Country-Rock Pioneer Set to Release First Solo Album in Two Decades, ‘Too Late to Be Cool,’ on October 10
Warner Chappell Music (WCM), the music publishing arm of Warner Music Group (NASDAQ: WMG), today announced the signing of Eagles founding member and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Bernie Leadon to a long-term, worldwide publishing agreement. A pioneer in the melding of rock with country, folk, and bluegrass, the singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist is slated to release his first solo album in more than two decades, Too Late to Be Cool, on October 10. Most recently, Leadon was a headliner at the AMERICANAFEST in Nashville, Tennessee.
Leadon said: “I have been associated with Warner Chappell and the rest of Warner Music since 1971. I am delighted to renew my connections with them now at this point in the 21st Century. Warner Chappell and Warner Music have always been at the pinnacle of support for songwriters and other music creators, and that reality is still very evident in the current leadership and staff. My sincere thanks go to all of them.”
WCM’s Guy Moot, Co-Chair and CEO, and Carianne Marshall, Co-Chair and COO, said: “It’s no exaggeration to say that much of the music we call Americana today owes a deep debt to Bernie’s boundary-crossing inspiration. He has helped shape a canon of iconic music, from his early years with genre-defying groups like The Flying Burrito Brothers and Dillard & Clark to his generation-defining work with the Eagles to his countless collaborations with other artists. His creativity, musical brilliance, and pure devotion to his craft have made him a true American treasure, with six decades of extraordinary songs and sounds to his credit. We’re honored and excited to welcome him into the Warner Chappell family.”
Greg Sowders, SVP, A&R and Catalog, WCM added: “As a master musician, songwriter and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Bernie inspired me to start my first real band. And now as his music publisher, I continue to be inspired by his writing and playing, particularly by his new album Too Late To Be Cool. His legend continues.”
Leadon penned all the songs on his upcoming album, including the recently released tracks “Too Many Memories,” “Just a Little,” and “Go On Down to Mobile.” It also marks Leadon’s reunion with esteemed producer/engineer and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Glyn Johns (Rolling Stones, The Who, Eric Clapton, and dozens more). Too Late to Be Cool was recorded live to analog tape with all the musicians performing together in the studio, with no overdubs.
His early work with groundbreaking groups like Dillard & Clark and The Flying Burrito Brothers helped set the stage for the Americana movement, fusing traditional instrumentation with a new, forward-thinking songwriting style. These formative years placed him at the heart of a cultural shift that bridged Nashville, roots music, and rock.
In 1971, Leadon co-founded the Eagles alongside Glenn Frey, Don Henley, and Randy Meisner. His signature contributions—on guitar, banjo, mandolin, and harmony vocals—were central to the band’s early sound. His arrangements and performances remain immortalized on the Eagles collection, Their Greatest Hits 1971–1975, the best-selling album in U.S. history. After stepping away from the Eagles in 1975 to pursue more organic music-making, Leadon built a reputation as one of the most versatile and respected collaborators in the business. His work with artists such as Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, Stephen Stills, and Alabama showcased his rare musical fluency—equally at home flatpicking an acoustic solo or arranging intricate vocal harmonies. In 1998, he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with The Eagles, further solidifying his legacy.
