Randy Meisner, the founding bassist of the Eagles and the vocalist behind their 1976 hit “Take It to the Restrict,” has died. The Eagles confirmed the news, noting his reason for loss of life as problems from persistent obstructive pulmonary illness. He was 77.
Born in 1946 in Nebraska, Meisner sang and performed bass in Rick Nelson’s Stone Canyon Band and helped discovered the seminal nation rock outfit Poco earlier than forming the Eagles in 1971 with Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and Bernie Leadon. Meisner linked with Frey and Henley when producer John Boylan introduced him in to affix them as backing musicians for Linda Rondstadt.
As Rondstadt advised Billboard in 2016, a number of the Eagles’ earliest rehearsal classes occurred below her roof. “I keep in mind coming house in the future they usually had rehearsed ‘Witchy Lady’ they usually had all of the harmonies labored out, four-part harmonies,” she mentioned. “It was implausible. I knew it was gonna be a success. You could possibly simply inform.”
Meisner recorded 5 albums with the Eagles—their self-titled debut, Desperado, On the Border, One in every of These Nights, and Lodge California—earlier than leaving the group in 1977, after which he was succeeded by Timothy B. Schmit (notably, Schmit additionally changed Meisner when he left Poco). Meisner went on to launch three solo albums: 1978’s Randy Meisner, 1980’s One Extra Music, and one other self-titled challenge in 1982. Alongside his Eagles bandmates, Meisner was inducted into the Rock and Roll Corridor of Fame in 1998.
“Randy was an integral a part of the Eagles and instrumental within the early success of the band,” the Eagles shared of their assertion. “His vocal vary was astonishing, as is clear on his signature ballad, ‘Take It to the Restrict.’” The One in every of These Nights monitor, which Meisner additionally co-wrote, spent 23 weeks on the Billboard Sizzling 100; it presently stands because the Eagles longest-enduring hit on the chart.
