Country rock was a new musical trend as the 1960s ended. Los Angeles was the movement’s epicenter, and many bands tried to find the right formula for fusing electric instruments with country and bluegrass music. Then Eagles came along, and they helped create a new blueprint for what became the California Sound.

The story of the Eagles began with their inspirations: The Beatles, Elvis Presley, The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Crosby, Stills and Nash, and many others.

In the band’s first nine years together, they scored gold records for every album release and delivered songs that changed the musical landscape. Their thought-provoking, intimate lyrics joined with precision instrumentation that sounded as good live as in the studio—legions of fans built around them.

But where did they come from? Eagles: Before the Band maps their individual histories before they became the best-selling rock and roll band in American history. They came from Detroit, East Texas, Nebraska, Minneapolis, and Florida.

Follow along season by season as they struggle in small bands across the country and eventually find each other in Los Angeles. Their journey is as legendary as their music.