bern...He was at my wedding. We're both musicians ,we never ever talk shop , our mutual interest are ecological and spiritual.........We never talk about his past. And I appreciate his anonymity ...He is an anti celeb......Probably the most small-town folk/bluegrass attitude of anyone I've ever known, Next would be Vince those folk festival guys could care less about fame. Although I got him the late Earl Scruggs autograph and he was impressed w that, lol

Just discovered your channel and I'm glad I did. Thank you for the work you do 🙏

Thanks for doing this man 🎼🎸🎼

Callin´ For Your Love is a gem....with some very inspired drumming...and what a crash cymbal!...You´re welcome....

Great mini doc! Thanks man!

One of the best ever-My Man tells it like it is.

Just great stuff and brings up so many memories and emotions. I so glad I was able to grow up in this Time and a time ,with it's ups and downs , were the best times of my life. Thanks Doctor Doc. I will Ketchup.

Bernie Leadon's country Telecaster B-bender licks in the early Eagles was their sound !!!

Great video, thank you so much,, I learned a lot ! Huge Eagles fan, Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman, I enjoyed the details and different aspects you chose to highlight! I'm happy for a guy who can walk away for a healthier lifestyle, wise choices never hurt anyone ,,,, This music meant so much to me, learned to play the 5 and 6 string, a lot of influences are mentioned in your video, along with the great bluegrass players of the same era. Thanks for posting !! from Canada

I really enjoyed this video. Thank you for letting me know about it! Bernie and Randy are my two favorite Eagles.

Thank you. Well done.

Eagles one of the greatest band ever had the privilege is getting to see him twice when I was young the lullaby members that were all great

Their long-range ambition was to be a successful hard-rock band, which they achieved. Yes, Bernie could have stayed & been part of it, but being a country musician at heart, he wouldn't have enjoyed it & got out at the right time. I love his heartfelt tribute to Gram Parsons, 'My Man.'

well done documentary about this highly under rated man - Bernie Leadon is in my personal Hall of Fame

I still have the songbook for the 71-75 hits. It was that very songbook that taught me how to play guitar as a teen.

Loved this video!!! I was eleven years old in 71 and 15 in 75. Loved the Eagles. Still do. Saw them July 20th 1978 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. Dan Fogelberg and Linda opened for them. At the end the Glen called everyone out on stage including Jackson Brown for on cores. One of the BEST SHOWS I HAVE EVER SEEN!!!! RIP GLENN 🙏. AND KEEP ROCKIN GUYS!!!!

I wish Bernie spoke for himself more. There are very few interviews with him leading to a lot of speculation. He was sort of the guy in the shadow of Henley and Frey. None of his songs became mega hits but his unique sound really put Eagles on the map. I have a lot of respect for his quiet dignity. He apologized to Glenn for how he quit the band but he never hung his head in shame. I really wish he’d write a book about his life. I think a lot of people would buy it, myself included.

Great video mate

Love your channel and it blew my mind you made this for Bernie while im currently doin more research into him! Excellent video

I saw Eagles with Bernie cant remember 2015? Im a younger fan and guitar player and his playing on the songs are sooo impactful live it was a real treat seeing and hearing him. I had to educate my parents who are OG fans on him - hes the one that does the lick in take it easy mom haha. Train leaves here this morning and peaceful easy feeling sounded so authentic. We were never there and will never truly know what really went on back in the day. Great mini doc, doc

This channel is is right up there as far as my favorite channels for old-school info kind of like Otis Gibbs' Channel

That was a great short documentary...

Thank you, i love your prospective and REALLY REALLY Appreciate how you made clear a couple of times that it was only your opinion. Just a side note, the moment that really let the Eagles out of the bag and into the super group they became - was when Glynn Johns was about to dump them and give up on them he happened to walk back into the studio after going to lunch or something and happened to hear the boys doing the harmonizing vocals like they do so well on the song 7 bridges row. Glynn was floored and said YES I am not giving up on these guys this is just too good. In my youth I was lucky enough to see just about every band i ever wanted to see except for the Eagles. Then i was SO LUCKY to see their last tour with Glenn Fry and this included Bernie !! My life is complete now LOL

Got a ton of respect for Bernie for his musical talent and his integrity! One of my favorite videos is THE ONE TIME all for original Eagles backed Linda Ronstadt on stage before they were officially Eagles. The song was “Silver Threads And Golden Needles” and It was PERFECT!! Frankly I’ve always wondered why Bernie, Randy and Felder didn’t get together and form another band? I guess hindsight is always 20/20 but then again you never know what those three might have had against each other too. Rand and Bernie’s big mistake was not to do what Don Felder did and Hold out against Henley, Frey and Azoff for their fair share of Eagles ownership.

