I was busy downloading some music yesterday evening that a friend recommended (Brad Paisley and Tim McGraw if you’re interested), and discovered who Jackson Browne was while I was at it.
I saw “discovered who Jackson Browne was” because I have heard his music all over the place and had never realised who it was before. I’m sat here listening to a track called “Running on Empty”, and can tell you straight away that it was used in the movie “Mr Holland’s Opus” - one of my favourite movies.
His voice is somehow familiar to me - it’s comforting in the way things from your childhood sometimes are. I’m wondering now if I heard a lot of his recordings when I was really young. I have a similar feeling listening to John Denver, because I know we visited the US in the early 1980s at the height of his fame - so I spent a few years with his music being played around the house. It’s the kind of music I don’t own much of, but just “know” anyway.
I haven’t gone and looked yet, but I’m guessing that Jackson Browne has recorded a gazillion albums (and yes, I know gazillion isn’t a real word). The trick now is going to be whittling down the list of albums to those that I should maybe get. I have this “best of” album here, but if he’s anything like the Beatles, there will be loads of great tracks hiding away on particular albums.
In a fit of “I should like him but I’m really not sure”, I downloaded some Johnny Cash music last night too. I’m still not sure. I think Johnny Cash may be one of those artists that you need to have grown up with to really like.
Anyway - I’m going to sit and enjoy this JB album - it’s perfect lazy Sunday afternoon music.