Singer & Actor JD Souther, Who Co-Wrote ‘New Kid in Town,’ Dies at 78

Singer, songwriter and actor JD Souther, who co-wrote the Eagles hits “New Kid in Town” and “Best of My Love,” has died. He was 78.

According to Variety, Souther passed away on Tuesday, September 17, at his home in New Mexico. No cause of death was provided, but a representative for the Eagles told the Los Angeles Times that Souther died “peacefully.”

Born on November 2, 1945, in Detroit, Michigan, Souther began his music career with the local group The Cinders, who released their first record in 1965. He later moved to Los Angeles, forming a folk duo with fellow musician and songwriter Glenn Frey; the pair released one album in 1970.

While Souther would record and release a solo album in 1972 and scored a Top 10 hit in 1979 with the ballad “You’re Only Lonely,” it was in writing for others that he found his biggest success. Most notably, Souther was a frequent collaborator with the Eagles.

In addition to “New Kid in Town” and “Best of My Love,” Souther also co-wrote the Eagles tracks “Heartache Tonight,” “Victim of Love,” “James Dean,” “Doolin-Dalton,” “The Sad Cafe,” “You Never Cry Like a Lover,” “Teenage Jail, “Last Good Time in Town,” and more.

Freestyle Releasing/Courtesy Everett Collection

Souther also worked closely with Linda Ronstadt, whom he dated in the 1970s. He co-wrote Ronstadt’s songs “Prisoner in Disguise” and “Faithless Love.” Elsewhere, he penned tracks for the Dixie Chicks, George Strait, James Taylor, and Bonnie Raitt.

Outside of music, Souther also had a successful acting career. He played the character of John Dunaway in the third season of the television drama Thirtysomething in 1989. More recently, he appeared in the first season of the country music drama Nashville in 2012 and reprised his role for the fifth season in 2017.

His other on-screen credits include small roles in the films Postcards From the Edge, Always, Purgatory, Deadline, and My Girl 2.

Souther was married to Alexandra Sliwin from Honey Ltd. from March 1969 to 1972. In addition to dating Ronstadt, he also dated Stevie Nicks in the 1970s and briefly dated Judee Sill. He married Sarah Nicholson in 2004 before they divorced in 2010.

In 2013, Souther was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, where he was called “a principal architect of the Southern California sound and a major influence on a generation of songwriters.”