Jackson Browne has been writing, recording and performing songs for more than 30 years. With 13 albums to his credit, he is one of the most successful singer songwriters of our time. Jackson Browne's most significant achievements have less to do with the surface of things and more to do with depth. From exploring the deeply personal to the overtly political, he has never been afraid to meld serious thought with beautiful music. With an unwavering artistic vision and a strong commitment to his beliefs, he has written some of the most literate, introspective and profound songs in popular music.

Born in Heidelberg, West Germany to American parents, Jackson Browne and his family moved to Los Angeles when he was three years old. As a teenager, he developed a taste for folk music and began writing and performing his own songs in folk clubs. In 1966 he briefly joined the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, who recorded a handful of his songs on their first two records. This led to his first publishing deal with Nina Music, a division of Elektra Records, which helped him land songs on albums by Tom Rush and Steve Noonan. During this time, he also moved to New York City's Greenwich Village, where he worked with Nico. She recorded three of his songs, including, "These Days," which appeared on her classic Chelsea Girl album. Other artists also began to record his songs, including Linda Ronstadt and the Byrds. By the time David Geffen signed Jackson Browne to the Asylum Records imprint in 1971, at the age of 23, he was a well-covered songwriter with many of his songs having appeared on other artists' records.

His first album, Jackson Browne, was released in 1972 and yielded the hit, "Doctor My Eyes." This was followed by another hit, "Take It Easy," co-written with Glenn Frey, which became the Eagles' breakthrough song. Jackson Browne's smooth vocals, gentle melodies and confessional lyrics struck a nerve with people who were searching for music with meaning in the 70s. His style, along with contemporaries such as James Taylor and Joni Mitchell, helped to establish the artistic blueprint that singer songwriters still follow today.

As the 70's progressed, Jackson Browne released a series of albums that are now considered classics: For Everyman, Late For The Sky, The Pretender and Running On Empty. 1974's Late For The Sky is considered a masterpiece. 1976's The Pretender was his first album to reach the Top Ten. Then, as the decade came to a close, 1977's Running On Empty recorded in concert halls, hotel rooms and on tour buses, while on the road, became Jackson Browne's top-selling album, going seven-times platinum and launching the hit singles "Running On Empty," and "The Load Out/Stay."

At the dawn of the 80's, Jackson Browne had a huge worldwide audience, and his 1980 album Hold Out immediately went to number one. Two years later, a song he recorded for the soundtrack of Fast Times at Ridgemont High, "Somebody's Baby," became his biggest radio hit. As the decade progressed, Jackson Browne began to question the political and social climate in the United States, directly confronting those issues in his music. The album Lawyers In Love, with "Tender is the Night," "For a Rocker," and the title track, along with 1986's Lives In The Balance and 1989's World In Motion, were all artistic statements that revealed Jackson Browne's compassion for and personal convictions about the social, political and environmental state of the world around him.

In the past decade, Jackson Browne continued to write passionately about issues both personal and social. 1993's I'm Alive and 1996's Looking East represented a mature artist in full command of his talent.

In 2002, he released The Naked Ride Home, considered by many to be the most eclectic album of his 30-year career. That same year, Jackson Browne became the fourth recipient of the John Steinbeck Award, which is bestowed to artists whose works best exemplify the environmental and social values of Steinbeck. He joins a select group that now includes filmmaker John Sayles, playwright Arthur Miller, songwriter Bruce Springsteen, and actor/author Studs Terkel.

This year, Jackson Browne was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He also released The Very Best of Jackson Browne, featuring 32 songs from throughout his career. While by no means comprehensive, the collection is a testament to one of America's most gifted singer songwriters, a man who cares as deeply about the human condition as he does about making unforgettable music.

ASCAP is proud to present its Founders Award to Jackson Browne, whose unique contributions to music will enrich generations to come.