As long as we're pointing out recent passings, JD Souther passed away on the 17th. Probably best known for co-writing several of the Eagles hits (Desperado, James Dean, You Never Cry Like a Lover, Best of My Love, New Kid in Town and Victim of Love). He also co-wrote Don Henley's The Heart of the Matter and wrote Linda Ronstadt's Faithless Love, White Rhythm and Blues, and Simple Man, Simple Dream, Prisoner in Disguise, and also duetted with her on the song Hearts Against the Wind from the film Urban Cowboy. Oh, and there was You’re Only Lonely with James Taylor.

Well, in short, the guy wrote some really fine songs, was an excellent guitarist, and had one of the most perfect voices you've ever heard.

He turned down the Eagles when they asked him to join the band, saying later in an interview when asked why: “I don’t really want to be stopped when I’m in the grocery store and have somebody pay a bunch of attention to me.”

Coincidentally, Souther, like Kristofferson, was one of the rare breed of men who actually looked better with a beard than without one.

The album Black Rose is considered his best work (full album here): YouTube: Faithless Love (J.D. Souther - Topic)

Here's an acoustic version of Faithless Love with Metraca Berg: YouTube: Matraca Berg/JD Souther/Faithless Love (live 1991) (Robert W. Roddis, Esq.)