Son of Jackson Browne Died from Accidental Drug Toxicity

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has ruled that Ethan Browne, the 52-year-old son of singer-songwriter Jackson Browne, died accidentally on November 25, 2025, from the toxic effects of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and lidocaine. The cause was disclosed publicly on January 13, 2026, nearly two months after Browne was found unresponsive in his Los Angeles home.

Jackson Browne, 77, announced his son's death the following day via a statement on social media. "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," the statement read. "We ask for privacy and respect for the family during this difficult time. No further details are available at this moment." At the time, the medical examiner had deferred the cause pending further investigation.

Ethan Browne, born on November 2, 1973, was the only child of Jackson Browne and his first wife, Phyllis Major, whom he married in 1975. Major died by suicide in March 1976, leaving Jackson to raise their toddler son as a single father while building his music career. The elder Browne later reflected on...