JD Souther was as gifted a songwriter as he was a singer. I had the opportunity to speak with him at the end of July about the re-release of his epic 1979 album, You’re Only Lonely, and the beginning of a new chapter for him with Omnivore Records. (My article about JD Souther was published in Copper 209.) He was in great spirits, and readying for a return to the road with his frequent touring partner, singer/songwriter Karla Bonoff. His trip through my home state of Connecticut was bringing him to a fabled spot on the shoreline, The Kate, a theater in Old Saybrook dedicated to the town’s most famous resident, Katherine Hepburn. I missed that Tuesday night show, and it would turn out to be his second-to-last. JD passed away on September 17 at age 78, and according to his team it was peaceful.
JD was remarkably selfless throughout his career. Long associated with the Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, and Jackson Browne, it’s been often argued that he gave away his best-written songs to his friends. In speaking with him, those friendships were always worth more than the tunes. Along the way, songs he helped write for the Eagles like “The Best Of My Love” and “New Kid In Town” became anthems. And the harmony vocals he provided to songs like James Taylor’s “Her Town Too” gave them soul and made them linger, last, and chart.
But his best work will always be found in those records he decided to call his own. Backed by an L.A.-based musical brotherhood that included Waddy Wachtel, Danny Kortchmar, David Sanborn, and his great pal Glenn Frey, he created albums like You’re Only Lonely that showcased his exceptional writing skills and angelic blue-eyed soul vocals. JD wasn’t prolific, but what he decided to share with the public is defined by a great sense of storytelling, humor, and style.
He was born in Detroit and raised in Amarillo, Texas. But his cowboy persona had an élan that was polished and often burnished by the home he found in Southern California. I texted with JD a few times after our interview and he was happy about how it had turned out. But he seemed even happier about where life had led him and what kept things simple. I should have hopped in the car on that Tuesday night and caught him at The Kate. But I’ll be forever thankful for the gift of his music, the tales he told, and the promise of love that his songs always reminded us was just a beat away. In the end, I know that that was all he ever wanted from his fans, and in that sense we’re never lonely, even during times darkened by news like this.
Header image of JD Souther courtesy of Jim Shea.