Great commentary

well done….again 👍🏼

Mirror is a pretty good album and what do I own is a catchy song it really appeals to ones self worth.

Ah Bernie...so important to the music and legacy of the Eagles. His harmonies and "pickin and grinnin" were his trademark. Your thoughts on why he left the band are right on...when he poured the frosty one over Glen's head he told him "you need to chill out!" Had it w/drama queen's Frey and Henley and their own personal Satan Irving A... Thank you for this channel...accurate history of rock and roll are important to me...

Thank you Bernie

Their first album was great, Desperado an icon, pure art. Still I love some of the later rock songs as well the contributions to their sound by Joe Walsh. His album Barnstorm remains one of my favorites. So much great music was made. Will the circle be unbroken reflects the moment in time. Flying Burritobrothers, The Birds, Creedence, Hendrix, Traffic, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Steely Dan, I could go on for hours, would return to roots like blues, jazz, bossa nova, Cuban, French, spanish, gypsy, classic and so on. Music balms the soul and expresses our emotions in languages that can be both individual as well as universal. Fly like an eagle. Take a trip to the House of the Rising Sun or Hotel California, meet your Witchy woman, Cry me a river and realise that Times they are achanging.

Well done doc

Great video as always! I love the Eagles with all the lineups they had. I always thought JD Souther would have been a good fit with them. I know he wrote a few songs for them.Also a big Linda Ronstadt fan! Love the picture of Emmy Lou@ 10:36 What a rack!

He was a great country rock guitar player but Felder and Walsh brought them to a more rock based music

His choice. I don't even want to know. He is a really great musician. So whatever we did get was a plus. Because ALL OF THE EAGLES ARE SUPREME!!!

I like his face after he completes the lead on "Take it Easy" live 1973 BBC broadcast. He gets cudos from Glen and has a big smile. Did he write that lead I winder, it's always been one of my favorite guitar leads

In Felder book ,you get a feeling that Bernie was a mentor for Don ! From flying burrito and turning into country Rock,but then heading harder rock ,not for Bernie of country Roots,heard that one of these nights,was his last night's with Eagle's! And don't laugh I see Vince,Gill and Bernie jamin on stage down in Honky Tonk Nashville! And tossing in a few eagle tunes! Bernie I hope you read this! Long road from Jacksonville!

After watching that Eagles documentary, I got the impression that Bernie, Randy, and Felder were all driven out of the band by Frey. This is just my opinion.

Glenn and Don definitely had a certain magic in their composition and attitude as musicians, that's clearly evident. But the great thing about The Eagles is that it wasn't just them that made it a great band: it's also abundantly clear that every other member that passed through the ranks in the 70's was integral to the whole of what makes that band's classic run one of the finest stretches of time in all of popular music. What a great fuckin band.

Nice job. Obviously The Eagles were able to maintain their success after he left, but for my tastes they never quite matched those early albums. Bernie is one of MANY examples of why it can be so hard to keep a great band together in their original form. You have to mesh both musically and personally, and things can really change once success and fame come along. Time (i.e. personal 'growth'), success, fame, outside influences, drugs, there is so much that can change the dynamic. It amazes me that some of these bands can stay together for so long.

The song Best Of My Love was the turning point for the Eagles IMHO. Flying Burrito Brothers were fantastic too!

When I first heard "You're The Singer", I thought it was The Eagles.

Mooi man.

Love your videos, please make one on Glenn Frey too.

