Eagles Founding Member And Bassist Randy Meisner Dies At 77

Founding member and bass player for The Eagles, Randy Meisner has passed away at 77.  Meisner was best known for his lead vocal on the Eagles hit “Take It To The Limit”

“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),” according to an official statement from the band.

Born and raised in Scottsdale, Arizona, Meisner moved to Southern California to pursue music.  Meisner’s musical career began with Rick Nelson’s Stone Canyon Band as their vocalist and bassist. He later joined country-rock band Poco as their original bass player in the 1960s before forming the Eagles in 1971 with the band’s original members, Glenn Frey, Don Henley and Bernie Leadon. The Eagles would go on to create the seminal “California Sound” with such hits as “Life In The Fast Lane” and “Hotel California.”

“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,’” said the Eagles.

Meisner contributed to some of the most iconic songs from the Eagles, including “Try and Love Again” and “Take it to the Limit,” and is credited for his work on albums including “Eagles,” “Desperado,” “On The Border,” “One of These Nights,” and “Hotel California.”

He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 with the Eagles.