JD Souther, Musician and Songwriter for the Eagles, Linda Rondstadt, Dies at 78

J.D. Souther poses backstage during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio, Calif., on April 28, 2012. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Stagecoach

John David “JD” Souther, the singer and songwriter who wrote big hits with rockers such as the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt and helped shape the Southern California country-rock sound of the ’70s, has died at 78.

Souther, who collaborated on some of the Eagles’ biggest hits, such as “Best of My Love,” “Victim of Love,” “New Kid in Town,” “Doolin-Dalton” and “James Dean,” died “peacefully in his New Mexico home,” according to a statement on his website. He was about to begin a tour with singer-songwriter Karla Bonoff, now canceled.

The 2013 Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee was a multi-talent who also found success as a solo artist. He recorded his self-titled debut in 1972 and major hit songs such as 1979’s “You’re Only Lonely” and 1981’s “Her Town Too,” a duet with James Taylor that reached No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Born on Nov. 2, 1945, in Detroit, Michigan, Souther was raised in Amarillo, Texas, where he began his music career with a local band named The Cinders. In 1965, the group released their first record on a smaller label before successfully releasing a single with Warner Bros. under the name John David and the Cinders the following year.

Souther moved to Los Angeles in the 1960s, where he met fellow Michigan native Glenn Frey of the Eagles. What began as a folk duo called Longbranch Pennywhistle, releasing a self-titled album in 1969, turned into a longtime partnership filled with collaborations on hit songs for the Eagles. During the 1970s, Souther joined the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band with former Byrds member Chris Hillman and Poco’s Richie Furay.

Souther also wrote songs for several other artists throughout the years. He penned Bonnie Raitt’s “Run Like a Thief” and songs for Linda Ronstadt,  including “Faithless Love” and “White Rhythm and Blues.” He and Ronstadt even dated temporarily, recording several duets, including “Prisoner in Disguise,” “Sometimes You Can’t Win,” and “Hearts Against the Wind.” The latter was featured in the soundtrack for 1980’s “Urban Cowboy,” starring John Travolta and Debra Winger.

When inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2013, he was declared “a principal architect of the Southern California sound and a major influence on a generation of songwriters.” He released several solo albums; his last original, “Tenderness,” was released with Sony Masterworks in 2015.

Outside of his music, Souther also dipped into acting. He appeared in several shows, including “Nashville,” “Thirtysomething,” and “Purgatory,” as well as films such as 1990’s “Postcards from the Edge,” 1994’s “My Girl 2,” and 2012’s “Deadline.”

Souther is survived by his two sisters and his former wife and her daughter.

Paying Tribute

Actress and singer Rita Wilson honored Souther on social media with a post displaying multiple photos of the two alongside a thoughtful caption, where she wrote about his musical legacy and “massive” influence on her.

“This one hurts. My dear friend, songwriter and artist, JD Souther, has passed away,” Wilson wrote.

“At Joe’s Pub @joespub, he came in and sang with me for my first ever show in NYC. You can imagine what that feels like to sing with one of your hero’s on a song he wrote. One time, he came over for dinner before a show in LA, and lost his wallet, which delayed him for the show. We eventually found it the next day. It made for an exciting start to the show, though!”

She noted that he was “in great spirits” and “the picture of health” the last time she saw him, before detailing the moments behind the posted photos.

“He will be greatly missed. But, his music lives on. Rest in Peace and music, sweet JD,” she wrote.