When Los Angeles's Jackson Browne released his self-titled debut in 1972, he was instantly heralded as one of the most articulate, emotive, and effective singer/songwriters from the burgeoning folk, country-rock and soft-rock scenes. His presence further multiplied with 1976's triple-platinum The Pretender and the following year's 7 million-selling Running on Empty, though he's been steadily recording and selling out shows into the 21st century. In fact, many of his latter-era albums are among his most thought-provoking and critically acclaimed.