Jackson Browne facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jackson Browne
Browne performing at the Unsung Heroes tribute to Eleni Mandell, January 2017
Background information
Birth name	Clyde Jackson Browne
Born	(1948-10-09) October 9, 1948 (age 76) Heidelberg, Germany
Origin	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	Rock folk rock soft rock pop rock country rock
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter producer political activist
Instruments	Vocals guitar piano
Years active	1964–present
Labels	Elektra Inside Asylum
Signature

Clyde Jackson Browne (born October 9, 1948) is an American rock musician. He is also a singer, songwriter, and activist. Jackson Browne has sold over 30 million albums in the United States.

He started as a songwriter in the mid-1960s in Los Angeles. He first found success writing songs for other artists. At just 16, he wrote "These Days". This song became a small hit for German singer Nico in 1967. He also wrote songs for bands like the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and the Eagles. The Eagles had their first big hit in 1972 with "Take It Easy", which Browne helped write.

After writing hits for others, Browne released his own first album in 1972. It was called Jackson Browne. This album had two Top 40 hits: "Doctor, My Eyes" and "Rock Me on the Water". For this album and his next few, Browne worked with a band called The Section. They were a popular studio band. His second album, For Everyman, came out in 1973. His third, Late for the Sky (1974), was even more successful. It reached number 14 on the Billboard album chart. His fourth album, The Pretender (1976), continued to climb the charts. It reached number 5 and included hits like "Here Come Those Tears Again" and "The Pretender".

Browne's 1977 album Running on Empty is considered his most famous work. It reached number 3 on the album chart and stayed popular for over a year. This album was recorded live, but it was also a concept album. It explored the life of a touring musician. Songs were recorded on stage, in hotel rooms, backstage, and even on a moving tour bus. The album had two Top 40 singles: "Running on Empty" and "The Load-Out/Stay". Many other songs from the album became popular on rock radio.

Jackson Browne continued to have successful albums in the 1980s. His 1980 album Hold Out was his only number 1 album. The song "Somebody's Baby" was used in the movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High. In 1983, he released Lawyers in Love, which included the hit "Tender Is the Night". In 1986, he released Lives in the Balance. This album had several radio hits. It also included "In the Shape of a Heart", a song inspired by a difficult personal time a decade earlier. After this, his albums were not as commercially successful.

He released two collection albums: The Next Voice You Hear: The Best of Jackson Browne in 1997. The second was The Very Best of Jackson Browne in 2004. This second collection came out when he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His most recent studio album is Downhill from Everywhere, released in 2021. It followed 2014's Standing in the Breach. That album included the full version of "The Birds of St. Marks", a song he wrote at age 18. In 2015, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him among the "100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time".

Jackson Browne's Life Story

Early Years

Jackson Browne was born on October 9, 1948, in Heidelberg, Germany. His father, Clyde Jack Browne, was an American serviceman. He worked for the Stars and Stripes newspaper. Jackson's mother, Beatrice Amanda, was from Minnesota. Her family was from Norway.

Jackson has three siblings. His older sister Roberta was born in 1946. His brother Edward was born in 1949. His younger sister Gracie was born later. When Jackson was three, his family moved to his grandfather's house in Los Angeles. As a teenager, he started singing folk songs in local clubs. He went to Sunny Hills High School and graduated in 1966.

Writing Songs for Others

After high school, Browne joined the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. They performed at the Golden Bear club. The band later recorded several of Browne's songs. These included "These Days" and "Holding". He also played briefly in a band called Gentle Soul.

After a few months, he left the Dirt Band. He moved to New York City. There, he became a staff writer for Elektra Records' music company. He was still under 18. In 1967 and 1968, he lived in Greenwich Village. He played guitar for singers like Tim Buckley and Nico. He and Nico were a couple for a while. He wrote and played guitar on many songs for her first album, Chelsea Girl. After they broke up in 1968, Browne returned to Los Angeles. He formed a folk band and met Glenn Frey of the Eagles.

