Randy Meisner, a founding member of the Eagles and renowned for his broad vocal range, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 77 in Los Angeles. The cause of his death was complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Meisner played a crucial role in the early success of the band, which was formed in 1971 by Meisner, Glenn Frey, Don Henley, and Bernie Leadon. Together, they recorded several albums, including "Eagles," "Desperado," "On The Border," "One of These Nights," and the iconic "Hotel California." Meisner's haunting vocals on "Take It to the Limit" became one of the band's most well-known recordings. Despite the band's immense fame, Meisner admitted to feeling uncomfortable in the spotlight and preferred to remain out of the limelight. His unease ultimately led to his departure from the band in September 1977. However, he was later inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the Eagles in 1998.

Before his time with the Eagles, Meisner briefly played bass for Poco, another Los Angeles country-rock band, and later joined Rick Nelson's Stone Canyon Band. Meisner's survivors are currently unknown. Born in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, on March 8, 1946, Meisner began practicing music at a young age. His passion for music led him to join various bands, and he eventually moved to Los Angeles in the mid-1960s. Despite the fierce competition in the city's music scene, Meisner believed in the Eagles' potential for success from the beginning.

The Eagles became the best-selling band of the 1970s, with four consecutive No. 1 albums and five No. 1 singles. Their album "Greatest Hits 1971-1975" alone sold over 26 million copies. The band's transformation from "wide-eyed innocents with a country-rock pedigree" to "purveyors of grandiose, dark-themed albums chronicling a world of excess and seduction that had begun spinning seriously out of control" was noted in an essay by Parke Puterbaugh, published by the Hall of Fame.

Meisner's life was not without personal hardships. In 2016, his wife, Lana Meisner, tragically died in an accident at their home in Los Angeles. Meisner had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and struggled with alcohol addiction, as revealed in court records and a 2015 hearing. A full obituary for Meisner will be published shortly, paying tribute to his immense contribution to the music industry and his role in shaping the sound of the Eagles.