JD Souther, the singer, songwriter, and actor passed away on Tuesday evening, September 17, 2024 at age 78. In addition to a lengthy and successful solo career, Souther is known for his Eagles co-writes “Best of My Love,” “Heartache Tonight” and “New Kid in Town,” as well as the Linda Ronstadt co-scribed classics “Faithless Love” and “White Rhythm and Blues.”

Souther’s death was confirmed by a representative for the Eagles, who informed the public that he died peacefully at home in New Mexico. A cause of death was not revealed. However, he was expected to begin a tour with Karla Bonoff in Phoenix next week. Before that, a series of April 2024 concerts were rescheduled “due to unforeseen circumstances,” according to his Instagram post.  The musician had performed as recently as September 12. 

Born in Detroit on November 2, 1945, Souther was raised in Amarillo, Texas, and initially recorded with a group of local musicians called themselves The Cinders. After signing with Warner Brothers Records for their second single, they shifted their title to John David and The Cinders, solidifying Souther’s importance in the lineup. 

Moving to Los Angeles in the late ‘60s, he met Glenn Frey, coming together as Longbranch Pennywhistle and releasing an LP under the same title. The onset of his success as a songwriter arrived via “Run Like a Thief,” a number that appeared on Bonnie Raitt’s Home Plate LP. Souther also made time for his solo ventures, turning out his sophomore set, Black Rose, in 1976, following the demise of the Souther–Hillman–Furay Band, who had recorded two albums together.

The mid-70s brought increased success for Souther, who scored writing credits and backup roles with Don Henley and the Eagles, including “Best of My Love,” “James Dean,” and “Doolin’-Dalton.” Amongst his contributions to the Eagles’ repertoire was “Heartache Tonight,” written by Souther, Bob Seger, Frey and Healey, which became the band’s final chart-topping number on the Hot 100. 

Around this time, he also dated Ronstadt, co-producing her LP, Don’t Cry Now, and writing fan favorite tracks and duets “Prisoner in Disguise,” “Sometimes You Can’t Win,” and others. His collaborative endeavors continued, leading to a co-write with James Taylor, “Her Town Too.” The 80s saw contributions to movie soundtracks, including Steven Spielberg’s Always, and by the early ‘90s, co-wrote and performed “Doin’ Time for Bein’ Young” from the cult classic Cry Baby (1990). 

Seemingly never slowing his pace, Souther continued to stack his resume with music and film credits, releasing Natural History in 2011 and a live EP Midnight in Tokyo the following year. As an actor, he appeared in the TV movie Purgatory (1999) and later My Girl 2, prior to flexing his chops in the 2012 mystery thriller Deadline and select episodes of the country music drama series Nashville. 

Just last year, Souther sat in with the Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir during an April 4, 2023 gig billed as a Wolf Bros trio show. The pair took part in a special delivery of the title track off Souther’s 1979 solo record, You’re Only Lonely and took part in an on-the-spot formation of a number dubbed the “Improvised Song” in its wake. Watch the collaborative live performance via Relix’s YouTube channel now. 

Souther passed away at home in New Mexico on September 17, 2024, at the age of 78.