Many artists recorded Browne's early songs. These included the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Nico, Gregg Allman, the Eagles, and Linda Ronstadt. Browne did not release his own versions of these songs until much later. Soon, Rolling Stone magazine called him a "new face to look for." They praised his "amazing melodies."

His Classic Music Period

Browne during a 1976 concert in Hamburg, Germany

In 1971, Browne signed with David Geffen's Asylum Records. He released his first album, Jackson Browne, in 1972. It included the song "Doctor My Eyes", which became a Top Ten hit. "Rock Me on the Water" also got a lot of radio play. Songs like "Jamaica Say You Will" helped build his reputation. While touring, he performed with Linda Ronstadt and Joni Mitchell.

His next album, For Everyman (1973), received good reviews. It sold a million copies. It included his own version of "Take It Easy". He co-wrote this song with Glenn Frey, and it was already a big hit for the Eagles.

Late for the Sky (1974) helped him gain more fans. The album reached No. 14 on the charts. Browne became known for his memorable melodies and thoughtful lyrics. The title song was even used in the movie Taxi Driver. During this time, Browne also produced albums for Warren Zevon.

Browne in 1980

Browne toured with his wife and young son. They traveled in a converted bus. In 1975, Browne toured with the Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, and Toots and the Maytals.

Browne's album The Pretender was released in 1976. A year later, "Here Come Those Tears Again" became a hit. His next album, Running on Empty (1977), was recorded entirely while he was on tour. It became his biggest commercial success. Instead of just live concert songs, it included new material recorded on buses, in hotel rooms, and backstage. Running on Empty has some of his most popular songs. These include the title track and "The Load-Out/Stay". This last song was a thank you to his fans and his road crew.

Activism and Music

In 1978, Browne performed a free concert near a nuclear plant in South Carolina. In June 1978, he played for 20,000 people protesting a nuclear power plant in New Hampshire.

After the Three Mile Island nuclear accident in 1979, Browne helped start Musicians United for Safe Energy (MUSE). This group was against nuclear power. He was arrested while protesting at the Diablo Canyon Power Plant. His next album, Hold Out (1980), was very successful. It was his only number 1 album in the U.S. In 1982, he released "Somebody's Baby". This song was from the Fast Times at Ridgemont High movie soundtrack. It became his biggest hit, reaching number 7. The 1983 album Lawyers in Love showed a change in his lyrics. They became more about political issues than personal ones. In 1985, he sang a duet with Clarence Clemons called "You're a Friend of Mine".

Political protest was a big part of Browne's 1986 album, Lives in the Balance. It openly criticized U.S. policy in Central America. This album was very popular with his fans. The title song was used in a 1987 documentary called The Secret Government: The Constitution in Crisis.

During the 1980s, Browne often performed at benefit concerts. He supported causes like Farm Aid and Amnesty International. He also supported revolutionary Nicaragua and the Christic Institute. His 1989 album World in Motion included a cover of "I am a Patriot".

Browne also performed with Roy Orbison in Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night in 1988. Other artists like Bruce Springsteen and k.d. lang were also there.

1990s Music

Browne with Bonnie Raitt at a 1997 press conference opposing the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository

Browne wrote and recorded "The Rebel Jesus" with the Chieftains for their 1991 Christmas album. In 1993, Browne released I'm Alive. This album was praised by critics. It sold well even without a big hit song. In 1994, he worked with Kathy Mattea on "Rock Me on the Water". This was for an AIDS benefit album.

He sang a duet called "Unloved" with Jann Arden in 1995. Browne's own album, Looking East (1996), came out soon after. However, it was not as successful.

2000 to Today

Browne released The Naked Ride Home in 2002. This was his first album in six years. He appeared on Austin City Limits to support it. In 2003, he was a guest on The Simpsons episode "Brake My Wife, Please". He sang a funny version of his song "Rosie".

