Bernie Leadon Archives - Bluegrass Today

Rick Bowman, filmmaker with Backyard Green Films in San Deigo, CA has a special passion for bluegrass music. Despite his west coast location, he has family roots in Appalachia, and a long familiarity with the music and the people of the region.

His work has often touched on the music as well. Rick has shot and edited a number of music videos for James Reams, one each for Larry Gillis and The Travelers, and a documentary on the life and career of Herschel Sizemore. But it’s only now that he has turned his eye towards the bluegrass scene in his own hometown.

Bowman’s latest project, Banjos, Bluegrass & Squirrel Barkers, looks specifically at the San Diego bluegrass scene, from its inception in the 1960s on to the present day. He takes a look at a number of prominent artists who got their start there, including Chris Hillman, Alison Brown, Ron Block, and Stuart Duncan, plus the granddaddies of the San Diego set, The Scottsville Squirrel Barkers. That was the group that helped propel the careers of Hillman, along with Bernie Leadon of The Eagles and Kenny Wirtz of Country Gazette.

Only just completed, the film has already won three documentary awards (Gold Movie Awards, Mindfield Film Festival Los Angeles, Bi- Monthly Festival Gold Award). Rick recently screened it in Wales at the Cardiff International Film Festival, and is looking forward to premiering it in London at the Gold Movie Awards Goddess Nike come January.

It is scheduled to be screened at a number of other upcoming festivals as well:

Mindfield Film Festival – Albuquerque, NM
Mindfield Film Festival – Los Angeles, CA
Rails to Reels Film Festival – Meridian, MS
Miami Independent Film Festival – Miami, FL
Hudson Valley Drive International Film Festival – Monroe, NY

Here’s a trailer…

Following its run on the festival circuit, Banjos, Bluegrass & Squirrel Barkers should be made available for purchase on DVD.

Bernie Leadon, founding member of the Eagles, has been announced as the newest endorsing artist with Huber Banjos. He is currently out with them again as part of the History of the Eagles world tour, which began earlier this month.

Though he really broke out with The Eagles in 1972, Leadon had been at the forefront of the developing country rock scene in California for several years. He worked with Dillard & Clark in the late ’60s, with his friend Doug Dillard and Gene Clark, followed by a stint with Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman in the Flying Burrito Brothers.

Bernie was featured prominently of the first two Eagles albums (Eagles and Desperado), on both banjo and guitar. Eagles was popular on the radio at the same time that Duelin’ Banjos was a huge hit, and his banjo on Take It Easy, the band’s first charting song, was as bluegrass as it could be. He left after the band’s third album as their musical direction moved from country rock to radio rock, and the celebrated guitar icon Joe Walsh stepped into the group.

Since that time Bernie has kept it close to bluegrass, playing with the popular spoof band Run C&W who recorded Motown his in a bluegrass style, and working briefly with Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. He lives now in Nashville where he does session work and production.

Though proficient on several stringed instruments, Leadon maintained a special fascination with the banjo, and has become a student and collector of the prewar Mastertones that helped define the genre. He developed a friendship with Steve Huber, and is now endorsing his banjos, playing a custom VRB-75 model Huber on tour with the Eagles.

That’s a pretty big stage for the ol’ 5 string!

You can find more details about Huber Banjos online.

Tag: Bernie Leadon

Banjos, Bluegrass & Squirrel Barkers

Bernie Leadon to Huber Banjos