Musician Jackson Browne has made his sadness for Ethan Browne public. The cause of death is still unclear.
Ethan Zane Browne, the eldest son of singer-songwriter Jackson Browne, is dead. He died on Tuesday (November 25, 2025) at the age of 52. In an official statement, published via Instagramthe family shared:
“It is with deep sadness that we announce that on the morning of November 25, 2025, Ethan Browne, the son of Jackson Browne and Phyllis Major, was found unresponsive at his home and passed away. We ask for privacy and respect for the family during this difficult time.”
Ethan Brown was a model and actor who appeared alongside Angelina Jolie in “Hackers” (1995) and in the romantic comedy “Love in a Detour” (Raising Helen, 2004). He was also a DJ and founder of a music label. Browne was born on November 2, 1973. His mother was the model Phyllis Major. However, she took her own life in 1976, when Ethan was still a toddler.
Model, actor, label founder
Even as an infant, Ethan Browne appeared on the cover of ROLLING STONE with his father. The early loss of his wife made Jackson Browne very conscious of his role as a father. In 1981, the musician married the model Lynne Sweeney, and their son Ryan was born shortly afterwards.
As an adult, Ethan Browne pursued an artistic career like his father, but not as a musician as one would expect. He initially worked as a model and appeared for designers such as Isaac Mizrahi.
In addition to his roles in several films, he had a guest appearance in the series “Birds of Prey”. Later he turned more to music and the music business: he founded the label Spinside Records and formed the duo Alain Zane with the multi-instrumentalist Cat Colbert. Together they released their debut album “Right Before Your Eyes” in 2022.
Unanswered questions about the cause of Ethan Browne’s death
The news of his death came as a surprise; no life-threatening illnesses were previously known. The family has not yet given a cause of death. No further details were made public.