Randy Meisner, a founding member of the Eagles who was known for his high harmonies in songs like “Take It Easy” and “The Best of My Love”, has passed away at the age of 77 due to complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Meisner, who also provided the lead vocals for the ballad “Take It to the Limit”, was remembered by the band as an integral part of their early success. Despite enduring numerous health issues and personal tragedy, his contribution to the Eagles’ legacy in the music industry remains significant. The Associated Press reported

Randy Meisner, Eagles Founding Member, Dies at 77

Randy Meisner, who was instrumental in founding the Eagles, lending his high harmonies to popular hits like “Take It Easy” and “The Best of My Love”, and taking center stage for the waltz-time ballad “Take It to the Limit,” has passed away, according to a statement released by the band on Thursday.

Meisner’s Health Struggles and Personal Tragedy

Meisner passed away on Wednesday night in Los Angeles due to complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), said the Eagles in their statement. The 77-year-old bassist had been battling multiple health issues in recent years and experienced a personal tragedy in 2016 with the accidental shooting death of his wife, Lana Rae Meisner. Court records and comments from a 2015 hearing also revealed that Randy Meisner had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and had severe alcohol-related problems, leading a judge to order him to receive continuous medical care.

Meisner’s Contributions to the Eagles

Meisner, affectionately referred to as “the sweetest man in the music business” by ex-bandmate Don Felder, was a key part of the Eagles’ formation in the early 1970s, alongside Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and Bernie Leadon. The band, which became a staple of Los Angeles and one of the most successful acts in history, greatly benefited from Meisner’s involvement. “Randy was a crucial part of the Eagles and played a key role in the band’s early success. His vocal range was extraordinary, as demonstrated on his signature ballad, ‘Take It to the Limit’,” said the Eagles’ statement.

The Evolution of the Eagles

Moving from country rock to hard rock, the Eagles enjoyed a series of hit singles and albums over the subsequent decade, starting with “Take It Easy” and continuing with “Desperado,” “Hotel California,” and “Life In the Fast Lane,” among others. Despite criticism from some quarters for being slick and superficial, the Eagles released two incredibly popular albums, “Hotel California” and “Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975)”. The latter, with sales of 38 million, was ranked by the Recording Industry Association of America alongside Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” as the top-selling album.

Meisner’s Departure from the Eagles

Despite his integral role in the band, Meisner left the Eagles shortly after the release of “Hotel California”, their most critically acclaimed record. Ironically, his exit was triggered by the very song he was best known for, “Take It to the Limit”. Meisner, a shy individual from Nebraska, found the fame and family life hard to balance, especially during the taxing “Hotel California” tour. His reluctance to be the center of attention during performances of “Take It to the Limit” led to a backstage dispute with Frey and his subsequent departure from the band. Timothy B. Schmit, his replacement, stayed with the band for decades, alongside Henley, Walsh, and Frey, who passed away in 2016.

Meisner’s Solo Career and Personal Life

As a solo artist, Meisner was unable to replicate the success he enjoyed with the Eagles, though he did have hits with “Hearts On Fire” and “Deep Inside My Heart”, and contributed to records by Walsh, James Taylor, and Dan Fogelberg, among others. Despite Meisner’s involvement in all but one of their earlier studio albums, the Eagles resumed touring in 1994 with Schmit. Meisner did rejoin past and present group members in 1998 for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, where they performed “Take It Easy” and “Hotel California”. For a decade, he was part of World Classic Rockers, a touring act that included Donovan, Spencer Davis, and Denny Laine at different times. Meisner was married twice and had three children.

Meisner’s Early Life and Formation of the Eagles

Born to sharecroppers and the grandson of a classical violinist, Meisner started playing in local bands as a teenager. By the late 1960s, he had moved to California and joined country rock group Poco, with Richie Furay and Jimmy Messina. However, he left the group before their first album was released due to a disagreement with Furay. He then worked with Ricky Nelson and played on Taylor’s “Sweet Baby James” album. Meisner formed the Eagles with Henley and Frey, whom he met while they were all performing in Linda Ronstadt’s band. With Ronstadt’s support, they signed with David Geffen’s Asylum Records label and released their self-titled debut album in 1972.

Meisner’s Legacy

While Frey and Henley were the primary lead singers, Meisner was the driving force behind “Take It the Limit.” The song, which appeared on the 1975 album “One of These Nights”, became a top 5 single and was later covered by Etta James and as a duet by Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. “The purpose of the whole Eagles thing to me was that combination and the chemistry that made all the harmonies just sound perfect,” Meisner said in a 2015 interview with music website www.lobstergottalent.com. He added, “The 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 somebody’s house and it gets played in the background that is when I’ll tell myself, ‘Damn, these records are good.'”

Contributions to this report were made by AP Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton in Los Angeles.

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