John David “JD” Souther, the prolific and pioneering country-rock singer-songwriter who co-wrote 1970s hits for The Eagles and Linda Ronstadt, has died “peacefully” at home in New Mexico at 78, an announcement on his website said Wednesday.
He was slated to begin a solo tour next week.
In his work with The Eagles, Souther co-wrote “New Kid in Town” and “Victim of Love” for their smash 1976 album Hotel California, which has sold more than 32 million copies.
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Souther and Ronstadt dated in the 1970s, and he co-produced her 1974 album Don’t Cry Now. He went on to write songs for her, including “Faithless Love,” which appeared on Heart Like a Wheel, released later that same year. The two also recorded several duets.
Souther briefly dated Fleetwood Mac singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks and singer-songwriter Judee Sill, serving as the inspiration for her song “Jesus Was a Cross Maker” due to the “romantic bummer” she suffered when they broke up.
His biggest solo success was the title track from his 1979 album, You’re Only Lonely, which made it to No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.
He also worked with James Taylor, Bob Seger, and Bonnie Raitt.
“JD was a remarkable talent, and his contributions to music are immeasurable,” singer-songwriter Stephen Bishop, who worked with Souther in the 1980s, posted on X. “He will be sorely missed, but his legacy will live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved him.”
Born in Detroit and raised in Amarillo, Texas, Souther became active in the Southern California music scene after he moved to Los Angeles in the 1960s and befriended Eagles guitarist Glenn Frey. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2013 for his role as “a principal architect of the Southern California sound and a major influence on a generation of songwriters.”
