Randy Meisner, a founding member of the Eagles who added high harmonies to such favorites as 鈥淭ake It Easy鈥� and 鈥淭he Best of My Love鈥� and stepped out front for the waltz-time ballad 鈥淭ake It to the Limit,鈥� has died, the band said Thursday.
Meisner died Wednesday night in Los Angeles of complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the Eagles said in a statement. He was 77.
The bassist had endured numerous afflictions in recent years and personal tragedy in 2016 when his wife, Lana Rae Meisner, accidentally shot herself and died. Meanwhile, Randy Meisner had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and had severe issues with alcohol, according to court records and comments made during a 2015 hearing in which a judge ordered Meisner to receive constant medical care.
Called 鈥渢he sweetest man in the business鈥� by former bandmate , the baby-faced Meisner joined Don Henley, and Bernie Leadon in the early 1970s to form a quintessential Los Angeles band and one of the most popular acts in history.
鈥淩andy was an integral part of the Eagles and instrumental in the early success of the band,鈥� the Eagles鈥� statement said. 鈥淗is vocal range was astonishing, as is evident on his signature ballad, 鈥楾ake It to the Limit.鈥欌��
The band said funeral plans were pending.
Evolving from country rock to hard rock, the Eagles turned out a run of hit singles and albums over the next decade, starting with 鈥淭ake It Easy鈥� and continuing with 鈥淒esperado,鈥� 鈥淗otel California鈥� and 鈥淟ife In the Fast Lane鈥� among others. Although chastised by many critics as slick and superficial, the Eagles released two of the most popular albums of all time, 鈥淗otel California鈥� and 鈥淭heir Greatest Hits (1971-1975),鈥� which with sales at 38 million the Recording Industry Association of America ranked with Michael Jackson鈥檚 鈥淭hriller鈥� as the No. 1 seller.
Led by singer-songwriters Henley and Frey, the Eagles were initially branded as 鈥渕ellow鈥� and 鈥渆asy listening.鈥� But by their third album, the 1974 release 鈥淥n the Border,鈥� they had added a rock guitarist, Felder, and were turning away from country and bluegrass.
Leadon, an old-fashioned bluegrass picker, was unhappy with the new sound and left after the 1975 album 鈥淥ne of These Nights.鈥� (He was replaced by another rock guitarist, Joe Walsh.) Meisner stayed on through the 1976 release of 鈥淗otel California,鈥� the band鈥檚 most acclaimed record, but was gone soon after. His departure, ironically, was touched off by the song he cowrote and was best known for, 鈥淭ake It to the Limit.鈥�
A shy Nebraskan torn between fame and family life, Meisner had been ill and homesick during the 鈥淗otel California鈥� tour (his first marriage was breaking up) and was reluctant to have the spotlight for 鈥淭ake It to the Limit,鈥� a showcase for his nasally tenor. His objections during a Knoxville, Tennessee, concert in the summer of 1977 so angered Frey that the two argued backstage and Meisner left soon after. His replacement, Timothy B. Schmit, remained with the group over the following decades, along with Henley, Walsh and Frey, who died in 2016.
As a solo artist, Meisner never approached the success of the Eagles, but did have hits with 鈥淗earts On Fire鈥� and 鈥淒eep Inside My Heart鈥� and played on records by Walsh, James Taylor and Dan Fogelberg among others. Meanwhile, the Eagles ended a 14-year hiatus in 1994 and toured with Schmit even though Meisner had played on all but one of their earlier studio albums. He did join group members past and present in 1998 when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and performed 鈥淭ake It Easy鈥� and 鈥淗otel California.鈥� For a decade, he was part of World Classic Rockers, a touring act that at various times included Donovan, Spencer Davis and Denny Laine.
Meisner was married twice, the first time when he was still in his teens, and had three kids.
The son of sharecroppers and grandson of a classical violinist, Meisner was playing in local bands as a teenager and by the end of the 1960s had moved to California and joined a country rock group, Poco, along with Richie Furay and Jimmy Messina. But he would remember being angered that Furay wouldn鈥檛 let him listen to the studio mix of their first album and left the group before it came out: His successor was Timothy B. Schmit.
Meisner backed Ricky Nelson, played on Taylor鈥檚 鈥淪weet Baby James鈥� album and befriended Henley and Frey when all were performing in Linda Ronstadt鈥檚 band. With Ronstadt鈥檚 blessing, they formed the Eagles, were signed up by David Geffen for his Asylum Records label and released their self-titled debut album in 1972.
Frey and Henley sang lead most of the time, but Meisner was the key behind 鈥淭ake It the Limit.鈥� It appeared on the 鈥淥ne of These Nights鈥� album from 1975 and became a top 5 single, a weary, plaintive song later covered by Etta James and as a duet by Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings.
Meisner鈥檚 falsetto voice was so distinctive it became a defining part not only of the Eagles but the entire California sound.
Meisner鈥檚 鈥渉igh harmonies are instantly recognizable and cherished by Eagles fans around the world,鈥� the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame said in a statement.
In a pair of 2015 episodes of the parody series 鈥淒ocumentary Now!鈥� about a faux-Eagles band, Bill Hader鈥檚 mustachioed, ultra-high-voiced character is clearly inspired by Meisner.
鈥淭he purpose of the whole Eagles thing to me was that combination and the chemistry that made all the harmonies just sound perfect,鈥� Meisner told the music web site www.lobstergottalent.com in 2015. 鈥淭he 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鈥檚 house and it gets played in the background that is when I鈥檒l tell myself, 鈥楧amn, these records are good.鈥欌��
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