1 day Ago By Haika Mrema
John David “JD” Souther, the singer and songwriter who wrote big hits with rockers such as the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt and helped shape the Southern California country-rock sound of the ’70s, has died at 78. Born on Nov. 2, 1945, in Detroit, Michigan, Souther was raised in Amarillo, Texas, where he began his music career with a local band named The Cinders.
In 1965, the group released their first record on a smaller label before successfully releasing a single with Warner Bros. under the name John David and the Cinders the following year. Souther also wrote songs for several other artists throughout the years.
He penned Bonnie Raitt’s “Run Like a Thief” and songs for Linda Ronstadt, including “Faithless Love” and “White Rhythm and Blues.” He and Ronstadt even dated temporarily, recording several duets, including “Prisoner in Disguise,” “Sometimes You Can’t Win,” and “Hearts Against the Wind.” The latter was featured in the soundtrack for 1980’s “Urban Cowboy,” starring John Travolta and Debra Winger.
Outside of his music, Souther also dipped into acting. He appeared in several shows, including “Nashville,” “Thirtysomething,” and “Purgatory,” as well as films such as 1990’s “Postcards from the Edge,” 1994’s “My Girl 2,” and 2012’s “Deadline.” “This one hurts.
My dear friend, songwriter and artist, JD Souther, has passed away,” Wilson wrote. “At Joe’s Pub @joespub, he came in and sang with me for my first ever show in NYC. You can imagine what that feels like to sing with one of your hero’s on a song he wrote.
One time, he came over for dinner before a show in LA, and lost his wallet, which delayed him for the show. We eventually found it the next day. It made for an exciting start to the show, though!” She noted that he was “in great spirits” and “the picture of health” the last time she saw him, before detailing the moments behind the posted photos.
“He will be greatly missed. But, his music lives on. Rest in Peace and music, sweet JD,” she wrote.
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