Jackson Browne announces death of his son Ethan Browne, age 52

Jackson Browne has announced the death of his son, Ethan Browne, sharing the news in a statement posted to Facebook on November 26. Ethan, an actor and model, was 52.

The statement said Ethan “was found unresponsive in his home and has passed away,” adding, “We ask for privacy and respect for the family during this difficult time. No further details are available at this moment.” Ethan was the son of Browne and Phyllis Major, who died in 1976 when Ethan was a toddler.

Ethan appeared with his father on the cover of Rolling Stone in 1974 as a newborn. He later pursued acting and featured in the 2004 film Raising Helen. He also worked as a model, taking part in campaigns for designers, including Isaac Mizrahi.

In his memoir Night People, producer Mark Ronson wrote about meeting Ethan in New York City, describing him as “the real deal — with an angular face and soulful gaze that seemed to reveal his deepest truths, even from a glossy page.” Ronson also noted Ethan’s resemblance to both of his parents.

Beyond his acting and modelling work, Ethan founded Spinside Records, an imprint under Jackson Browne’s independent label Inside Recordings.

Browne has previously spoken about how becoming a single parent shaped his life. In a 2021 interview, he said that after losing Major, being a father to Ethan became his “main focus,” adding, “I only had two things that I hoped I could fit together: being a songwriter and a father.”

In 2022, Browne expressed pride in Ethan’s own parenting, saying, “Ethan is a great father. He's a great son, a great man… it makes me very proud.”

Jackson Browne also shares another son, Ryan, 43, with former spouse Lynne Sweeney.