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JD Souther, the musician and songwriter behind hits for artists like the Eagles, James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt, has died. He was 78.
Souther passed away on Tuesday (September 17) at his home in New Mexico, according to a message on his website. He was inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2013 where he was described as "a principal architect of the Southern California sound and a major influence on a generation of songwriters."
Born John David Souther in Detroit and raised in Texas, the prolific songwriter was not only a successful solo artist but he helped shape the country-rock sound in Southern California during the 1970s with works like the Eagles' "Best of My Love," "James Dean," "New Kid in Town" and "Heartache Tonight," per the Associated Press. He also collaborated with artists like Bob Seger, Don Henley and Bonnie Raitt and had a longtime partnership with the Eagles' Glenn Frey after meeting in Los Angeles in the late 60s, including a brief stint in the band Longbranch Pennywhistle.
More recently, Souther was expected to kick off a tour with Karla Bonoff on September 24, but the tour has since been canceled in the wake of his death.
In addition to his music career, Souther also appeared as an actor in TV shows like thirtysomething, Nashville and Purgatory as well as films like Postcards from the Edge, My Girl 2 and Deadline.
According to his website, Souther was survived by two sisters, his former wife and her daughter, his two dogs and numerous friends and colleagues in the industry.