1940-2021

H. Jackson Brown Jr., father, author, advertising pioneer and songwriter, passed away at his home in Nashville on November 30, 2021 after extended illnesses. He was 81.

Jackson was author of over 20 inspirational and self-help books including Life’s Little Instruction Book, a collection of 511 reminders “on how to live a happy and rewarding life” that he wrote for his college-bound son, Adam. The book would spend over two years on The New York Times Best Seller list, over a year in the #1 spot, and be the first book to ever hold the #1 spot on the Times hardcover and paperback lists simultaneously.

Other books by Jackson, including A Father’s Book of Wisdom, P.S. I Love You and Live & Learn & Pass It On would spend a combined 158 weeks on the Times Best Seller list, be translated into over 35 languages and spawn calendars, posters, journals, greeting cards, and even a line of fortune cookies.

Jackson was born in Nashville in 1940 to Horace and Sarah Brown and attended Hillsboro High School. He would graduate from Emory University in 1962 and come back to Nashville to hold a variety of creative jobs, including as an A&R music rep at BMI Nashville and as Creative Director at advertising agency Noble-Dury. He’d work on many national accounts and give a young L.A. DJ named Casey Kasem his first national TV voiceover work on ads for a new restaurant chain called Pizza Hut.

After leaving Noble-Dury to form his own ad agency, Jackson would spend the next three decades creating television, radio and print advertising for dozens of car dealers, banks and grocery stores. He’d write hundreds of jingles for consumer brands and campaign music for presidential, congressional and gubernatorial candidates – on both sides of the aisle – writing music played at both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions.

Read The New York Times obituary here.

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