He may not be the new kid in town, but the distinctive sounds of southern California rock wouldn't be the same without JD Souther. JD has been writing great songs for a long time and Portland gets a chance to hear him up close and personal this week ... here's a capsule refresher on the talented Souther and his new CD ...
Natural History, the new album from legendary songwriter and musician JD Souther, was released May 31 on eOne Music. Widely recognized as one of the principal architects of the Southern California country-rock sound, Souther played a key role in the formation of the Eagles, co-writing many of their hit songs. Natural History features new versions of 11 songs either written or co-written by Souther including “Faithless Love,” “Prisoner in Disguise,” “New Kid In Town” and “You’re Only Lonely.” In celebration of the record, Souther will embark on a nationwide tour this spring and summer. Additional details to be announced shortly.
Natural History is Souther’s first album since 2008’s If the World Was You, which was his first studio album in 25 years. Of Souther’s triumphant return to recorded music, the LA Weekly praised, “Showing no rustiness, Souther displays a sagely touch, smoothly blending pop, jazz, country, soul and Latin rock on lovely ballads…observational tales…and personal epics,” while The Tennessean asserted “Souther has now emerged with what is either the jazziest singer-songwriter record of our time or the most literate and lyrically sophisticated new jazz record on the market.”
The new album was produced by Fred Mollin at the Sound Emporium in Nashville and features numerous renowned musicians, including Jeff Coffin on tenor and soprano sax, Jerry Douglas on Dobro, John Hobbs and Chris Walters on piano, John Jorgenson on clarinet and guitar, Viktor Krauss on upright bass, Rod McGaha on trumpet, Bryan Sutton on electric and acoustic guitar and Jim White on drums and percussion, among many others. Of making the record, Souther notes, “Music, for me is like language; fluid, and if it doesn’t change, it becomes rigid and dull. This was a great opportunity to intimately explore these songs with the exceptional musicians who play with me now, and to do so in small ensembles, sometimes no more than three or four players.”
Beyond his fundamental work with the Eagles, Souther has collaborated with countless world-renowned musicians including Linda Ronstadt, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Bonnie Raitt, Warren Zevon, Don Henley, Hugh Masekela, Dixie Chicks, India Arie, Roy Orbison, George Strait, Brian Wilson and Trisha Yearwood. In 2009, he was presented with the Golden Note Award at the 47th annual ASCAP Country Music Awards.
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