The Eagles’ founder member Randy Meisner has died.
The bassist – who formed the band in the early 1970s alongside Don Felder, Don Henley, Glenn Frey and Bernie Leadon – passed away on Wednesday (26.07.23) night in Los Angeles due to complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the group have announced.
They said in a statement shared to their website: “The Eagles are sad to report that founding member, bassist, and vocalist, Randy Meisner, passed away last night (July 26) in Los Angeles at age 77, due to complications from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease (COPD).
“As the original bass player for the pioneering country-rock group, Poco, Randy was at the forefront of the musical revolution that began in Los Angeles, in the late 1960s…
“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’.”
According to the statement, the musician’s funeral details are “pending”.
Randy quit the band in 1977 and was replaced by Timothy B. Schmit, the same person who had taken on bass playing duties when the musician had left his previous group Poco. He went on to release a number of solo albums, including a self-titled record in 1978 and ‘One More Song’ in 1980.
Although he wasn’t part of the ‘Desperado’ hitmakers’ reunion tour in 1994, he appeared beside his former bandmates in 1998 when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in New York, where they performed ‘Hotel California’ and ‘Take It Easy’.
He was invited to take part in the ‘History of the Eagles’ world tour in 2013 but had to decline due to his health issues.
In 2015, a judge ordered Randy to receive constant medical care after he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, with court records also showing he had severe alcohol issues.
The following year, his wife Lana Rae Meisner accidentally shot and killed herself.