Eagles are back in action, baby! And who doesn’t love when they whip out “Heartache Tonight”? It was a delight to hear at last night’s show. But unfortunately, this time around, their performance of the song was tinged with bittersweetness and grief.
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During Eagles’ set at the Las Vegas Sphere last night, the band closed out their opening residency show with a dedication to J.D. Souther. Souther co-wrote the song “Heartache Tonight”, as well as a number of other Eagles songs. Sadly, Souther passed away earlier this week on September 17. He was 78 years old.
It’s good to know that Eagles haven’t forgotten about Souther’s contributions. Shortly before Eagles performed “Heartache Tonight” as the last song of the evening, Don Henley spoke fondly about Souther.
“I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge a couple of people,” Henley said. “I want to acknowledge the co-writer of that song who we lost three days ago, Mr. J.D. Souther. J.D. is someone you may know played a pivotal role in the Eagles. He wasn’t in the band but he certainly co-wrote some of our biggest hits.”
You can watch a fan video of the performance via YouTube below:
Eagles Members Fondly Remember J.D. Souther’s Contributions to The Band and Their Lives Ahead of “Heartache Tonight” Performance
Joe Walsh took to Instagram yesterday to post a heartfelt tribute to J.D. Souther ahead of Eagles’ performance of “Heartache Tonight”.
“My friend, my brother and favorite partner in room-trashing,” the caption read, accompanied by a black-and-white photo of Walsh and Souther together. “JD co-wrote the songs that mapped the Eagles’ flights. Godspeed. Time to go home.”
The day after Souther’s death, Eagles released a heartfelt statement through their website. The post noted that Souther was “a brother, a friend and a brilliant collaborator” and that “the world has lost a great songwriter, a pioneer of the Southern California sound that emerged in the 1970s.”
During the band’s opening set at the Las Vegas Sphere, they also paid tribute to the late great Jimmy Buffett. Buffett passed away in September of 2023 at the age of 76.
Bittersweetness aside, Eagles put on an incredible show. We can’t wait to see what they choose to do next with the rest of their residency at Sphere!
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives
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