JD Souther

Souther grew up in Amarillo, Texas, and moved to Los Angeles in the late 1960s. He soon became part of a core group of singers and songwriters that redefined the pop sound of Southern California. Linda Ronstadt’s rendition of Souther’s “Faithless Love” helped her win her first ACM Award for 1974 Most Promising Female Vocalist. In 1980, he and Ronstadt placed “Hearts Against the Wind” on the Urban Cowboy soundtrack, which was named the 1980 ACM Album of the Year. Souther’s compositions for the Eagles include “Best of My Love,” “New Kid in Town,” “Heartache Tonight” and “The Sad Café.” Souther’s songwriting also appears on George Strait’s Pure Country, Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles, and Dixie Chicks’ Wide Open Spaces, the 1998 ACM Album of the Year.