The Eagles paid tribute to J.D. Souther during their Sphere debut performance on Friday night (Sept. 20), honoring the songwriter and collaborator prior to their rendition of “Heartache Tonight.”

“I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge a couple of people,” Don Henley declared during the show, first mentioning Jimmy Buffett before turning his attention to Souther, who helped write several of the Eagles’ biggest hits, including “Heartache Tonight.”

“I want to acknowledge the co-writer of that song who we lost three days ago, Mr. J.D. Souther,” Henley announced. “J.D. is someone you may know played a pivotal role in the Eagles. He wasn’t in the band, but he certainly co-wrote some of our biggest hits.”

“Sing it so they can hear you,” Henley told the crowd, who responded with emphatic applause.

Watch Eagles Perform ‘Heartache Tonight’ During Their Sphere Debut

READ MORE: The Best J.D. Souther Songs

J.D. Souther’s Eagles History

Souther was within the Eagles’ orbit before the band was even established. He and band co-founder Glenn Frey were songwriting partners and released an album under the name Longbranch Pennywhistle in 1970. A year later, the Eagles were formed, and Souther was initially invited to be a member. However, during a performance for the group’s management team, Souther quickly realized the fit wasn’t right.

“To be frank, they didn’t need me. They were a perfectly well-rounded, self-contained band,” he recalled in 2018. “I figured we were going to keep writing together anyway, so I think we all got the best of that situation.”

Souther would go on to collaborate on many well-known Eagles tracks, including “Best of My Love,” “James Dean,” “New Kid in Town” and “Heartache Tonight.” He also wrote several hit songs for his former girlfriend, Linda Ronstadt. Souther’s solo career featured a pair of hits: “You’re Only Lonely” (1979) and “Her Town Too” (1981), the latter of which was a duet with James Taylor.