Censorship – Whose Voice?
Censorship – Whose Voice?
Jackson Browne has been a vocal and eloquent advocate of social justice for over three decades. He has spoken out against US foreign policy, particularly as it applies to Central America, and his music has affected change through the increased social awareness of his large fan base, fans who are also voters.
Clyde Jackson Browne was born on October 9, 1948 in Heidelberg, Germany to
Jack Browne and Beatrice Amanda Dahl. Jacksons father was also a musician, a
talent he inherited from his own father. Jack once performed with French jazz
guitarist Django Reinhardt, and recorded with both Mahalia Jackson and Jack
Teagarden. His fathers love of Dixieland jazz and his jam sessions were most likely
Jacksons earliest musical influence. His family moved to Los Angeles when he was
three years old, and by the time he was a teenager, Browne had developed an interest
in folk music. He began playing guitar and writing songs, which he sang at local folk
clubs. In early 1966 Jackson Browne joined the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band for a brief
time, performing at The Golden Bear where they opened for The Lovin Spoonful.
The band later recorded a number of Jacksons songs including “These Days,”
“Melissa” and “Holding”, and “Shadow Dream Song”. Among his early songs,
“These Days” and “Shadow Dream Song” were the strongest showcases that Jackson
was musically gifted far beyond his years. “Shadow Dream Song” was recorded by
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Tom Rush, Nico, Steve Noonan, and Gregg Allman.
Ironically, Jackson never released a version of it himself. He spent part of 1967 and
1968 in Greenwich Village, New York, where he backed Tim Buckley and German
singer Nico at Andy Warhols club, The Dom.X was one of the first recording artists signed to.
By late the 1960s and early 1970s Jackson Browne had built up a reputation as a songwriter. His songs were now being recorded by The Byrds, Bonnie Raitt, Linda
Ronstadt, the Eagles, and many others. Jackson had yet to release an album. David
Geffen sent Jackson on tour with Laura Nyro and began making plans to start his
own record label, where Jacksons first album could be released. Geffen founded
Asylum Records and Jackson started recording his debut album in 1971.
He had been recording since 1971, beginning with the then fledgling David Geffens then fledgling Asylum recording company. Before this, his music was recorded by other, more established artists, including The Eagles ( Take It Easy ? )
Lives in the Balance was released amid the controversy over the possibility of
American intervention in Latin America, and showcased Brownes beliefs and
feelings towards the Reagan presidency
By now he had become inextricably involved in a number of social causes and was using his music and his celebrity to further those causes. He