What Was It Like Being in the Eagles? - Bernie Leadon Interview Part 2 

Bernie is GREAT to listen to. He’s honest, no ego, and very articulate. Great musician

I got " Eagled out " for a bit ...then I began digging into Bernie and Meisner ...those two dudes were a HUGE part , if not the best part of the Eagles ....great interview "

IMO this is the Eagles. Randy and Bernie.

What an honest and wonderful guy I wish Randy was on this interview.

Bernie’s honesty is refreshing. No carping about the past. Who screwed who.

I liked Randy Miesner's " Take it to the limit," the best out of all of those early Eagles songs. I have been more of a POCO fan over the decades. I still like the Eagles . "Long road out of Eden," great album! Bernie- cool guy, talented, and may have missed the big time with later Eagles activity, but he also dodged that nasty vitriolic period too!

Bernie is one of my favorite Eagles!

This guy is such a legend! Low key and very talented musician.!

The first two Eagle albums. All anybody needs.

Definitely they were Best with Bernie.

Great interview. Bernie is down to earth

On the Border is the only (Eagles) album where you get full-on enthusiastic, accepted (by other members) contributions from each member. Randy was still really involved & not yet so ready to leave... Bernie was still contributing as much as he usually did... Bottom line is that for those of us who really love Felder, Leadon and Meissner bc of how amazing the band sounded with those voices and their instruments, OTB was their most amazing, jam-packed with everyone's "sound contributions" piece of work. It's still got that great country/country-rock thing happening but it's also where they really started to ROCK bc they had Felder come in last-minute & add his touch to a lot of the material. By the time OneOTN was in preproduction 2 of the original members were leaving (Leadon) and about to leave (Meissner). I'm just thankful we got one last album with Meisner's vocals (Hotel California) because their harmonies NEVEF sounded as full and rich again after Randy left. Hotel C. wouldn't have sounded NEARLY as good with Timothy. Sorry, Tim but you're really just a FALSE-etto Tenor. Randy didn't have to use his girly voice to reach the notes.

"Bitter Creek", I think, is Bernie's best song, and one of the best acoustic Eagles song.

Yes. I agree the EARLY EAGLES ARE THE BEST. 1ST 4 LPS

if you have never done it, you should interview Felder

Love these Bernie Leadon interviews. Thank you.

I thought Don Felder added class. His guitar playing was tiers higher.

My man is definitely one of my favorites. Learned a lot of their songs on guitar. My man reminds me of a great friend of mine who's not here anymore.

This is a great interview. As a young musician in the early 70’s, and having a mix of folk, country and R&B in my background, I naturally loved the Eagles. Bernie’s guitar tones were as important to me on the first 3 albums as were the iconic vocal harmonies of the band. I recognized Bernie as a genius on their first record. He and later Don Felder were well-educated musicians, understanding a lot more than three-chords-and-a-5th… it tickles me to hear hi. Talk about some of the musical theory behind their hits. There was more of that in the first half of this interview, of course. As a bass player and guitar teacher/coach I would tell guitar players to listen to Leadon’s solo on Take It Easy as an example of how a solo should be constructed, with every note and phrase rising to a peak that flows from the vocal melody into the last verse or chorus of a song. Some listened and learned, most didn’t have the ear to hear it. Oh, well. 🤷‍♂️ I think his best instrumental work was on that album, and on On The Border. It’s very cool to know he and I are both friends of Bill W. It’s great to know he has done well with his life. Thank you for publishing this interview.

Before I even knew their names and who wrote what song, the first four albums were my favs, and BY FAR, all of Bernie's compositions were and still are my favorite Eagles songs. I think HE was the key songwriter and player. He is right, the vibe started changing, and it was great with Joe, but the original four were the coolest.

The Eagles are a rare band that doesn't have a single song I don't like.

Fantastic interview. 👍🏻

While I love all the Eagles record's from '71-'80 my favorite were the one's with you on them. I love Bitter Creek, Twenty One and have always been especially fond of My Man. It made me cry when I first heard it when I was 13 and still does now that he's been in that old Hickory Wind since 1981. He was a traveling musician like I turned out to be. Thank you for all the good songs, guitar, banjo and steel and the 'vibe' you helped give the band in the first place.

Bitter Creek is my favorite Eagles tune. Well done Mr. Leading. Sounds like you've lived life well.

great hearing from bernie. i love that song one these nights

Great band throughout the ages and changes!

Great interview, quite a talker! Another casualty of the ego brothers!

Eagles were done when Randy Meisner left the band.

Yeah, really liked Bernie 's facility on numerous instruments, particularly banjo and mandolin. Nice, down to earth guy!

Some of the best concert performances by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band were in 1989 when Bernie filled in for John Mceuen.

To me when the Eagles parted ways with Randy and Bernie the music became less organic. The future music as good as it was to me just felt less fresh and of the moment. Needless to say I love the early Eagles the most.

Loved Leadons contributions to the band but Don Felder brought that grit the music needed on the rock stuff.

