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.
Souther, who collaborated on some of the Eagles’ biggest hits, such as “Best of My Love,” “Victim of Love,” “New Kid in Town,” “Doolin-Dalton” and “James Dean,” died “peacefully in his New Mexico home,” according to a statement on his website. He was about to begin a tour with singer-songwriter Karla Bonoff, now canceled.
