J. D. Souther dead at 78: Singer-songwriter who penned hits for The Eagles and Linda Ronstadt passes away at his home in New Mexico

Singer-songwriter J.D. Souther has died at the age of 78.

The Detroit-born musical artist, who wrote country-rock songs for popular acts such as the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt, passed away at his New Mexico home, a rep for the Eagles told the Los Angeles Times.

Souther's cause and date of death was not immediately clear, according to the outlet.

Souther, who penned Eagles staples such as 1976's New Kid in Town and 1979's Heartache Tonight, and Ronstadt's 1974 track Faithless Love, had been slated to begin touring next week in Phoenix.

Souther, who had a hit of his own with 1979's You're Only Lonely, also had penned songs for artists such as the Dixie Chicks, James Taylor, Bonnie Raitt and George Strait.

Souther had also worked as an actor, appearing on shows such as Nashville and Thirtysomething, as well as motion pictures such as Postcards From the Edge and My Girl 2.

Souther took to the stage earlier this year during a January concert at the Kia Forum located in Inglewood, California.

At the show, according to the paper, Souther had been lauded by Don Henley as one of the 'tightknit community of songwriters and singers' who he and late bandmate Glenn Frey relied on during the 1970s during creative lulls 'when we would get stuck on a song or we'd try to start some new material.'

Henley credited Souther as having been involved in the production of three of the band's number one singles.