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Randy Meisner (Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns)

Randy Meisner (1946–2023), founding member of The Eagles

by Linnea Crowther

Randy Meisner was a founding member of the Eagles, who played bass and sang lead vocals on such songs as “Take It to the Limit.”

Randy Meisner’s legacy 

Before co-founding the Eagles, Meisner was briefly in Poco, then he performed and recorded with Rick Nelson’s (1940–1985) Stone Canyon Band. He joined Linda Ronstadt’s backing band in 1971, alongside Don Henley, Glenn Frey (1948–2016), and Bernie Leadon. That backing band soon evolved into the Eagles, and they released their self-titled debut album the following year. Meisner wrote and cowrote several songs on the first Eagles album, including “Take the Devil” and “Tryin’.”  

Meisner would continue to write songs on all of the Eagles albums until his 1977 departure from the band. The most notable is “Take It to the Limit,” from 1975’s “One of These Nights.” The mid-tempo rocker became the band’s first million-seller, featuring Meisner’s lead vocals and his signature high harmonies toward the end. Other Meisner compositions on which he sang lead include “Certain Kind of Fool,” “Is It True?” and “Try and Love Again.” 

After Meisner left the Eagles amid band tensions and health problems, he released several solo albums and toured with Randy Meisner and the Silverados. He later joined the country rock supergroup Black Tie. Meisner was not included in the Eagles’ 1994 “Hell Freezes Over” reunion tour, but he was one of the band members present when they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.  

Notable quote 

“I was nervous about doing [“Take It to the Limit”] live. I wouldn’t have spotlights out on me. Everyone had spotlights. I just didn’t want to be in the limelight. Maybe one song they’d put a little bit of light on me on “Take It to the Limit.” But I liked to be on the side and play and do my parts. I was kind of shy, actually. I just wanted to do my job.”  —from a 2016 interview for Rock Cellar magazine 

Tributes to Randy Meisner 

Full obituary: Los Angeles Times 

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