American singer-songwriter JD Souther, renowned for his collaborations with the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt, passed away at his home in New Mexico on Tuesday, just days before he was due to kick off a tour with an early performance in Livermore next week. He was 78.
The news of his passing was shared by his family on his official website, confirming he died peacefully. Souther had recently discussed his upcoming tour with Karla Bonoff in an interview with the Pleasanton Weekly, where he expressed his excitement for their concert at the Bankhead Theater scheduled for next Friday (Sept. 27). “I think it’s going to be a blast … The people in Livermore are great,” he remarked in what would turn out to be one of his last public comments. He fondly recalled playing alone at the Bankhead previously and looked forward to sharing the stage with Bonoff.
Livermore Valley Arts, which manages the Bankhead, expressed their sorrow over Souther’s sudden death. They conveyed their condolences to his family, friends, and fans, stating they were in the process of handling concert details and would inform ticket holders once more information became available.
Born in Detroit and raised in Texas, Souther’s passion for music began at a young age. He took up the violin in fourth grade and later learned to play the saxophone and drums. It was not until he moved to California, selling all his belongings to join a band, that he embraced songwriting, picking up the guitar at the age of 22.
Establishing his career in music, Souther formed a significant creative bond with Glenn Frey in the late 1960s, which led to him co-writing some of the Eagles’ most famous tracks, such as “Best of My Love,” “James Dean,” and “Heartache Tonight.” In 2013, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, recognized for hits like “Run Like a Thief” for Bonnie Raitt and songs for Ronstadt, including “Faithless Love.” His most notable solo album, “You’re Only Lonely,” released in 1979, boasted a title track that reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Throughout his career, he collaborated with a variety of artists, including James Taylor, Don Henley, Roy Orbison, and Christopher Cross, and was part of The Souther-Hillman-Furay Band in the 1970s. In addition to music, Souther had acting roles in projects like “thirtysomething,” “My Girl 2,” and “Nashville.”
Souther was slated to begin his latest tour with Bonoff next Tuesday (Sept. 24) in Phoenix, before performing in Livermore three days later. In his August interview, he mentioned the duo had been rehearsing together, highlighting the challenge of narrowing down their setlist due to an abundance of well-known songs.
He is survived by his two sisters, a former wife, her daughter, his dogs Layla and Bob, and numerous friends and colleagues in the music industry. His family suggested that donations in his memory could be made to Best Friends Animal Society.