Jackson Browne was not yet 18Â years old when he wrote one of his most famous songs, âThese Days.â It was an auspicious beginning for one of American musicâs most beloved songwriters (who also wrote for and played with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Nico while still a teenager). The young singer’s career blossommed further with “Take It Easy,” his world famous co-write with the Eagles’ Glenn Frey.
Once in his 20s, Browne took his first step toward rock ‘n’Â roll fame and fortune, signing with David Geffen at Asylum Records, and recording his first album, Jackson Browne. It included the hits âDoctor My Eyesâ and âRock Me on the Water,â lead to touring gigs with Linda Ronstadt and Joni Mitchell, and launched a recording career that now totals a surprisingly small number of just over a dozen albums.
But each one of them — even his critically less popular early ’80s work — holds within its grooves a tune or two that is, by anyoneâs standards, a gem. Here is our Essential Jackson Browne Playlist, complete with both radio hits and deep cuts, taken from his albums both old and new.
Tell us your favorite Browne songs in the comments below!
Photo courtesy of Danny Clinch and Jackson Browne
