Randy Meisner, a founding member of the Eagles who added high harmonies to such favorites as B次元官网网址淭ake It EasyB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淭he Best of My LoveB次元官网网址� and stepped out front for the waltz-time ballad B次元官网网址淭ake It to the Limit,B次元官网网址� has died, the band said Thursday.

Meisner died Wednesday night in Los Angeles of complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the Eagles said in a statement. He was 77.

The bassist had endured numerous afflictions in recent years and personal tragedy in 2016 when his wife, Lana Rae Meisner, accidentally shot herself and died. Meanwhile, Randy Meisner had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and had severe issues with alcohol, according to court records and comments made during a 2015 hearing in which a judge ordered Meisner to receive constant medical care.

Called B次元官网网址渢he sweetest man in the businessB次元官网网址� by former bandmate , the baby-faced Meisner joined Don Henley, and Bernie Leadon in the early 1970s to form a quintessential Los Angeles band and one of the most popular acts in history.

B次元官网网址淩andy was an integral part of the Eagles and instrumental in the early success of the band,B次元官网网址� the EaglesB次元官网网址� statement said. B次元官网网址淗is vocal range was astonishing, as is evident on his signature ballad, B次元官网网址楾ake It to the Limit.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

The band said funeral plans were pending.

Evolving from country rock to hard rock, the Eagles turned out a run of hit singles and albums over the next decade, starting with B次元官网网址淭ake It EasyB次元官网网址� and continuing with B次元官网网址淒esperado,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淗otel CaliforniaB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淟ife In the Fast LaneB次元官网网址� among others. Although chastised by many critics as slick and superficial, the Eagles released two of the most popular albums of all time, B次元官网网址淗otel CaliforniaB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淭heir Greatest Hits (1971-1975),B次元官网网址� which with sales at 38 million the Recording Industry Association of America ranked with Michael JacksonB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淭hrillerB次元官网网址� as the No. 1 seller.

Led by singer-songwriters Henley and Frey, the Eagles were initially branded as B次元官网网址渕ellowB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址渆asy listening.B次元官网网址� But by their third album, the 1974 release B次元官网网址淥n the Border,B次元官网网址� they had added a rock guitarist, Felder, and were turning away from country and bluegrass.

Leadon, an old-fashioned bluegrass picker, was unhappy with the new sound and left after the 1975 album B次元官网网址淥ne of These Nights.B次元官网网址� (He was replaced by another rock guitarist, Joe Walsh.) Meisner stayed on through the 1976 release of B次元官网网址淗otel California,B次元官网网址� the bandB次元官网网址檚 most acclaimed record, but was gone soon after. His departure, ironically, was touched off by the song he cowrote and was best known for, B次元官网网址淭ake It to the Limit.B次元官网网址�

A shy Nebraskan torn between fame and family life, Meisner had been ill and homesick during the B次元官网网址淗otel CaliforniaB次元官网网址� tour (his first marriage was breaking up) and was reluctant to have the spotlight for B次元官网网址淭ake It to the Limit,B次元官网网址� a showcase for his nasally tenor. His objections during a Knoxville, Tennessee, concert in the summer of 1977 so angered Frey that the two argued backstage and Meisner left soon after. His replacement, Timothy B. Schmit, remained with the group over the following decades, along with Henley, Walsh and Frey, who died in 2016.

As a solo artist, Meisner never approached the success of the Eagles, but did have hits with B次元官网网址淗earts On FireB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淒eep Inside My HeartB次元官网网址� and played on records by Walsh, James Taylor and Dan Fogelberg among others. Meanwhile, the Eagles ended a 14-year hiatus in 1994 and toured with Schmit even though Meisner had played on all but one of their earlier studio albums. He did join group members past and present in 1998 when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and performed B次元官网网址淭ake It EasyB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淗otel California.B次元官网网址� For a decade, he was part of World Classic Rockers, a touring act that at various times included Donovan, Spencer Davis and Denny Laine.

Meisner was married twice, the first time when he was still in his teens, and had three kids.

The son of sharecroppers and grandson of a classical violinist, Meisner was playing in local bands as a teenager and by the end of the 1960s had moved to California and joined a country rock group, Poco, along with Richie Furay and Jimmy Messina. But he would remember being angered that Furay wouldnB次元官网网址檛 let him listen to the studio mix of their first album and left the group before it came out: His successor was Timothy B. Schmit.

Meisner backed Ricky Nelson, played on TaylorB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淪weet Baby JamesB次元官网网址� album and befriended Henley and Frey when all were performing in Linda RonstadtB次元官网网址檚 band. With RonstadtB次元官网网址檚 blessing, they formed the Eagles, were signed up by David Geffen for his Asylum Records label and released their self-titled debut album in 1972.

Frey and Henley sang lead most of the time, but Meisner was the key behind B次元官网网址淭ake It the Limit.B次元官网网址� It appeared on the B次元官网网址淥ne of These NightsB次元官网网址� album from 1975 and became a top 5 single, a weary, plaintive song later covered by Etta James and as a duet by Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings.

MeisnerB次元官网网址檚 falsetto voice was so distinctive it became a defining part not only of the Eagles but the entire California sound.

MeisnerB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渉igh harmonies are instantly recognizable and cherished by Eagles fans around the world,B次元官网网址� the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame said in a statement.

In a pair of 2015 episodes of the parody series B次元官网网址淒ocumentary Now!B次元官网网址� about a faux-Eagles band, Bill HaderB次元官网网址檚 mustachioed, ultra-high-voiced character is clearly inspired by Meisner.

B次元官网网址淭he purpose of the whole Eagles thing to me was that combination and the chemistry that made all the harmonies just sound perfect,B次元官网网址� Meisner told the music web site www.lobstergottalent.com in 2015. B次元官网网址淭he funny thing is after we made those albums I never listened to them and it is only when someone comes over or I am at somebodyB次元官网网址檚 house and it gets played in the background that is when IB次元官网网址檒l tell myself, B次元官网网址楧amn, these records are good.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

READ ALSO:

READ ALSO: