Singer-Songwriter JD Souther Mixes Genres at CMJ

Posted on Oct 23rd 2009 1:30PM by David Chiu
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Mention the name JD Souther and the first thing that probably comes to mind is the Eagles. He is practically synonymous with that band as the co-writer of several Eagles hits, including 'New Kid in Town,' 'Heartache Tonight' and 'The Best of My Love.' In addition, Souther has written several songs for Linda Ronstadt and recorded a duet with James Taylor, 'Her Town Too.' In 2008, Souther returned with 'If the World Was You,' his first new studio album in almost 25 years.

Last night, Souther performed at the Living Room on New York's Lower East Side as part of the CMJ Music Marathon. Alone with only an acoustic guitar in hand, Souther played some romantic-sounding songs from 'If the World Was You,' such as the tender and soulful 'I'll Be Here at Closing Time' and the ballad 'The Border Guard.'

While the music performed on stage was mainly acoustic rock and pop, it also took on some eclectic styles such as Latin with 'Rain,' and jazz with Souther's covers of Duke Ellington's 'Don't Get Around Much Anymore' and the standard 'Bye Bye Blackbird.'

The highlights of Souther's show were the artist's renditions of two songs he wrote or co-wrote for other artists. First he did 'New Kid in Town' and then later performed 'Prisoner in Disguise,' which was recorded by Linda Ronstadt. Souther also delivered some colorful and humorous banter in between songs.

At first it may have appeared unusual to see an artist associated with the Eagles and Ronstadt participate in what is mainly a showcase for young alternative music acts. In fact, Souther came to take his place on the stage following the performance of an indie rock band. But that's what made his set, which drew a pretty good crowd that night, all the more unique.