AC alumnus receives honor, celebrated songwriter J.D. Souther gets 2017 Distinguished Alumni Award:

Courtesy photo.

By Mackenzie Farmer:

Amarillo College awarded songwriter J.D. Souther with the 2017 Distinguished Alumni Award on Thursday, Oct. 26. Following the presentation of the award, Souther performed at AC’s Concert Hall Theater.

Souther is an influential songwriter who attended AC in 1965 and 1966. He has written or co-written several songs for Eagles such as “Heartache Tonight,” “New Kid in Town” and many more.

“J.D. Souther is one of the most celebrated songwriters of his generation,” Camille Nies, associate professor of music, said. “He wrote or co-wrote some of the Eagles’ biggest hits and continues to write and perform.”

Nies said Souther credits his music theory and composition teacher at AC with giving him the tools to strike out on his career path.

“He is an award-winning musician, famous the nation over, and we are very excited that he is here,” Mark White, executive vice-president and general counsel of Amarillo College, said.

Souther was also inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame in 2013, is Grammy-nominated and an actor.

“I am excited that he is being given this award because he has been successful with what he loves to do,” Mark Hutson, speech and communications instructor, said.

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