Topanga Canyon Eagles photo shoot – Sept. 17, 1973

The Topanga Canyon Eagles photo shoot with Henry Diltz was on September 17, 1973. Some of the Topanga photos were used for a poster included with the Eagles “On the Border” album, which was released March 22, 1974. Another was used in August 2021 for the cover of LIFE magazine, and one photo of Randy Meisner was used for the back cover of a special vinyl album of Randy’s released in 2018.

Topanga Canyon Concert – Aug. 12, 1973:

The Eagles, Neil Young, and Joni Mitchell played a concert at the Topanga Corral about one month prior to the photo shoot on August 12, 1973. It was a benefit concert to help stop Pepperdine University’s development in Topanga Canyon. and was the start of the Neil Young ‘Tonight’s the Night’ tour. The Eagles supported Neil Young on that short tour.

Topanga Canyon Eagles Photo

Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, Randy Meisner, and Glenn Frey

Topanga Canyon Eagles photo shoot and the photo used for the cover of LIFE magazine
~ LIFE Magazine special anniversary issue devoted entirely to the Eagles – Aug. 2021 ~

Bernie Leadon, Randy Meisner, Don Henley, and Glenn Frey
Photo by Henry Diltz

Bernie Leadon, Don Henley, Randy Meisner, and Glenn Frey

Bernie Leadon, Don Henley, Randy Meisner, and Glenn Frey

This photo of Randy Meisner was used for the back cover of his vinyl album released in 2018. You can watch a short video about that album release here.

Topanga Canyon Eagles photo shoot

Randy Meisner

Topanga Canyon Eagles photo shoot
Don Henley
Topanga Canyon Eagles photo shoot
Glenn Frey

Bernie Leadon

Topanga Canyon Eagles photo shoot
Topanga Canyon Eagles photo shoot
Topanga Canyon Eagles photo shoot
Topanga Canyon Eagles photo shoot

I’m not sure when these photos by Ethan Russell would have been taken, but it would have been a different time than the others above. Randy has bangs in the ones above and not in these by Ethan Russell below. Also, it could not have been 1970 as said by Ethan Russell, since the Eagles were not a band yet.

Randy Meisner, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, and Glenn Frey

It is unknown who the child is, but he is not Bernie’s son. Bernie’s son was not born until years after Bernie had left the Eagles. It’s also not Jackson Browne’s son, since Jackson’s son was born in 1973.

Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, and Randy Meisner
Bernie’s house in Topanga Canyon
{Photo by Ethan Russell}

Randy at Bernie’s house in Topanga Canyon
(Photo by Ethan Russell)


Concert with the Eagles, Neil Young, and Joni Mitchell at the Topanga Corral Nightclub – Aug. 12, 1973

“In addition to the Rolling Stones, the list of guests throughout the years reads like a who’s who of Rock and Roll: Neil Young, who lived in Topanga when he wrote ‘After the Goldrush,’ Joni Mitchell, the Eagles, the Flying Burrito Brothers, John Lee Hooker and of course, Taj Mahal, who was a regular.”

Topanga Messenger (Topanga, CA) – Nov. 5, 2015

The Topanga Corral

Westchester-Ladera Observer (Santa Monica, CA) – Sept. 13, 1973

rhino.com – Aug. 12, 2019

Joni Mitchell and Neil Young at the Topanga Corral – Aug. 12, 1973
(photo by Henry Diltz)

Topanga Canyon Eagles photo shoot

LA Times (Los Angeles, CA) – Oct. 31,1973

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