Bernies fills were genius

In 2004 I was living in Brunswick, GA. A local newspaper advertised an upcoming concert to be held in Waycross, GA featuring Bernie Leadon who would be headlining a Gram Parsons festival to be held in Waycross in November 2004. Apparently, Waycross, GA was the former home of Gram Parsons. I immediately knew who Bernie Leadon was, and the idea of a former Eagle's member going to perform at an outdoor fairground intrigued me, and I knew I was destined to attend. Waycross, GA is in the middle of South Georgia surrounded by The Okefenokee Swamp and farmland. The concert was in the evening, and it was cold that night down in the forties. There were less than 500 people in the audience. There were no seats. I just stood on the bare ground about thirty feet from the concrete stage. Bernie played off a concrete stage about five feet off the ground along with a mandolin player. There were no drums or bass or other singers who accompanied him. There were several other local bands that played up until Bernie took the stage around 8 PM. He played for about two hours. No one much but me was showing interest because it was apparent this was a younger crowd who had no idea what Bernie represented and how powerful a musical figure he was. I was 47 at the time, ten years younger than Bernie and had grown up in Central Florida in the seventies listening to the Eagle's music. When Bernie took the stage, I stood there for two hours or more fixated on the stage. I could hardly believe I was looking at a former member of the Eagles standing 30 feet from me on the stage. There was no security or police presence or roadies for that matter. Bernie had a rack on stage that had about 12 different guitars of different makes and colors. He would change guitars after each song. Bernie was dressed in brown khakis and a pullover shirt and wearing running shoes. There was one other person, an older woman who stood up in front of me who was older than me. She stood in front of the stage the entire time and I am sure she knew the significance of what it meant to have Bernie Leadon in Waycross, GA. Bernie had a bald head and his arms looked filled out and was hardly recognizable to the way he looked on the covers of the Eagle's albums in the early seventies. In the seventies he had blonde hair and was much thinner. Bernie mentioned the cold temperatures that night affecting his ability to keep his guitars in tune. It was in the forties, and he was on the stage in a short sleeve shirt. Myself, also being a guitar player, was aware of the difficulty of keeping a guitar in tune in cold outdoor temperatures. No one but me and the woman were really paying any attention to Bernie's performance, because as I said earlier, I do not believe hardly anyone there knew who Bernie was. Bernie talked little of the Eagles. He did, however, perform the Hollywood Waltz accompanied by a mandolin player. I believe he spoke of having a hand in writing that song. That was the only song related to the Eagles. Bernie spoke of his new album "Mirror", and played several songs from that album. The acoustics were terrible because this was totally out in the open and as far as I could tell, there was no sound crew present during the event. I immediately ordered a copy of the Mirror CD the next day. I do not recall if the CD was on sale at the concert. I went by myself to the concert and was in deep reverence and awe during Bernie's entire performance. The Mirror album was cryptic in nature and it was not a happy album, which is fine. It reflected the darker inner feelings of Bernie the artist. The last song "God Ain't Done with me yet" gave me chills when I heard it. It appears there was a complicated alternative tuning away from standard tuning of the guitar. The one thing I deeply regret to this day: After Bernie was finished playing, the concert was over. I was in no hurry to leave and so I meandered around behind the stage. I looked down a short dirt driveway and there was Bernie less than 50 feet away manually loading his guitar rack into the back of what looked like a Ford Explorer. There was not a person around him or helping him. I wanted so badly to walk to where he was and ask to shake his hand and actually meet him and tell him how much I enjoyed the privilege of being there. But I was to afraid to do so. There was no security. He was just a guy loading a rack of guitars in a vehicle and I could have met him but chose not to. I regret my decision to this very day. Bernie spoke often about Gram Parsons who I knew little of. As I said, the name of the event was a Gram Parsons festival with Bernie, a former bandmate of Gram headlining the festival.

It's interesting that Leadon and Felder were buddies as teens. I wasn't aware he was the connection to Felder. I don't guess there's ever been a more in demand fly under the radar professional musician to have ever existed.

Nice video and quite informative. I would have liked more color on Bernie's association with the Dillard and Clark Expedition. Their albums are attracting a much younger audience these days and Bernie's perspective on Gene Clark and Doug Dillard would be very interesting.

Bernie reefs ARE the eagles sound. In the late tour, most reefs where Burnie's! One of the Best musicians walking the earth! LOVE HIM DEARLY AS A MUSICIAN.

howdy 👋 🤠

Let's hope they bring him along for the last tour .

75 years old now, where did all the time go?

I've been doing a deeper dive into the Eagles after Randy died. Bernie seems like a solid guy. Like him - I live on acreage and wouldn't have it any other way.

Bernie is a terrific player and helped make Eagles the band they are. But the other guys wanted to be a real rock roll band and Bernie didn't. That simple. No one is necessarily the bad guy, just a natural parting of the ways.

magic ............well done great voice you have i listen to it on .75 check it out cheers neill

It seems to me that there is one common denominator on why so many of the people who left the Eagles left, Glenn Frey. Think about it, Bernie, Don Felder, Randy Meisner all left after some confrontation with Glenn. For as talented as he was, he must have been difficult to work with.

Bernie at Altimont! OMG!

Still the best eagles material

My favs were up to and including one of these nights . i dont mind hoetel cali and long run but the best were the earlier stuff. Luved randy miesner on the bass sad when he left too.

This is the first time I have ever seen anyone else mention the Natural Progressions album. My dad found that for me in a pile of records at a tag sale and it has always been one of my fav acoustic rock albums.(While i was DJing at WLIS in Old Saybrook, I used to slip The Sparrow into my rotation once in a while ;-) I will agree that the vocals could have had more punch but the music and song writing!? Exceptional.

The true Eagles , the best