By Peter.
Singer-songwriter Jackson Browne, 77, has announced the sudden passing of his son Ethan Zane Browne, a model, actor, and record label founder, at age 52.
In a statement posted to Facebook on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, Browne shared:
“It is with deep sorrow that we share that on the morning of November 25, 2025, Ethan Browne, the son of Jackson Browne and Phyllis Major, was found unresponsive in his home and has passed away. We ask for privacy and respect for the family during this difficult time. No further details are available at this moment.”
Ethan’s mother, Phyllis Major, died by suicide in March 1976 when Ethan was just two, leaving Jackson to raise him as a single father alongside his music career. Browne has often spoken of fatherhood as his life’s central focus.
Ethan Browne’s Life and Legacy
- Appeared as a newborn on the iconic 1974 Rolling Stone cover with his father.
- Acted in the 2004 film Raising Helen (starring Kate Hudson).
- Modeled for designers including Isaac Mizrahi.
- Founded Spinside Records, an imprint under his father’s Inside Recordings.
- Described by producer Mark Ronson as having “sharp cheekbones” from his mother and “soulful eyes” from his dad — “the real deal.”
Jackson frequently praised Ethan as a devoted father to his own children. In 2022 he told Tru Rock Revival:
“Ethan is a great father. He’s a great son, a great man… When I see him with his kids, it makes me very proud. It makes me feel I’ve done something really right in my life.”
Jackson is also father to son Ryan Browne, 43, with ex-wife Lynne Sweeney.
The Browne family requests privacy during this heartbreaking time. Rest in peace, Ethan.
#JacksonBrowne #EthanBrowne #RIP
