Eagles share poignant tribute to songwriter J.D. Souther..

After the death of their friend and collaborator, J.D. Souther, was announced on September 18th, the Eagles have shared a moving tribute to the man who helped pen some of their most beloved tracks.

Souther, aged 78, died peacefully at his home in New Mexico, according to his representatives. No cause of death has been revealed at this stage. The musician is survived by his two sisters and his former wife and her daughter.

The impact of Souther on the Eagles shouldn’t be understated. As a friend of Linda Ronstadt’s, the songwriter was there when Don Henley and Glenn Frey first started the band. At first, there were even conversations about Souther being part of the lineup, but instead, he preferred to work behind the scenes, supporting the group in crafting their sound and writing songs.

According to Henley, when he introduced Souther on stage at one of the band’s shows, he was part of their “tight-knit community of songwriters and singers”. In the 1970s, he was a cornerstone of their community and world that the band would turn to “when we would get stuck on a song, or we’d try to start some new material.”

He penned their hits ‘New Kid In Town’ and ‘Best Of My Love’, along with plenty of other songs, including ‘Heartache Tonight’, ‘Victim of Love’, ‘James Dean’, ‘Doolin-Dalton’ and more. Souther also wrote songs for Ronstadt and collaborated with James Taylor.

Following the news of his death at age 78, the Eagles have shared a tribute to their lost friend and creative partner. “We have lost a brother, a friend and a brilliant collaborator, and the world has lost a great songwriter, a pioneer of the Southern California sound that emerged in the 1970s,” the statement on their website reads.

It continues, “J.D. Souther was smart, talented, well-read, and in possession of a wicked sense of humor. He loved a good meal, a good movie, and a good Martini… and he loved dogs, adopting many, over the course of his lifetime.”

Furthermore, the message celebrated his work outside of the band, noting, “Born in Detroit and raised in the Texas Panhandle, he was a student of the deep roots of the best American music – from country, to jazz, to classical, as well as ‘Standards’ from the Great American Songbook – and that knowledge and appreciation informed his work. He was a crucial co-writer on many of our most popular songs, including, ‘The Best of My Love’, ‘New Kid in Town’, and ‘Heartache Tonight’. J.D. also collaborated on many of Don Henley’s solo works, including ‘The Heart of the Matter’, ‘Little Tin God’, ‘If Dirt Were Dollars’ and ‘Talking to the Moon’.”

The band conclude the emotional tribute to their friend by saying, “We mourn his loss, and we send our condolences to his family, his friends, and his many fans around the world. He was an extraordinary man and will be greatly missed by many. Adios, old friend. Travel well.”