Legendary Songwriter J.D. Souther Passed Away At 78

J.D. Souther, a prolific songwriter known for his contributions to the Eagles, passed away at the age of 78 on Tuesday. His publicity team confirmed that he died at his home in New Mexico, but no further details were provided.

J.D. Souther’s Career

Souther was the first songwriting partner of Glenn Frey, and together they released an album called Longbranch Pennywhistle in 1970. Souther’s talent helped shape some of the Eagles’ biggest hits, including “Best of My Love,” “James Dean,” “New Kid in Town,” and “Heartache Tonight.” He also briefly led the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band, which featured Chris Hillman from the Byrds and Richie Furay from Poco.

As a solo artist, Souther released eight albums between 1972 and 2015, enjoying success with the 1979 hit “You’re Only Lonely.” He collaborated with his former girlfriend Linda Ronstadt on songs like “Faithless Love” and “White Rhythm and Blues,” and wrote “Run Like a Thief” for Bonnie Raitt. Beyond music, Souther occasionally ventured into acting, appearing in shows like Thirtysomething and Nashville. In 2013, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, a testament to his enduring influence in the industry.

Reflecting on his brief involvement with the Eagles, Souther shared in a 2018 interview with the Chicago Tribune, “I’d been a member of Eagles for less than a day.” He explained that David Geffen thought having “four songwriters, good; five songwriters better.” The group played a set at the Troubadour for management, and Souther recalled, “I just remember them looking down the front line and seeing four of us bashing away at stringed instruments. And, to be frank, they didn’t need me. They were a perfectly well-rounded, self-contained band.” When he chose not to join, he noted:

“I’ve never seen four guys more relieved. I think they were more delighted than I was.”

What J.D. Souther Really Thought About Missing Out on Eagles Fame

In a 2010 interview with the Creative Independent, Souther addressed the idea of missing out on fame with the Eagles. He recalled, “There was definitely a period where people would occasionally say to me, ‘Doesn’t it piss you off that the Eagles have these big hits off your songs?’ I would usually start saying, ‘Would you like to see the checks?’” He added, “Even Glenn Frey once said … ‘One of the reasons J.D. didn’t have a bigger solo career is because he gave us or Linda Ronstadt most of his best songs.’” Souther reflected:

“The closest I got to being really famous was during the ‘You’re Only Lonely’ period, and I really didn’t like it that much. … It’s a relief in some ways, though it also doesn’t pay quite as well.”