John David “JD” Souther, a celebrated member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame renowned for his collaborations with the Eagles, James Taylor, and Linda Ronstadt, has sadly passed away at the age of 78. According to representatives from Solters PR, Souther died peacefully at his home in New Mexico, though the cause of death has not been disclosed.

Born on November 2, 1945, in Detroit, Michigan, and raised in Amarillo, Texas, Souther moved to Los Angeles in the late 1960s, where he began a fruitful partnership with Glenn Frey of the Eagles. Together, they briefly formed a band called Longbranch Pennywhistle, releasing a self-titled album in 1970 under Jimmy Bowen’s Amos Records.

Throughout the 1970s, Souther contributed to several Eagles classics, including “Best of My Love,” “James Dean,” “New Kid in Town,” and “Doolin-Dalton.” His collaboration on “Heartache Tonight,” co-written with Frey, Bob Seger, and Don Henley, became a standout hit for the Eagles in 1979, marking their final song to top the Billboard Hot 100.

Souther’s solo career flourished with the release of his self-titled debut album in 1972, followed by his work with The Souther-Hillman-Furay Band alongside Chris Hillman and Richie Furay. In 1976, he released Black Rose, produced by Peter Asher, featuring the duet “If You Have Crying Eyes” with then-girlfriend Linda Ronstadt. His solo hits include the 1979 chart-topper “You’re Only Lonely,” which peaked at number seven, and the 1981 duet “Her Town Too” with James Taylor.

The prolific songwriter also penned hits like “Run Like a Thief” for Bonnie Raitt’s Home Plate in 1975 and wrote several notable tracks for Ronstadt, including “Faithless Love” and “White Rhythm and Blues.” Souther collaborated on numerous duets with Ronstadt, such as “Prisoner in Disguise” and “Hearts Against the Wind,” the latter featured in the 1980 film Urban Cowboy.

In addition to his musical accomplishments, Souther made appearances on television shows like Thirtysomething, Nashville, and Purgatory, as well as in films such as Postcards from the Edge and My Girl 2.

The versatile artist was set to embark on a tour with Karla Bonoff this month, a tour that has now been canceled. Upon his induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2013, Souther was recognized as “a principal architect of the Southern California sound and a major influence on a generation of songwriters.”

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Reflecting on his artistic journey during a 2016 PBS interview, Souther acknowledged the importance of timing in a creative career, expressing gratitude for his experiences. “If really given the choice, I’d go to the beach, I’d stay that extra two weeks in Aspen and ski, or just hang on my farm with my dogs,” he shared. “I work because I love my work, but I don’t love it more than my life.”

When discussing the significant gap between his 1984 album Home by Dawn and If the World Was You in 2008, Souther remarked, “I decided to step off the hamster wheel for a while and just see what life is like when it’s not write, record, tour.” He cherished those years away, describing them as blissful. Upon his return to music, he found himself re-energized: “I fell back in love with the work again, which is always the key.”