J.D. Souther, songwriter behind country-rock hits by the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt, dies at 78

As a longtime devotee of the silver screen and the stage, I have witnessed the rise and fall of countless talents throughout my years. However, few can compare to the enigmatic figure that was J.D. Souther. Born in Detroit but raised in the heart of Texas, his journey through music was as diverse as it was captivating.

78-year-old J.D. Souther, a renowned singer-songwriter who collaborated on iconic, smooth yet twangy tunes for bands like the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt during the mid-1970s, contributing significantly to the Southern California country-rock genre, has passed away.

A spokesperson for the Eagles announced that Glenn Souther had passed away at his residence in New Mexico, without disclosing the reason or the exact date of his demise. It was reported that the musician had an upcoming tour scheduled in Phoenix, starting next week.

Glenn Souther, renowned for hits such as “New Kid in Town” and “Heartache Tonight” with the Eagles, “Faithless Love” with Ronstadt, and “You’re Only Lonely,” which reached the top 10 pop charts in 1979, was not only a successful musician but also an accomplished actor. He appeared on TV shows like “Thirtysomething” and “Nashville”, and in films including “My Girl 2” and “Postcards From the Edge”. Furthermore, other artists such as Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor, George Strait, and the Dixie Chicks have recorded his songs.

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In January, Souther shared the stage with the Eagles at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, a venue where Don Henley acknowledged him as part of the “close-knit circle of songwriters and vocalists” that the Eagles, particularly Glenn Frey, would lean on during the ’70s when they encountered songwriting difficulties or started new projects. Henley also mentioned that Souther played a significant role in creating three out of the five No.1 hits for the Eagles, among which was “Best of My Love,” an emotionally resonant ballad featuring lush harmonies about a man who dreams of being with his lover and reflects on their past words, which seem to be falling apart at the seams.

John David Souther hails from Detroit initially, but spent his formative years in Amarillo, Texas. In Amarillo, he honed his skills on jazz drums, eventually switching to the guitar later on. He made a move to Los Angeles during the late 1960s and crossed paths with Frey there, forming the transient duo Longbranch Pennywhistle. They gained a following at West Hollywood’s Troubadour and put out their debut album in 1969. However, the group disbanded by the following year.

Following my own path, I embarked on a solo journey, whereas Frey found himself supporting Linda Ronstadt, who I happened to be romantically involved with at the time. Henley chose to align with Frey within Ronstadt’s band, alongside guitarist Bernie Leadon and bassist Randy Meisner. These collaborations paved the way for them to eventually form the iconic group known as the Eagles. Interestingly, David Geffen, the man behind Asylum Records, which released the Eagles’ debut album in 1972, essentially extended an invitation for me to join their ranks, as I shared with The Times in 2008.

In reminiscence, Souther stated that he had pondered over it, we practiced a performance, and then played it for Elliot Roberts, Ron Stone, and David (Eagles’ managers) at the Troubadour one afternoon. To put it bluntly, it took only a moment for me to decline, acknowledging that the band was already exceptional and I was content with staying home and composing. I believe they were also content with my decision, as they seemed relieved too.

In 1973, collaborating with Chris Hillman of the Byrds and Richie Furay of Buffalo Springfield, he formed the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band, producing two highly acclaimed country-rock albums. After this collaboration, he returned to his solo work in 1976 with “Black Rose,” which included a duet with Ronstadt in “If You Have Crying Eyes.” This album also featured the hit single “You’re Only Lonely,” whose title track peaked at No. 1 on Billboard’s adult-contemporary chart and No. 7 on the all-encompassing Hot 100.

After the release of “Home by Dawn” in 1984 didn’t meet commercial expectations, with the album being dubbed as a “critically successful but commercially unsuccessful” piece, I found myself stepping away from recording, partly disheartened by the music industry’s increasing dependence on MTV. In my view, music videos didn’t align with my preferences because they seemed to foster an abundance of production over truly focusing on the essence of the music, a perspective I shared in an interview with the New York Times back in 2012.

In 1989, he achieved success as a songwriter with “The Heart of the Matter,” a hit single he co-wrote with Don Henley and Mike Campbell of Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers. This was the year he made his film debut, playing a singer performing “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” at a party in Steven Spielberg’s movie, “Always.

As a devoted admirer, I’d like to share some insights about Kris Kristofferson. A two-time Grammy nominee and an esteemed member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, he is none other than the legendary Kris Kristofferson. His family survivors consist of two sisters and a former wife along with her daughter. After moving to Nashville, this musical maestro re-entered the recording scene in 2008 with the captivating jazz album “If the World Was You.” Swiftly following this release, he continued to produce more albums and even secured a recurring role as a weathered country music troubleshooter on ABC’s popular soap opera “Nashville.

Inquired about the reason behind his decision to resume recording, he shared with The Times, “Perhaps I stopped producing albums due to the belief that record-making was driving me insane. It seems I was already insane to begin with.

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2024-09-18 07:01