In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine chose three of his albums for its list of the 500 best albums ever. These were For Everyman, Late for the Sky, and The Pretender. In 2004, Browne was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Bruce Springsteen gave the speech. He told Browne that even though the Eagles were inducted first, "You wrote the songs they wished they had written."

Browne supported presidential candidate Ralph Nader in 2000. He sang "I Am a Patriot" at rallies. In 2004, he joined the Vote for Change tour. These concerts encouraged people to vote for John Kerry. In 2006, Browne performed at a fundraiser for Democratic candidates. In the 2008 presidential election, he supported John Edwards. Later, he supported Barack Obama. Browne also performed at the Occupy Wall Street protest in 2011.

Solo Acoustic, Vol. 1 was released in 2005. It had live recordings of eleven songs. This included "The Birds of St. Marks", which he wrote in 1967. Solo Acoustic, Vol. 1 was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2007. A second live acoustic album, Solo Acoustic, Vol. 2, came out in 2008.

Browne campaigning for presidential candidate John Edwards at a fundraising event in 2008

Browne is part of the No Nukes group. This group is against expanding nuclear power. In 2007, they made a music video for a new version of "For What It's Worth". Browne also had a small role in the 2007 movie Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.

Browne's thirteenth studio album, Time the Conqueror, was released in 2008. It reached No. 20 on the charts. This was his first top-20 album since 1983.

In 2008, Browne sued John McCain and the Republican Party. They had used his 1977 hit "Running on Empty" in a political ad without his permission. In 2009, they settled the case. The McCain campaign apologized.

In 2008, he appeared at the ALMA Awards. He honored his friend Linda Ronstadt. That same year, Browne performed at a benefit for the Artist for the Arts Foundation. He played with the band Heart and a high school orchestra. This event raised money for music education in schools. He performed there again the next year.

In 2010, he covered "Waterloo Sunset" with Ray Davies. In 2011, Browne won an Independent Music Award. This was for his live album Love Is Strange: En Vivo Con Tino with David Lindley. Browne also covered Buddy Holly's "True Love Ways" for a 2011 tribute album. In 2012, he joined artists like David Crosby to support a campaign. This campaign wanted to change the U.S. Constitution to reduce the influence of big money in politics.

In 2014, a two-disc album called Looking into You: A Tribute to Jackson Browne was released. It featured other artists covering his songs. These included Bruce Springsteen and Bonnie Raitt. Also in 2014, Browne's 14th studio album, Standing in the Breach, came out. In 2016, Browne supported Bernie Sanders for President.

In 2016, Browne and the Eagles performed "Take It Easy" at the Grammy Awards. This was to honor Glenn Frey after he passed away. Browne played himself and sang in an episode of the TV show Roadies.

In 2020, Browne released two new songs: "A Little Soon to Say" and "Downhill from Everywhere". His album Downhill from Everywhere was released in 2021. A U.S. tour with James Taylor was planned for 2020 but moved to 2021. In 2021, Browne worked with Phoebe Bridgers on a new version of her song "Kyoto".

Jackson Browne's Personal Life

Browne and Daryl Hannah, 1988

Jackson Browne has been married twice and has two children. His first wife was actress and model Phyllis Major. Their son, Ethan Zane Browne, was born in 1973. Jackson and baby Ethan were on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine in 1974. Jackson Browne and Phyllis Major married in 1975. She passed away in March 1976.

In 1981, Browne married model Lynne Sweeney. Their son, Ryan Browne, was born a year later. Ryan has been a member of the band Sonny and the Sunsets since 2007. Browne and Lynne Sweeney divorced in 1983. He then dated Daryl Hannah until 1992. He was with artist and environmental activist Dianna Cohen through the mid-2000s. He has one grandson.

Environmental Work

Browne has been very active in the anti-nuclear movement in the United States. He helped start MUSE (Musicians United for Safe Energy) in 1979. He also worked with other environmental groups. According to activist Ed Begley Jr., Browne's ranch uses a large wind turbine and is powered completely by renewable energy.

