Randall "Randy" H. Meisner

Randall “Randy” Herman Meisner, 77, of Studio City, CA passed away on the evening of July 25, 2023, in Los Angeles. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, September 2, 2023, at the Scottsbluff YMCA Trails West Pavilion in Scottsbluff, NE with Pastor Tim Hebbert officiating. Cremation has taken place in accordance with Randy’s wishes. Memorials may be made to the West Nebraska Arts Center or the Panhandle Humane Society. The service will be live-streamed and recorded on Randy’s obituary page viewable at www.reverencefuneralparlor.com.

Randy was born on March 8, 1946, to Herman and Emilie (Haun) Meisner. He grew up in the Lake Alice community, where he and his sister, Carol, attended elementary school before transferring to Scottsbluff Schools.

Randy's musical ability was apparent from a young age, as he was brought up in a musical family. He learned to play the piano from his grandfather, who was a violinist. It was around the age of twelve or thirteen that Randy obtained a guitar and began taking lessons. Elvis and Conway Twitty had a large influence on him when he was young. The very first song he performed was 'Honeycomb' at a PTA meeting in 1961. Randy chose bass as his preferred instrument during high school and began perfecting his craft. R&B held Randy's heart, and he was inspired by the bassists of Motown. The first band he formed was with Grady and Doug Waugh. They were initially called, "The Deacons" and later changed their name to, "The Thunderbirds". Together, the trio put together a new band under the name, “The Dynamics”.

Randy married his high school sweetheart, Jennifer (Barton), after graduating from high school. He continued pursuing his passion for music by playing with various bands. It wasn't long after that his dreams began to call him westward to California. "For musicians growing up in the Midwest, California was the ultimate dream destination," Randy stated in the November 7th, 1980 edition of Bam Magazine. As fate would suggest, it was certainly the right move. Randy played in multiple bands, such as The Poor, Poco, and Rick Nelson's Stone Canyon Band. It was while playing with Linda Ronstadt's band that he met the other musicians who became the founding members of the Eagles. He is best remembered for his performance and vocals on the song, "Take It To the Limit." Randy was also known for his outstanding ability to hit high notes, but he was also capable of singing comfortably in the lower range. He remained with the Eagles for eight albums and became a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with the other members of the band in the spring of 1998.

In the years after his time with the Eagles, Randy remained active in the music industry, working on and recording many solo projects. He also contributed his skills as a bassist and vocalist as a guest performer for various artists, such as Anne Wilson of Heart, Joe Walsh, and Richard Marx. He married Lana (Graham) in 1996.

Randy is survived by his three children, Dana (Lana) Meisner and Eric (Stacey) Meisner both of Scottsbluff, NE and Heather Leigh (Emmanuel) of New York, NY; grandchildren, Amber, Ashton, Ian, Breanna, Brooklyn, Braxton, and Blair; as well as seven great-grandchildren. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, Herman and Emilie Meisner; wife, Lana Meisner; sister, Carol Benzel; and brothers-in-law, Art Benzel and Bob Datel.