Eagles have launched a assertion honoring J.D. Souther, their cowriter and collaborator who died on Tuesday on the age of 78.

“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 band’s message started. “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.”

The Eagles went on to element Souther’s journey from Detroit to Texas and, ultimately, Los Angeles. The band described the songwriter as “a student of the deep roots of the best American music,” whose “knowledge and appreciation informed his work.”

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“He was a crucial cowriter on many of our most popular songs, including, ‘The Best of My Love,’ ‘New Kid in Town,’ and ‘Heartache Tonight,’” the Eagles continued, including that Souther additionally contributed to lots of Don Henley’s solo albums.

“He was an extraordinary man and will be greatly missed by many,” the band mentioned on the shut of their tribute. “Adios, old friend. Travel well.”

The Eagles full assertion will be discovered right here.

J.D. Souther’s Eagles Legacy

Souther first started working with Glenn Frey previous to the Eagles. When the group shaped in 1971, he was invited to hitch, however rapidly decided the match wasn’t proper. Instead, Souther grew to become a frequent collaborator with the group, co-writing a number of of their most beloved hits.

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In 2013, Souther was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Though he by no means achieved the identical identify recognition as official Eagles band members, he at all times appreciated his place within the group’s historical past.

“There was undoubtedly a time period the place folks would sometimes say to me, ‘Doesn’t it piss you off that the Eagles have these massive hits off your songs?’” the songwriter remarked during a 2008 interview. “I might normally begin saying, ‘Would you like to see the checks?’”