John David "J. D." Souther (born November 2, 1945)
is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He has written and co-written songs recorded by
Linda Ronstadt
Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is a retired American singer who performed and recorded in diverse genres including rock, country, light opera, the Great American Songbook, and Latin. She has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three American ...
and the
Eagles
Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...
. Souther is probably best known for his songwriting abilities, especially in the field of country rock. He co-wrote some of the biggest hits for the
Eagles
Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...
, including "
Best of My Love", "Victim of Love", "
Heartache Tonight
"Heartache Tonight" is a song written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Bob Seger and J. D. Souther, recorded by the Eagles and features Glenn Frey on lead vocals. The track was included on their album '' The Long Run'' and released as a single in 1979. ...
", and "
New Kid in Town
"New Kid in Town" is a song by the Eagles from their 1976 studio album ''Hotel California''. It was written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey and J.D. Souther. Released as the first single from the album, the song reached number one in the U.S. and num ...
". "
How Long", which appears on the Eagles' ''
Long Road Out of Eden
''Long Road Out of Eden'' is the seventh and most recent studio album by American rock band the Eagles, released in 2007 on Lost Highway Records as their first ever double album. Nearly six years in production, it is the band's first studio ...
'', was written by Souther and originally recorded on his first solo album in 1972. Souther recorded two major hit songs in his solo career: "
You're Only Lonely
''You're Only Lonely'' is the third album by American singer-songwriter J. D. Souther, released in 1979. The title song charted as a single on '' Billboard'', reaching No.1 on the Adult Contemporary chart. "White Rhythm & Blues" was covered by Lin ...
" (1979) and "
Her Town Too" (1981), a duet with longtime friend
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, havi ...
.
Career
Souther was born in
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
,
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
, United States, but raised in
Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo ( ; Spanish for "yellow") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Potter County. It is the 14th-most populous city in Texas and the largest city in the Texas Panhandle. A portion of the city extends into Randall County ...
.
As a musician and songwriter, he was greatly influenced in his formative years by fellow Texan
Roy Orbison
Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician known for his impassioned singing style, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. His music was described by critics as ...
.
His first recordings were with local group 'The Cinders' who traveled to the nearby
Norman Petty
Norman Petty (May 25, 1927 – August 15, 1984) was an American musician, record producer, publisher, radio station owner, and considered to be one of the founding fathers of early rock & roll.
Biography
Petty was born in the small town of Clo ...
Studios in
Clovis, New Mexico
Clovis is a city in and the county seat of Curry County, New Mexico, Curry County, New Mexico. The city had a population of 37,775 as of the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census, and a 2019 estimated population of 38,319. Clovis is located in th ...
. Their first
45 rpm record
In music, a single is a type of release, typically a song recording of fewer tracks than an LP record or an album. One can be released for sale to the public in a variety of formats. In most cases, a single is a song that is released separate ...
was released on the tiny RIC label in 1965, then
Norman Petty
Norman Petty (May 25, 1927 – August 15, 1984) was an American musician, record producer, publisher, radio station owner, and considered to be one of the founding fathers of early rock & roll.
Biography
Petty was born in the small town of Clo ...
successfully shopped their recordings to Warner Brothers for a second single release as 'John David and The Cinders' in 1966. After moving to
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
in the late 1960s, Souther met musician and songwriter
Glenn Frey
Glenn Lewis Frey (; November 6, 1948 – January 18, 2016) was an American singer, guitarist and a founding member of the rock band Eagles. Frey was the co-lead singer and frontman for the Eagles, roles he came to share with fellow member Don ...
, and eventually the two became roommates and musical collaborators, and for a time performed as a folk duo using the name
Longbranch Pennywhistle
Longbranch Pennywhistle was a country rock/folk music group featuring Glenn Frey and John David Souther. They originally performed as "John David & Glenn," but when they added bass player David Jackson, they were encouraged to come up with a new ...
. Their lone,
eponymous album was released in 1970 on
Jimmy Bowen
James Albert Bowen (born November 30, 1937) is an American record producer and former rockabilly singer. Bowen brought Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood together, and introduced Sinatra to Mel Tillis for their album, ''Mel & Nancy.''
Early life ...
's
Amos Records
Amos Records was an independent record label established in Los Angeles, California by Jimmy Bowen, in 1968. The label was located on 6565 Sunset Boulevard, and had an additional office branch in New York City. With Bowen producing most of Amos Rec ...
.
After recording an eponymous solo studio album in 1972, Souther next teamed up with
Chris Hillman
Christopher Hillman (born December 4, 1944) is an American musician. He was the original bassist of and one of the original members of the Byrds, which in 1965 included Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby and Michael Clarke.
