After more than 20 years away from solo work, Bernie Leadon, founding member of the Eagles and a Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, is making a heartfelt comeback. His new album, Too Late to Be Cool, arrives on October 10, with its first single, “Just a Little,” already available for fans to stream.
Leadon, now in his late 70s, described the recording process as deeply authentic and organic. “The three-piece band and myself were all sitting in the same room… Many were first, or very early takes,” he said, emphasizing the live, analog energy captured on tape. Legendary engineer Glyn Johns produced the record using vintage analog gear, from API consoles to Echo plates, giving it a timeless warmth.
The album arrives 21 years after his previous solo LP, Mirror (2004), and includes 11 original tracks such as “Zero Sum Game,” “Take It As It Comes,” and the contemplative title track Too Late to Be Cool.
Leadon’s solo resurgence was sparked by the creative energy of the Eagles’ History of the Eagles tour (2013–2015). That run inspired him to build a home studio and write again—leading Johns to oversee the new sessions that took place between July 2024 and early 2025.
Performing at AmericanaFest in Nashville in September will be his first live date in ages, with a broader tour likely in spring 2026.
