J.D. Souther was a singer, songwriter, and occasional actor best known for penning hits for The Eagles and Linda Ronstadt, including “New Kid in Town” and “Heartache Tonight.”
- Died: September 17, 2024 (Who else died on September 17?)
- Details of death: Died in New Mexico at the age of 78.
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J.D. Souther’s legacy
Born in Detroit and raised in Amarillo, Texas, John David Souther moved to Los Angeles in the late 1960s to pursue a career in music. There, he met Glenn Frey (1948–2016), who – with Don Henley – would soon form the band The Eagles. Souther and Frey quickly became co-writers, releasing a folk album under the name Longbranch Pennywhistle. Souther, meanwhile, continued other musical pursuits too, songwriting for himself, The Souther-Hillman-Furay Band, of which he was a member, and for The Eagles and artists like Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt and others.
Souther’s biggest stretch of success came in the 1970s, when his solo hit “You’re Only Lonely” came on the heels of popular songs he co-wrote for The Eagles, like “New Kid in Town” and “Heartache Tonight,” and “Faithless Love” for Ronstadt. In fact, three of The Eagles’ five No. 1 hits were co-written by Souther. He had further success co-writing “The Heart of the Matter” with Henley, “Her Town Too,” with James Taylor, and many others.
Souther was also an occasional actor, with roles in the television dramas “Nashville” and “Thirtysomething,” plus films like “Postcards from the Edge,” “My Girl 2,” and “Deadline.”
He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2013.
Tributes to J.D. Souther
Full obituary: Los Angeles Times