With frequent ...
and
Richie Furay
Paul Richard Furay (born May 9, 1944) is an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member (with Buffalo Springfield). He is best known for forming the bands Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Neil Young, Bruc ...
to form the
Souther–Hillman–Furay Band. The group released two albums but creative tensions led to the band's demise.
He wrote "Run Like a Thief", which appeared on ''
Home Plate
A baseball field, also called a ball field or baseball diamond, is the field upon which the game of baseball is played. The term can also be used as a metonym for a baseball park. The term sandlot is sometimes used, although this usually refers ...
'' by
Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Lynn Raitt (; born November 8, 1949) is an American blues singer and guitarist. In 1971, Raitt released her self-titled debut album. Following this, she released a series of critically acclaimed roots-influenced albums that incorporated ...
in 1975.
1976 saw the release of Souther's second solo LP ''
Black Rose'', lushly produced by Peter Asher and considered by many to be his finest work.
It features a superlative duet with Linda Ronstadt, "If You Have Crying Eyes".
Souther has contributed as a singer to works written by other artists, including backing vocals with
Don Henley
Donald Hugh Henley (born July 22, 1947) is an American musician and a founding member of the rock band Eagles. He is the drummer and one of the lead singers for the Eagles. Henley sang the lead vocals on Eagles hits such as "Witchy Woman", "Despe ...
; on "The Light Is On" for
Christopher Cross on his
debut album; on the songs "False Faces" and "Loose Ends" on
Dan Fogelberg
Daniel Grayling Fogelberg (August 13, 1951 – December 16, 2007) was an American musician, songwriter, composer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is known for his 1970s and 1980s songs, including "Longer" (1979), "Same Old Lang Syne" (1980), and " ...
's 1976 LP ''
Nether Lands
''Nether Lands'' is the fourth album by American singer-songwriter Dan Fogelberg, released in 1977 (see 1977 in music). The album title is a play on Nederland, Colorado, the location of one of the studios used to record the album.
Track list ...
''; and, with Fogelberg, as the Hot Damn Brothers on Fogelberg's 1975 LP ''
Captured Angel
''Captured Angel'' is the third album by American singer-songwriter Dan Fogelberg, released in 1975. He promoted the album with a tour in support of The Eagles.
The album peaked at No. 23 on the ''Billboard'' 200. It has sold more than a millio ...
''.
He scored his biggest solo hit with the 1979 song "
You're Only Lonely
''You're Only Lonely'' is the third album by American singer-songwriter J. D. Souther, released in 1979. The title song charted as a single on '' Billboard'', reaching No.1 on the Adult Contemporary chart. "White Rhythm & Blues" was covered by Lin ...
" from the album of the
same name, which reached number 7 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 and held the number 1 spot on the
Adult Contemporary chart
The Adult Contemporary chart is published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine and lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary radio stations in the United States. The chart is compiled based on airplay data submitted to ''Billboard'' by sta ...
for five consecutive weeks.
The Eagles recording "
Heartache Tonight
"Heartache Tonight" is a song written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Bob Seger and J. D. Souther, recorded by the Eagles and features Glenn Frey on lead vocals. The track was included on their album '' The Long Run'' and released as a single in 1979. ...
," written by Souther,
Bob Seger
Robert Clark Seger ( ; born May 6, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and The Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s, break ...
, Glenn Frey, and Don Henley, was released in 1979 and became the band's final chart-topping song on the Hot 100.
Souther briefly dated
Linda Ronstadt
Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is a retired American singer who performed and recorded in diverse genres including rock, country, light opera, the Great American Songbook, and Latin. She has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three American ...
and co-produced her ''
Don't Cry Now
''Don't Cry Now'' is the fourth solo studio album by Linda Ronstadt and the first of her studio releases for Asylum Records, following six albums recorded for and released on Capitol Records including three she recorded as a member of The Stone Po ...
'' album, as well as writing songs for several of her multi-platinum albums, including "
Faithless Love
"Faithless Love" is a song written by J.D. Souther and first recorded and released by Linda Ronstadt on her 1974 album ''Heart Like a Wheel''. Souther's recording appears on his 1976 album '' Black Rose''.
American country music artist Glen Camp ...
" from ''
Heart Like a Wheel
''Heart Like a Wheel'' is the fifth solo studio album by Linda Ronstadt, released in November 1974. It was Ronstadt's last album to be released by Capitol Records. At the time of its recording, Ronstadt had already moved to Asylum Records and rel ...
