Let’s face it – when some veteran artists suddenly announce a "comeback" late in their career, it’s often a cringe-inducing affair, with said performers merely a pale reflection of their former robust selves. Not J.D. Souther.

While outfits like Poco and The Eagles laid claim to the California Sound in the ‘70s, astute craftsmen like Souther were busy drafting it with definitive cornerstones like “New Kid In Town” and “Prisoner In Disguise.” And while his own golden trill finally reached the masses with the hit “You’re Only Lonely,” the man never quite got the props his bhind-the-scenes talent deserved.

That could change with his upcoming

memo on the subject, “Natural History,” coming May 31; It’s a gorgeous, bare-bones reimagining of some of his catalog classics, like “Faithless Love,” “Best Of My Love” and, of course, “You’re Only Lonely.” It follows 2008’s “If The World Was You,” his first solo set in 25 years.

And his voice is undiminished, still as bright and brassy as ever. Some folks remember Souther, though – in 2009, he was finally presented with the Golden Note Award at the 47th Annual ASCAP Country Music Awards. Hopefully, this new reminder will set the record straight. For more: www.jdsouther.net.