Jackson Browne

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• Genre: Singer-Songwriter
• Hometown: Los Angeles
• Jackson Browne Website

About

Besides scoring a Top-10 hit with "Somebody's Baby" for the Fast Times At Ridgemont High soundtrack, Jackson Browne is largely responsible for giving birth to the sensitive California Folk-Rock sound of the 1970s. In 1968, he joined the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band for about five minutes before heading East to Greenwich Village to join the late, great Tim Buckley's backing band. That year he also wrote three songs for Nico's album, Chelsea Girl. He would lay waste to California next. After the Byrds and Linda Ronstadt had recorded some of his songs, Browne finally landed a record deal on David Geffen's Asylum Records. His first self-titled solo album came out in 1972 to critical acclaim as the song "Doctor My Eyes" became an immediate chart topper. The workaholic Browne soon cowrote the huge Country Rock hit "Take It Easy" for the Eagles and then quickly began working with instrumental composer David Lindley on his less successful second album, For Everyman. In 1976, Browne's wife took her life and he released his cathartic crossover The Pretender which went platinum the following year. Although his current music is a mix of his old style and some politically aware material, Browne is still a folkie at heart. He continues to write passionate and reflective dad-rock from the heart.

- Eric Shea