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Meisner, Randy (8th March 1946-26th July 2023)

He was a bass guitarist and singer-songwriter born Randy Herman Meisner in Scottsbluff, Nebraska.

In the early 1960s he was part of The Dynamics, later The Drivin’ Dynamics, followed by The Poor with whom he moved to California 1965.  He became a session musician and played with the band Poco on their first album before moving on to become a member of Rick Nelson’s Stone Canyon Band.

When he was part of the Linda Ronstadt backing band he teamed up with the other members to form The Eagles which was to become his full time musical occupation.  He wrote several of their songs either alone or in collaboration and he saw success with the hit single “Take It to the Limit” where he also sang lead vocals.  He left the band in 1977 to pursue his solo career and released three albums between 1978 and 1982.

As a support musician he also worked with artists including Richard Marx, Dan Fogelberg and Joe Walsh, and played on James Taylor’s album Sweet Baby James.  He appeared in a reunion with Poco and performed with the other members of the Eagles when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

He reunited with The Drivin’ Dynamics in 2000 when the band, and him as a solo artist were inducted into the Nebraska Music Hall of Fame.  He later performed with the World Classic Rockers touring group but was hospitalised in 2004 after suffering chest pains.  After that he cut back on touring and made his final performance in 2008 in Naple, Florida.

He declined to performed with the Eagles on their History of the Eagles world tour in 2013 due to health reasons.  He then  went into retirement.

He died in July 2023 in Los Angeles following complications from COPD. He was 77 years old.

Eagles Recordings
One of These Nights (Don Henley/Glenn Frey)
Visions (Don Felder/Don Henley)

Sources:

  1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Meisner
  2. http://www.nebrocks.org/meisner.htm