This weekend, the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum featured songwriter, producer and recording artist JD Souther in its in-depth interview series Poets and Prophets. The series features songwriters who have made significant contributions to country music.The Grammy-nominated Souther contributed songs to several classic albums while creating his own artful, melodic recordings attuned to navigating the evolving nature of personal relationships in the 1970s and beyond. The Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee has penned hits for Country Music Hall of Fame member Brooks & Dunn, the Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, Trisha Yearwood and more, while establishing a strong following as a performer. His songs include pivotal works recorded by Ronstadt, including “Don’t Cry Now,” “Faithless Love,” “Prisoner in Disguise,” “Silver Blue,” “Simple Man, Simple Dream” and “White Rhythm & Blues.” He also helped push the Eagles to new heights by co-writing “Best of My Love,” “Heartache Tonight,” “New Kid in Town” and “Victim of Love.”
Souther formed the duo Longbranch/Pennywhistle with Glenn Frey and released a self-titled album in 1969. He has also recorded and performed with Richie Furay and Chris Hillman as the all-star trio Souther-Hillman-Furay Band. Souther has issued several solo albums over the last 20 years, including his most recent release, Tenderness (2015). He has reissued expanded editions of past solo albums John David Souther (1972), Black Rose (1976), Home By Dawn (1984) and his project with Glenn Frey, Longbranch/Pennywhistle (1969). This program — which included vintage photos, audio and film clips — was filmed and will premiere at a later date as part of the museum’s Live at the Hall digital programs series, available to stream on the museum’s website.
This program was offered in support of the exhibition Western Edge: The Roots and Reverberations of Los Angeles Country-Rock, presented by City National Bank, and made possible in part by the Academy of Country Music.
The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum collects, preserves and interprets country music and its history for the education and entertainment of diverse audiences. In exhibitions, publications, digital media and educational programs, the museum explores the cultural importance and enduring beauty of the art form. The museum is operated by the Country Music Foundation, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization chartered by the state of Tennessee in 1964. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, and is among the most-visited history museums in the U.S. The Country Music Foundation operates Historic RCA Studio B®, Hatch Show Print® poster shop, CMF Records, the Frist Library and Archive and CMF Press. Museum programs are supported in part by Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission and Tennessee Arts Commission.
