A couple of years ago I was interviewing Francis Jocky, a singer/songwriter from The Cameroon in Africa, and was rather taken aback by his answer to my question about early his musical influences. "I started being interested in music when I was eight years old, and I was listening to Bob Marley, Randy Newman and Jackson Browne". While it's pretty typical for a kid from Africa to have been listening to Marley, and the fact he was listening to Newman was surprising, what really shocked me was he had heard of Jackson Browne let alone had listened to him in The Cameroon. While I've been listening to Browne's music since somewhere in the 1970s, it's always seemed to me that he's some sort of well kept secret. For a guy who has been playing professionally since he was 17 and released more records than I can remember off the top of my head, it's remarkable how many people I've met seem to have either never, or only vaguely, heard of him.
Part of that is due to the nature of the music industry, with its "you're only as well known as your last hit record" attitude, and part of that is due to the fact you weren't going to hear any of Browne's music on mainstream radio at any time through the 1980s or 1990s. Long before it was popular, or safe, to be writing and recording music critical of American foreign policy, Browne was one of the few mainstream musicians who put aside his career ambitions to write a series of albums containing songs openly critical of the Reagan administration and American imperialism in general. 
Writing songs critical of Oliver North, and all the other right wing heroes of the day, quickly assured your songs wouldn't receive radio play during either the Reagan or Bush Sr. years. So, by the time that decade had ended the man who had written "Taking It Easy", "Late For The Sky", "Doctor My Eyes" and "Running On Empty" - FM radio hits throughout the 1970s - had disappeared off most people's radar.
I often wonder if the Disney Channel knew exactly who Browne was back in 1994 when they presented Jackson Browne: Going Home, now being re-issued on DVD by Eagle Rock Entertainment, to television audiences. Maybe they thought they were presenting the heartwarming story of somebody's comeback or something, because I can't see them knowingly giving a 90-minute special to somebody as politically outspoken as Browne. However it managed to get on the air, Going Home is a fascinating mix of documentary and performance footage summarizing Browne's career to that point, giving fans an opportunity to gain a deeper appreciation of the man and his work and those unfamiliar with him a chance to see why his influence has been felt halfway around in the world in The Cameroon.
Article comments
1 - jeannie danna
Excellent review! Jackson Browne
: )
2 - rhymewithsunday
Speaking of far-flung fans, I grew up in India, and first heard Jackson around 1985 via Hold Out. Then discovered Running on Empty and The Pretender, each with growing appreciation, and finally hit the pinnacle of my fandom when I first heard Late for the Sky. His music has been a major influence on me ever since, and in my opinion, he blows his contemporary singer-songwriters away, except Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, perhaps Warren Zevon, and to a lesser extent, Bruce Cockburn. Nothing galls me more than to see him lumped into the same easy listening category as James Taylor and, for heaven's sake, Dan Fogelberg (!). I'm seeing him with David Lindley in Baltimore tonight, and I can't wait to hear that combination again in a full electric, band setting.
3 - Bob
"You weren't going to hear any of Browne's music on mainstream radio at any time through the 1980s or 1990s"
In fact, Jackson Browne is probably best known for his biggest hit single 'Somebody's Baby, which peaked at #7 in 1982 and received hefty playtime.
Likewise, his only #1 album, 'Hold Out', came out in 1980 and also had prominent radio coverage.
4 - Ayuk-Etang R.A
It is rather amazing but Jackson Brown was quite popular amongst the pop loving secondary school & University youths of Cameroon in the late 70s and early 80s. I discovered his music around 1978, to this day I have a complete collection of his music. I do not know how many hundred times I have listen to Running on empty, late for the sky, the pretender etc etc. He is an inspiring Musician
5 - IRA STAHL
I had been following Jackson Browne since the main point outside Philadelphia since 1970s just recently I went to the Tower Theatre outside Philadelphia on 9/11/10, I was appalled by his concert, of all days to be so insensitive towards America. He has three anti-American songs played one about praying to the east one about Hitler and his true heart, and one that America is the only country he knows so I guess he likes it. I will never support his music again and everyone I know who listens to him I'm telling them about his outrageous liberal anti-American anti-somatic propaganda. If you don't believe me go to his website and see what he thinks about Israel versus Hamas, he is so out of touch with reality it's unbelievable
6 - JILL McCLURE
First fell in love with Jsckdon's music in 1978 and saw him in concert at Melb. tennis centre in 1981 was so impressed. Then was lucky enough to see him perform last year at Castlemaine in Vic. and he has still got it. Now my 10 year old son is playing some of his songs on guitar, and is also a fan.