How Long: Omnivore Reissues and Expands Three Albums by JD Souther
Omnivore Recordings is kicking off 2016 with a trio of titles from one of The Second Disc’s favorite singer-songwriters, the one and only JD Souther. The label will celebrate the Michigan-born, Texas-raised and California-associated Songwriters Hall of Fame member with deluxe, expanded reissues of three unjustly-neglected classics of the SoCal scene: John David Souther, Black Rose and Home by Dawn.
Though best known for the string of classics he co-wrote with his Eagles friends, including “Best of My Love,” “Heartache Tonight” and “New Kid in Town,” as well as “Faithless Love” and “White Rhythm and Blues” as popularized by his onetime flame Linda Ronstadt, Souther created equally memorable melodies tapping the pop and country-rock veins on his solo records. 1971’s eponymous album was co-produced by Souther and Fred Catero, and arrived on the Asylum label. It introduced “How Long,” revived by Eagles on 2007’s Long Road Out of Eden. Souther was joined by an all-star cast including Glenn Frey, Ned Doheny and John Barbata for the album which will be expanded by Omnivore with seven previously unissued bonus tracks including demos of “How Long” and “Run Like a Thief,” covered by Bonnie Raitt.
Following John David Souther, JD joined with Chris Hillman and Richie Furay in the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band for two albums. He returned to his solo career with 1976’s Black Rose. This time, Ronstadt’s frequent associate Peter Asher was in the producer’s chair, and the guest list was even starrier. Jazz musicians Stanley Clarke and Donald Byrd joined the returning Ned Doheny and Glenn Frey, and other guests included Art Garfunkel, David Crosby, Don Henley, Joe Walsh, Linda Ronstadt, Lowell George, Andrew Gold, Jim Keltner, Russ Kunkel, Waddy Wachtel, and Danny “Kootch” Kortchmar. Expansive orchestrations further added to the sonic palette. Black Rose included Souther’s own rendition of “Faithless Love” as well as “Simple Man, Simple Dream” which Ronstadt would soon record. Seven bonus tracks grace Omnivore’s reissue of this ambitious lost classic, including six previously unreleased live performance and demos as well as Lowell George and Souther’s rendition of George and Van Dyke Parks’ “Cheek to Cheek” from George’s lone solo platter.
The third release in Omnivore’s program jumps ahead to 1984’s Home by Dawn, originally released on the Warner Bros. label. (In between, Album No. 3 was recorded for Columbia – You’re Only Lonely, which boasted the Top 10 Pop/No. 1 AC title track.) Souther’s only album of the 1980s, Home by Dawn followed both the success of Lonely and his duet with James Taylor, “Her Town, Too.” David Malloy produced the album in Nashville and introduced “I’ll Take Care of You,” later recorded by The Dixie Chicks. Embracing a rootsy, forward-thinking country-rock fusion, Home by Dawn once again welcomed Don Henley as well as Linda Ronstadt and Waddy Wachtel among its cast. Eagle Timothy B. Schmit also sang on the album. Both Wachtel and Danny Kortchmar co-wrote tunes with Souther for the LP. Omnivore has expanded Home by Dawn with four bonus tracks including a demo of “I’ll Take Care of You,” two outtakes from the original sessions and Souther’s Urban Cowboy duet with Ronstadt, “Hearts Against the Wind.”
JD Souther didn’t return with another solo record until 2008, though he busied himself with acting and other pursuits; he’s since released three tremendous collections of mature, sophisticated pop including this year’s jazz-inflected Tenderness. The expanded John David Souther is due on January 8, 2016 while Black Rose and Home by Dawn arrive on February 12. You can pre-order at the links below!
John David Souther, John David Souther (Asylum SD 5055, 1971 – reissued Omnivore Recordings, 2016) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon Canada)
- The Fast One
- Run Like a Thief
- Jesus in ¾ Time
- Kite Woman
- Some People Call It Music
- White Wing
- It’s the Same
- How Long
- Out to Sea
- Lullaby
- Kite Woman (Alternate Version)
- Jesus in ¾ Time (Demo)
- The Fast One (Demo)
- Run Like a Thief (Demo)
- How Long (Demo)
- One in the Middle (Demo)
- Silver Blue (Demo)
JD Souther, Black Rose (Asylum 7E 1059, 1976 – reissued Omnivore Recordings, 2016) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Links TBD)
- Banging My Head Against the Moon
- If You Have Crying Eyes
- Your Turn Now
- Faithless Love
- Baby Come Home
- Simple Man, Simple Dream
- Silver Blue
- Midnight Prowl
- Doors Swing Open
- Black Rose
- Faithless Love (Live)
- Songs of Love (Band Demo)
- Can Almost See It (Demo)
- Cheek to Cheek – Lowell George (from Thanks, I’ll Eat It Here, Warner Bros. BSK 3194, 1979)
- Border Town (Solo Demo)
- Texas Nights and Mexican Moons (Instrumental Piano Demo)
- Songs of Love (Solo Demo)
JD Souther, Home by Dawn (Warner Bros. P 11477, 1986 – reissued Omnivore Recordings, 2016) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Links TBD)
- Home by Dawn
- Go Ahead and Rain
- Say You Will
- I’ll Take Care of You
- All for You
- Night
- Don’t Know What I’m Gonna Do
- Bad News
- All I Want
- Hearts Against the Wind – Linda Ronstadt and JD Souther (from Urban Cowboy, Asylum/Full Moon DP-90002, 1980)
- I’ll Take Care of You (Demo)
- Little Girl Blue (Outtake)
- Girls All Over the World (Outtake)
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1 thought on “How Long: Omnivore Reissues and Expands Three Albums by JD Souther”
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I’ve been looking for a decently-priced “Black Rose” on CD for years. Finally! I’ll have to sample the others, but “Rose” is a definite pre-order from me.