Founding member of The Eagles, Randy Meisner has dies as the age of 77 following complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
"Randy was an integral part of the Eagles and instrumental in the early success of the band. His vocal range was astonishing, as is evident on his signature ballad, ‘Take It to the Limit.'"
Funeral arrangements are pending.
Randy co-founded The Eagles in 1971, alongside Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and Bernie Leadon, after originally playing with country-rock band Poco, and Rick Nelson's Stone Canyon Band.
He was mainly the bassist for the band, but did write and sing multiple tracks, including 'Take It to the Limit,' featured on their album 'One of The Nights' (1975).
He left the band after 'Hotel California' was recorded in 1976, chose to skip the tour to promote the record.
"I could have tripled my money if I’d stayed. But I was just tired of the touring. It’s a crazy life that you live at twice the normal speed. When it got to the point of sanity or money... I thought I’d rather have sanity.”
When the band reunited in 1994, it was reported Randy wasn't invited. He did perform with them at their 1998 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, later invited to join their 2013 world tour.
He chose not to attend due to declining health, and admitted in 2016 that the band helped pay for his medical care.
He was married twice, first to Jennifer Lee Barton (1963 to 1981), sharing three children, and second to Lana Rae (1996 to 2016).
Lana passed in March 2016 after accidentally shooting and killing herself. Police determined Randy wasn't involved.
In 2016, he also reflected on the band's longstanding history.
"It’s just good to know that kids nowadays are listening to it. It’s long-standing music. They’re good songs. The lyrics are really good and the way that they were produced and the way that we played them. That’s why on Hotel California we were so precise and wanting to make it so perfect. We made sure we got it so good."
His death comes just weeks after surviving members announced plans to tour one last time, beginning September 7th 2023, and the roster including Henley, Vince Gill, and Timothy B. Schmidt, who replaced Randy in 1976.
Deacon Frey will join them. He is the son of Glenn Frey who passed in 2016 at the age of 67.
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