What is Jackson Browne's Net Worth?
Jackson Browne is an American singer-songwriter who has a net worth of $50 million. After launching his career in the mid-1960s, Jackson Browne went on to sell over 18 million albums in the United States after having begun his career in the mid-1960s. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Songwriter's Hall of Fame in 2007.
Some of his biggest and most well-known singles include:
- "Doctor My Eyes" (1972) – This song, from his debut album "Jackson Browne" (also known as "Saturate Before Using"), became his first hit single and helped to establish him as a prominent artist.
- "Running on Empty" (1977) – The title track from his album "Running on Empty" became one of Browne's most iconic songs, reflecting the exhaustion and disillusionment of life on the road.
- "The Pretender" (1976) – The title track from his album "The Pretender" is another popular song in his catalog, addressing themes of idealism and the struggle to maintain it in the face of life's challenges.
- "Somebody's Baby" (1982) – This single, from the "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" movie soundtrack, became one of Browne's biggest commercial successes, peaking at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
- "Take It Easy" (1972) – Although this song is more famously associated with the Eagles, who had a hit with it in 1972, Browne co-wrote the song with Eagles' Glenn Frey and later included it on his own album "For Everyman" (1973).
Early Life
Browne was born on October 9, 1948 in Heidelberg, Germany. His father, Clyde, was an American serviceman and was stationed there for his job assignment with the "Stars and Stripes" newspaper. He spent his first few years of life in Germany with his father, mother – Beatrice, and his two siblings – Roberta and Edward. Browne also has a much younger sister, Gracie, who was born some years later.
At the age of three, the family moved to Highland Park in Los Angeles. As he grew up, he started becoming interested in music and began singing folk songs in local venues like Ash Grove and The Troubador Club. He attended Sunny Hills High School in Fullerton, California, and graduated in 1966.
Career
After finishing high school, Brown joined the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, though he left after a few months to move to New York. He became a writer for Electra Records' publishing company, Nina Music, just before his eighteenth birthday. He would write about various musical events in New York City while also performing as a backup musician for artists like Tim Buckley and Nico of the Velvet Underground. He then returned to Los Angeles in 1968 and formed a folk band. Some of his early songs were released by other artists, like the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Nico before he released his own version years later.
In 1971, Brown signed with his manager David Geffen's Asylum Records. In 1972, he released the self-titled record "Jackson Browne." The album was a huge success, with several of its tracks receiving significant radio play. He embarked on a tour with Linda Ronstadt and Joni Mitchell to promote the album.
In 1972, he released his next album, "For Everyman," and then a third, "Late for the Sky," in 1974. This was his most successful album yet, peaking at number 14 on the Billboard album chart.
His fanbase continued to grow as he toured, and he became known for his very personal lyrics, which were set to memorable melodies. This was even more apparent in his next album, "The Pretender," which was released after the untimely death of his first wife. A track inspired by her death, "Here Come Those Tears Again," which he co-wrote with the mother of his deceased wife, peaked at number 23 on the Hot 100.
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His 1977 album, "Running on Empty," became his biggest commercial success yet. The album was unconventional as it was recorded entirely while he was on tour, and it combined live concert performances of new material along with recordings made in hotel rooms and backstage.
In the late 1970s, his music started taking on a more political tone, which tracked with Browne's own growing involvement in activist causes. His 1980 album, "Hold Out," was very successful and became his only number-one record on the U.S. pop albums chart. His biggest hit, "Somebody's Baby," was released in 1982 as part of the "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" soundtrack.
Browne continued steadily releasing successful albums throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s. While he was not able to recapture the commercial success he experienced in the 1970s, his core fanbase has remained solid. He has released four albums in the 2000s, including "Downhill from Everywhere" in 2021.
Brown's music has received six Grammy Award nominations. In 2004, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and, in 2007, into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Occidental College in Los Angeles named him an Honorary Doctor of Music in 2004 to honor his remarkable career.
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Activism and Charity
Outside of his musical career, Browne is a devoted environmental activist. He has campaigned against the unnecessary use of plastic and has consciously attempted to reduce the amount of plastic used while he is touring. He is part of the "Plastic Free Backstage" movement. Additionally, he is a founding member of Plastic Pollution and the REFUSE Disposable Plastics Campaign. He founded MUSE, Musicians for Safe Energy, along with Bonnie Raitt and John Hall, in 1979 as part of the anti-nuclear movement in the United States.
He has been involved with Save Our Shores, a California ocean advocacy group. They gave him their Ocean Hero Award in February 2011 to acknowledge his work in environmental and anti-plastic activism. The previous year, he had received the Duke LEAF Award for Lifetime Environmental Achievement. In 2018, he was the recipient of the Gandhi Peace Award.
Browne has also performed by himself and with other musicians in various benefit concerts to raise money for causes like environmental disaster relief funds, mental healthcare, scholarships for underprivileged children seeking music lessons, Amnesty International, and the ALS Association, among many others.
Personal Life
In 1971, Browne began dating actress and model Phyllis Major. The couple had a son together named Ethan in 1973 and then were married in December 1975. Sadly, in March of 1976, Phyllis was found dead in their home from an accidental overdose at the age of 30.
In January of 1981, Browne married Australian model Lynn Sweeney. They had a son together in January of 1982 and then divorced in 1983. Browne immediately began dating actress Daryl Hannah, and they remained together until 1992. Since the mid-1990s, Browne has been in a relationship with artist and environmental activist Dianna Cohen.
Real Estate
Jackson owns a number of properties around the world, primarily in California. For example, in 2010, he spent $2.7 million to buy a 4,000-square-foot home in Los Angeles. He also owns a rural ranch outside of Aptos, California.
Jackson Browne's most valuable asset is his 100-acre property in the Hollister Ranch community outside of Santa Barbara. He has owned the property since the 1970s. This property is likely worth $10-20 million alone.
