Ethan Browne, Son of Jackson Browne, Remembered Two Months After His Passing at 52

Ethan Browne and dad Jackson Browne.
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Authorities Confirm Accidental Death of Ethan Browne

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has confirmed that Ethan Browne, the eldest son of musician Jackson Browne, died from an accidental overdose. Browne, who was 52, passed away on November 25, 2025. The medical examiner’s report cited the effects of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and lidocaine as contributing factors in his death.

On January 13, the medical examiner’s findings were released, and the manner of death was officially ruled as accidental. Jackson Browne, a 77-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Fame singer-songwriter and political activist, shared the heartbreaking news via a statement on Facebook on November 26.

In his post, Browne wrote, “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 Browne had a challenging upbringing; he was only a toddler when his mother, Phyllis Major, died by suicide shortly after marrying Jackson Browne in 1975. In a May 1974 interview with Rolling Stone, Jackson reflected on fatherhood, saying, “I love it when he laughs…His little voice. His little throat.” He shared his desire for fatherhood, stating, “I wanted a baby ’cause I wanted to be a baby…He’s a real kick in the a–.”

Ethan emerged as a prominent figure in Hollywood, achieving success as a model featured in campaigns for various designers. Producer Mark Ronson described him in his memoir Night People as “the real deal — with an angular face and soulful gaze that seemed to reveal his deepest truths, even from a glossy page.”

Jackson Browne and son Ethan Browne at the Los Angeles premiere of Batman Returns, June 1992.

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Ethan also made appearances on screen, starring alongside Kate Hudson in the 2004 film Raising Helen. In a 2022 interview, Jackson praised his son’s parenting skills, stating, “Ethan is a great father. He’s a great son, a great man. I love seeing him with his kids… it makes me feel I’ve done something really right in my life.”

Ethan Browne is survived by his father, Jackson Browne, and brother Ryan, who is 43 years old and from Jackson’s previous marriage to Lynne Sweeney.