This must be the best interview by an Eagle I've heard so far. Bernie is incredibly well-spoken, and sounds like a much younger man than he is. Enjoying every minute of this, thanks for making it!

Awesome! Truly awesome, Brother John! Happy Friday! God bless.

The Eagles musical and personnel transitions from 1972-1980 of course, was their peak of creativity and had a little something for everyone. For me personally, the 1976-era lineup (Henley, Frey, Meisner, Felder and Walsh), was their most kickass. I never really was much into their bluegrass/country vibe.

Eagles lost their soul once Bernie and Randy left. Too bad both of them didnt head back to Poco.

Great interview!

Boy .... Bernie can really talk.

Bernie is so at peace, levelheaded and honest, I’m not really sure he was in the Eagles, or the music business for that matter.

The Take it Easy solo is the greatest.

A pressure cooker of being pulled in all directions! And trying to keep artistic/musician creativity in your mind! Reminds me of Mick Taylor leaving "Stone's" and being a Keith Richards under graduate, lolol!

I wish you peace

Don Felder was the best thing that ever happened to the Eagles, full stop.

First Eagles album I ever bought was Their Greatest Hits 71-75, probably around 1979. Then The Long Run and Eagles Live. Never really gave the first 4 albums a thought. Figured I had all of the good stuff with the greatest hits. I’ll have to go back and give them a good listen.

Sounds like a solid guy. Already Gone is a favorite. One of those dump her before she dumps you songs like Feel a Whole Lot Better or Where Were you When I Needed you. Good for the soul.

❤

I liked the four piece version of the Eagles with Bernie. Glenn also played more leads and was more engaged. I wonder if a source of Glenn's frustration since he was getting less guitar parts and less singing over time as he and Henley flipped as lead vocalists.

Bernie knew that Glen and Don would take over the band eventually and left because he wanted to take a break for a but Don and Glen weren't ready for a break yet Don Felder just wanted to be treated fairly since he was a big part instramentally they didn't let him sing back then Don Felder still sounds good

Actually, the song they ripped off for "Hotel California " was the Rolling Stones "Angie"-you guitar players try it out - play one and sing the other , it will be apparent.

great to hear bernie. unfortunately, he answers questions we can't hear. oh, well. better than nothing.

Killer mustache 🤣

When was this interview recorded?

Felder is what made the Eagles

I wonder what the eagles would of been like if Gram Parsons would of been around and joined Bernie and Randy in the eagles.

I prefer the Walsh albums, but they did some great songs with Bernie. He's a very talented guy

Glenn is doing everything he can to not mention Randy Meisner name. Seems Glen had forgotten it was Randy's song that was their first record to sell a million copies. Randy help put Eagles up there. Glen didn't seem to understand you can't walk up and push someone and call them a pu**y and think they will just stand there and take it. Don and Glen were bullies. Randy didn't bow down and he shouldn't. Don and Glen mistreated the band members. They certainly mistreated Randy. And Don Felder wrote the music to Hotel California. And Victim of Love and other songs. Felder wanted to see the books to see if he was getting his fair share. The contract they signed said they were all equal partner's. Felder didn't let Frey walk all over him. They all Bernie, Randy and Feldsr said it turned out to be the Don and Glen show. The way they treated Randy was horrible. They wouldn't let him participate in the 1994 documentary.

Homestake goldmine was in Lead, South Dakota not North Dakota.

The mid 70s Eagles are the best before they because corporate rock

Bernie hasn't heard of AC-DC Back in black album obviously.. Last I heard it was the 2nd highest selling album behind thriller.. Unless he's talking about USA sales only?

Boy, that “Ken Burns” effect (zooming in and out on the photos) gets old really quick and is always best when used sparingly and at a slower speed than this. It’s practically vertigo inducing here. Use fewer photos and more dissolves. I mostly liked the content but I just had to look away and enjoy it as a radio interview.

Lets be honest. A why guy like Leadon was never going to survive the ambition of not 1 but 2 prima-donnas . Walsh fit perfect as he didn't even question Felders split. Joe is a northern Ohio guy and as a fellow Buckeye from waaaaay back, men didn't EVER get drawn in or too excited on any one given subject. I now see the entire ebb & flow. The band easily could have been Henley Fry band but hippies pretended to not focus on self back then. Yeh right.

I'm embarrassed that one of the Eagles is from Minnesota, thankfully no one really knows that....

I thought leadon was a ok dude till listening to this part . Now I hear what Glenn and Don saw... And Randy Meisner was there with Don and Glenn before anyone was.

Don henley and Glenn wanted to take over the band, but that was the most stupid idea, finally they lost Randy, Bernie,Don F. BIG MISTAKE.

Bernie liked totinos and tight tight leather pants. Not a good combo imo. Totinos deserves respect on its name, and bernie just wanted to drive a tractor.

Wow an ego there! Critical of Felder, really? No comparison in talent.

Don H, and Glenn both had an awfull behavior. In fact they ruined the original Eagles. Very sad. Why did they made the wrong choice.

Sturat is a fine guitarist, but he's no Bernie Leadon...

Bitter Creek. As good as any Eagles song, to me, at least.