JD Souther, singer and Eagles co-writer, dies aged 78

J.D. Souther, the singer and songwriter who co-wrote some of the hits of the Eagles, such as ‘New Kid in Town’ and ‘Best of My Love’, died Tuesday aged 78.

News of his death was confirmed by a representative for the Eagles, who said that he died “peacefully” at his home in New Mexico, although no cause of death has been confirmed. He was about to go out for joint concert dates this fall with Karla Bonoff.

Souther was also known for his collaboration with Linda Ronstadt, with whom he became a Songwriter Hall of Fame Inductee in 2013.

I am deeply saddened to learn about the passing of my friend JD Souther. JD and I shared many memories, but one that stands out is when we wrote a song together called For Love back in the 1980s. Though we never finished the song, we did a demo, and I’ll forever cherish that… pic.twitter.com/SMGMzFaQNj

— Stephen Bishop (@BishSongs) September 18, 2024

The singer-songwriter pursued a solo career, releasing his own major hit with ‘You’re My Lonely’ in 1979, as well as eight studio albums as a solo artist, with the most recent, Tenderness, coming in 2015.

He also pursued an unexpected career as an actor in television and film, starting with a role on the series Thirtysomething in 1989. He subsequently appeared on the first season of Nashville in 2012, with his other parts including small roles in the films Postcards From the Edge, Deadline and more.

In a tribute to Souther, fellow musician Stephen Bishop shared a post on X, writing: “JD and I shared many memories, but one that stands out is when we wrote a song together called For Love back in the 1980s.

“Though we never finished the song, we did a demo, and I’ll forever cherish that collaboration. JD was a remarkable talent, and his contributions to music are immeasurable. He will be sorely missed, but his legacy will live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved him”, he said.