In 1984, singer/songwriter JD Souther followed the chart-topping successes of "You're Only Lonely" and the James Taylor duet "Her Town Too" with HOME BY DAWN, an album that Rolling Stone declared his best, with songs that "rank right up there with his forlorn classics 'Run like a Thief' and 'Faithless Love.'"

And then, in 1985, after a brief tour in support of the album, JD Souther disappeared.

One of the principal architects of the Southern California country-rock sound, Souther famously played a key role in the formation of the Eagles and co-wrote their hits "Heartache Tonight," "Victim of Love," "New Kid In Town," and "Best of My Love," as well as writing Linda Ronstadt's classics "Faithless Love," "Simple Man, Simple Dream," and "Prisoner in Disguise."

A highly sought-after songwriter and session man, Souther also released three critically acclaimed solo albums -- "John David Souther," (1972) "Black Rose," (1976), and "You're Only Lonely" (1979) -- and two albums as a member of The Souther Hillman Furay Band, the super group which united Souther with Poco's Richie Furay and the Byrds' Chris Hillman.

But in 1985, after countless hit records, Grammy nominations, American Music Awards, and gold and platinum albums, JD Souther decided to walk away from his solo career. According to Souther, "I just wanted to be a good songwriter. I wanted to just stay home and write."

Relocating to Nashville, Souther wrote for and with artists as diverse as India.Arie, Brooks & Dunn, Jimmy Buffet, Glen Campbell, Joe Cocker, Crosby Stills & Nash, Diamond Rio, Dixie Chicks, Don Henley, One Flew South, Roy Orbison, Bernadette Peters, Bonnie Raitt, George Strait, Brian Wilson, Trisha Yearwood, Warren Zevon, and most recently the newly re-formed Eagles, who chose Souther's protest song "How Long" as the debut single from their first studio album in twenty-eight years.

In October 2008, Souther returned with his first studio album in twenty-five years: IF THE WORLD WAS YOU.

The 6 song, digital only EP, gathers live versions of tunes from his comeback releases as well as new live renditions of some of his most beloved hits. A mixture of solo acoustic versions and tracks in which JD is backed by the jazz quintet from IF THE WORLD WAS YOU, RAIN is a wonderful thank you to his fans and a great representation of his current sound. From the Cubano vibe of the title track "Rain" to the stripped down jazzy take on "Silver Blue" (the original from 1976 featured jazz bass master Stanley Clarke), showcasing JD's long love of the jazz idiom. Also featured are stand-out versions of his Top Ten hit, "You're Only Lonely" and a wonderfully spirited take on "House of Pride" from IF THE WORLD WAS YOU.

IF THE WORLD WAS YOU was both a bold step forward and a return to Souther’s Amarillo, Texas roots, where the young multi-instrumentalist grew up listening closely to Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, and steeped in the improvisational sensibilities of John Coltrane, Thelonius Monk and Miles Davis as well as in the music of country and rock pioneers Hank Williams, Buddy Holly, and Roy Orbison, all of whose influences are evident.

NATURAL HISTORY is Souther’s first album since 2008’s If the World Was You. The new album was produced by Fred Mollin at the Sound Emporium in Nashville and features numerous renowned musicians, including Jeff Coffin on tenor and soprano sax, Jerry Douglas on Dobro, John Hobbs and Chris Walters on piano, John Jorgenson on clarinet and guitar, Viktor Krauss on upright bass, Rod McGaha on trumpet, Bryan Sutton on electric and acoustic guitar and Jim White on drums and percussion, among many others. Of making the record, Souther notes, "Music, for me is like language; fluid, and if it doesn’t change, it becomes rigid and dull. This was a great opportunity to intimately explore these songs with the exceptional musicians who play with me now, and to do so in small ensembles, sometimes no more than three or four players."

NATURAL HISTORY will be available online and in store May 31st!

Visit JD Souther at: www.jdsoutherstore.net