'' and "White Rhythm and Blues" on ''
Living in the USA
''Living in the USA'' is the ninth studio album by American singer Linda Ronstadt, released in 1978. The album was Ronstadt's third and final No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
Release
The album was originally released by Asylum in the L ...
''. Souther also recorded several additional duets with Ronstadt including "
Prisoner in Disguise
''Prisoner In Disguise'' (1975) is Linda Ronstadt's sixth solo LP release and her second for the label Asylum Records. It followed Ronstadt's multi-platinum breakthrough album, ''Heart Like a Wheel'', which became her first number album on the US ...
," "Sometimes You Can't Win," and "Hearts Against the Wind," which was featured in the 1980 film ''
Urban Cowboy
''Urban Cowboy'' is a 1980 American romantic Western film directed by James Bridges. The plot concerns the love-hate relationship between Buford Uan "Bud" Davis (John Travolta) and Sissy (Debra Winger). The film's success was credited for spur ...
''.
A collaboration with his old friend
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, havi ...
called "
Her Town Too" (from Taylor's platinum-certified ''
Dad Loves His Work
''Dad Loves His Work'' is the tenth studio album by James Taylor released in 1981. The album includes the duet with J. D. Souther titled " Her Town Too", which peaked at number 11 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number 5 on the ''Billboard'' Adu ...
'' album) reached number 11 on the Hot 100 and number 5 on the AC chart in 1981.
In 1987, he contributed to, performed on, and did the vocal arrangements for the ''
Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night'' concert and video. That same year he collaborated with
Clannad
Clannad () is an Irish band formed in 1970 in Gweedore, County Donegal by siblings Ciarán, Pól, and Moya Brennan and their twin uncles Noel and Pádraig Duggan. They have adopted various musical styles throughout their history, including ...
, providing guest vocals for their album ''Sirius''. He sang
the Platters
The Platters was an American vocal group formed in 1952. They are one of the most successful vocal groups of the early rock and roll era. Their distinctive sound bridges the pre-rock Tin Pan Alley tradition and the new burgeoning genre. The ac ...
' "
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
"Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" is a show tune written by American composer Jerome Kern and lyricist Otto Harbach for the 1933 musical '' Roberta''. The song was sung in the Broadway show by Tamara Drasin. Its first recorded performance was by Ge ...
" in
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg (; born December 18, 1946) is an American director, writer, and producer. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, he is the most commercially successful director of all time. Spie ...
's 1989 film ''
Always
Always may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Always'', a 1985 film directed by Henry Jaglom
* ''Always'' (1989 film), a 1989 romantic comedy-drama directed by Steven Spielberg
* ''Always'' (2011 film), a 2011 South Korean film, also known as '' ...
'', and wrote the theme song to the 1989-1992 sitcom ''
Anything But Love
''Anything but Love'' is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from March 7, 1989, to June 3, 1992, spanning four seasons and 56 episodes. The show stars Richard Lewis as Marty Gold and Jamie Lee Curtis as Hannah Miller, coworkers at a Chicago ...
''.
The Don Henley hit song "
The Heart of the Matter
''The Heart of the Matter'' (1948) is a novel by English author Graham Greene. The book details a life-changing moral crisis for Henry Scobie. Greene, a former British intelligence officer in Freetown, British Sierra Leone, drew on his expe ...
" (1989) was also co-written by Souther.
On October 14, 2008, Souther released ''
If the World Was You'', his first new studio release in nearly 25 years. In the fall of 2009, he released a follow up live album titled ''Rain - Live at the
Belcourt Theatre
The Belcourt Theatre is a nonprofit film center located in Nashville's Hillsboro Village district.
History
The theater was opened in 1925 as the Hillsboro Theatre by M.A. Lightman Sr. of Malco Theatres and his father Joseph Lightman. It was a ...
'', featuring a blend of old and new material.
On May 31, 2011, Souther released ''Natural History,'' featuring new versions of his songs recorded by other artists.
On October 9, 2012, he released ''Midnight in Tokyo,'' an EP that was recorded live.
On June 14, 2013, Souther was inducted into the
Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) is an American institution founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer, music publisher/songwriter Abe Olman, and publisher/executive Howie Richmond to honor those whose work, represent, and maintain, the her ...
and called "a principal architect of the Southern California sound and a major influence on a generation of songwriters."
He wrote the song "Wishing on Another Lucky Star", featured on the soundtrack of the movie ''
Permanent Record''.
Souther co-wrote "Doin' Time for Bein' Young", a song performed by
James Intveld
James Intveld (born November 12, 1959) is an American rockabilly musician, singer, songwriter, performer, actor, and film director from Los Angeles, California, United States.
Early career
Born in the Netherlands, Intveld's parents moved to C ...
for the soundtrack of the 1990
Johnny Depp
John Christopher Depp II (born June 9, 1963) is an American actor and musician. He is the recipient of multiple accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, in addition to nominations for three Academy Award ...
movie ''
Cry-Baby
''Cry-Baby'' is a 1990 American teen musical romantic comedy film written and directed by John Waters. It was the only film of Waters's over which studios were in a bidding war, coming off the heels of the successful ''Hairspray''. The film sta ...
''.
Actor
Souther played the character of John Dunaway in the (1989–1990) third season of the television drama ''
Thirtysomething
''Thirtysomething'' is an American drama television series created by Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz for United Artists Television (under MGM/UA Television) and aired on ABC from September 29, 1987, to May 28, 1991."The 'don't trust any ...
'' and Ted in the film ''
Postcards from the Edge'' (1990).
He appeared in the
audiobook
An audiobook (or a talking book) is a recording of a book or other work being read out loud. A reading of the complete text is described as "unabridged", while readings of shorter versions are abridgements.
Spoken audio has been available in sc ...
of
Jimmy Buffett
James William Buffett (born December 25, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, and businessman. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffet ...
's ''
A Salty Piece of Land''. Souther played
Jesse James
Jesse Woodson James (September 5, 1847April 3, 1882) was an American outlaw, bank and train robber, guerrilla and leader of the James–Younger Gang. Raised in the " Little Dixie" area of Western Missouri, James and his family maintained stro ...
in the television movie ''
Purgatory
Purgatory (, borrowed into English via Anglo-Norman and Old French) is, according to the belief of some Christian denominations (mostly Catholic), an intermediate state after physical death for expiatory purification. The process of purgatory ...
'' in 1999 and Jeffrey Pommeroy in ''
My Girl 2
''My Girl 2'' is a 1994 American comedy-drama film starring Dan Aykroyd, Jamie Lee Curtis, Anna Chlumsky and Austin O'Brien. A sequel to '' My Girl'' (1991), its plot follows a now-teenaged Vada Sultenfuss, who travels from her home in suburban ...
''. Souther also appeared in the 2012 mystery thriller ''
Deadline
Deadline(s) or The Deadline(s) may refer to:
* Time limit, a narrow field of time by which an objective must be accomplished
Arts, entertainment, and media Comics
* Deadline (DC Comics), a fictional villain
* ''Deadline'' (magazine), a British ...
''.
He had a recurring role in the
first season of country music drama series ''
Nashville
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...
'', which premiered in October 2012 and he reprised his role in a 2017 episode of the
fifth season.
Personal life
Souther married Alexandra Sliwin, a member of the group
Honey Ltd.
Honey Ltd. were an American 1960s girl group made up of sisters Alexandra and Joan Sliwin, Laura Polkinghorne and Marsha Temmer.
Background
The group members began singing with each other at Wayne State University. They formed the Mama Cats a ...
, in March 1969; they divorced in 1972.
He dated
Linda Ronstadt
Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is a retired American singer who performed and recorded in diverse genres including rock, country, light opera, the Great American Songbook, and Latin. She has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three American ...
and
Stevie Nicks
Stephanie Lynn Nicks (born May 26, 1948) is an American singer, songwriter, and producer known for her work with the band Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist.
After starting her career as a duo with her then-boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham, releasi ...
in the 1970s.
Judee Sill
Judith Lynne Sill (October 7, 1944 – November 23, 1979) was an American singer and songwriter. The first artist signed to David Geffen's Asylum label, she released two albums on Asylum and partially completed a third album before dying of a d ...
's song "Jesus Was a Crossmaker" was written for Souther, who she said broke her heart after a short affair.
In December 2002, Souther moved from the
Hollywood Hills
The Hollywood Hills are a residential neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California.
Geography
The Hollywood Hills straddle the Cahuenga Pass within the Santa Monica Mountains.
The neighborhood touches Studio City, Univer ...
to
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...
. In 2004, he married Sarah Nicholson from Bansha, Ireland; they divorced in 2010.
Discography
Albums
Singles
References
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Souther, JD
1945 births
American male actors
American country singer-songwriters
American rock musicians
American rock singers
American rock songwriters
Columbia Records artists
Country musicians from Michigan
Elektra Records artists
Living people
Singers from Detroit
Souther–Hillman–Furay Band members
Tascosa High School alumni
Warner Records artists
Singer-songwriters from Michigan