Browne speaks out against using too many plastic water bottles. He tries to reduce plastic waste on his tours. He is part of the "Plastic Free Backstage" movement. In 2008, he was named "Environmentalist of the Year" by a surf industry group.

In 2010, Browne received an award for his environmental work. This was for his efforts to make his tours more "green." In 2011, an ocean-advocacy group honored Browne. The mayor of Santa Cruz, California, even declared February 23 "Jackson Browne Day." This honored Browne's work for social and environmental causes. Browne also spoke at a conference about ocean pollution. He performed a new song about protecting the Earth.

Charity Work

In 1991, Browne performed and recorded "Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight" with Jennifer Warnes. This was for a charity album to help children with AIDS. They also performed it live for a benefit concert.

In 1992, Browne performed in Honolulu with Bonnie Raitt and Crosby, Stills & Nash. This concert raised money for victims of Hurricane Iniki in Hawaii.

Browne played the role of the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz in Concert: Dreams Come True in 1995. This was a musical performance for charity. Other stars like Roger Daltrey and Natalie Cole were also in it. The performance raised money for the Children's Defense Fund.

Browne covered John Lennon's "Oh My Love" to help Amnesty International. This was for their campaign to help people in Darfur. The song was on the album Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur in 2007. Many other artists also covered John Lennon songs for this album.

In 2008, Browne contributed to the album Songs for Tibet. This project supported the Dalai Lama and raised awareness about human rights in Tibet.

Browne covered "Weight of the World" for a 2009 album. The money from this album helped brain tumor research. Browne also held a benefit concert for a foundation dedicated to brain tumor research.

In October 2010, Browne performed at the Bridge School Benefit Concert. This yearly event raises money for the Bridge School. This school helps children with severe physical challenges. Browne also appeared at a music trade show with Yoko Ono to support the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus.

In 2011, Browne performed with David Crosby at a benefit in Tucson. This concert helped victims of the 2011 Tucson shootings. In 2013, Browne performed with the Kings of Leon for Rock for Oklahoma. This concert raised money for tornado victims in Oklahoma.

In 2012, Browne performed for the Artists for the Arts benefit. This event raised over $100,000 to keep arts and music funded in public schools. This was Browne's fifth time performing at this event.

In 2013, Browne performed with students from the School of Rock. This was a benefit concert for a scholarship fund. He played his hits with students aged 13 to 17. The money raised helped children attend music school.

In 2014, Browne performed at a benefit concert for mental health services in Santa Barbara. Jeff Bridges and David Crosby also performed. In 2015, Browne played a second concert for the same cause.

Browne has also provided music for many other charity albums. These include Safety Harbor Kids Holiday Collection and The People Speak Soundtrack. He has contributed to albums for Leonard Cohen and Eric Lowen. He has also appeared at many other benefit concerts.

Awards and Honors

Grammy Awards

Browne has been nominated eight times for Grammy Awards.

Other Awards

In 2002, Browne received the John Steinbeck Award. This award is given to artists who show environmental and social values. On March 14, 2004, Browne was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Bruce Springsteen. In 2007, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

In 2004, Browne also received an honorary Doctorate of Music. This was from Occidental College in Los Angeles. It was for his "remarkable musical career" and his work for social justice. He received the Courage of Conscience Awards for "promoting peace and justice through his music." In 2007 and 2008, Browne received the Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award.

In 2008, Browne received the Golden Plate Award. This was for his lifetime in the arts and his work as an activist. In 2010, he received the We Are Family Humanitarian Award.

Browne received the GRAMMY Museum Jane Ortner Education Award in 2014. In 2018, he was the first artist to receive the Gandhi Peace Award. In 2024, Browne was honored with the American Music Honors. This award celebrates artists who show artistic excellence and dedication to music.

Jackson Browne's Albums

See also

In Spanish: Jackson Browne para niños