If you’ve spent any time following the trajectory of 70s rock icons, you probably know Jackson Browne’s history involves a lot of high-profile, often turbulent romances. There was the tragic loss of his first wife, Phyllis Major. Then the messy, tabloid-heavy split from Daryl Hannah in the early 90s. But for nearly three decades, things have been remarkably quiet on the drama front.
Why? Because of Dianna Cohen.
Most people assume she's just the "long-time girlfriend" or a partner in the background of a rock star’s life. That is a massive understatement. In reality, the partnership between Jackson Browne and Dianna Cohen is less about "rock and roll" and more about a shared, almost obsessive mission to save the planet from drowning in plastic.
Honestly, they’re more of a power-activist duo than a Hollywood couple.
The Artist Who Saw Plastic Differently
Dianna Cohen isn't a musician. She’s a world-class visual artist.
Back in the 90s, she started making art out of plastic bags. You've probably seen those flimsy brown paper bags or the white plastic ones from the grocery store. Dianna would cut them up and sew them into massive, intricate collages. It was beautiful.
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But then something happened that changed her life—and Jackson’s.
She noticed her artwork was literally falling apart. The plastic wasn't "dying" or decomposing; it was just breaking into smaller and smaller bits. After talking to scientists like Captain Charles Moore (the guy who discovered the Great Pacific Garbage Patch), she realized that plastic never goes away. It just becomes "plastic soup."
This epiphany led her to co-found the Plastic Pollution Coalition in 2009.
How Jackson Browne and Dianna Cohen Changed the Music Industry
Jackson Browne was already an environmentalist long before he met Dianna. He co-founded MUSE (Musicians United for Safe Energy) in 1979. But his relationship with Cohen shifted his focus from "clean energy" to "clean oceans."
They don't just talk about it. They live it.
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If you go to a Jackson Browne concert today, you won't find single-use plastic water bottles backstage. He was one of the first major artists to demand "Plastic Free Backstage." He travels with a massive water filtration system so the crew can refill reusable bottles.
Collaborative Projects That Matter
- The Story of Plastic (2020): This wasn't some vanity project. Jackson and Dianna served as co-executive producers for this documentary. It won an Emmy. It didn't just blame people for not recycling; it went after the big oil and gas companies that produce the plastic in the first place.
- Plastic Pollution Coalition: While Dianna is the CEO, Jackson is a constant presence, using his platform to bring "artivists" together.
- TED Talks and Global Summits: You'll often see them together at events like the Mission Blue Voyage or TED conferences, where Dianna speaks and Jackson performs songs like "If I Could Be Anywhere."
The Secret to a 30-Year Partnership
The world is used to seeing Jackson Browne in the headlines for heartbreak. Songs like "Late for the Sky" or "Running on Empty" are practically the soundtrack to 70s longing.
But with Cohen, it’s different. They’ve been together since the mid-1990s. They live in Los Angeles, keeping their private life almost entirely out of the gossip rags.
There is a deep intellectual respect there. Jackson has described her as "smart, beautiful, and driven." He’s noted in interviews that her ambition for the environment has actually pushed him to be more active. It’s not a relationship where one person sits in the shadow of the other. It’s a literal coalition.
Why Their Story Still Matters in 2026
We live in a culture that loves a "train wreck" celebrity story. We want the fights and the public breakups.
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Jackson Browne and Dianna Cohen offer the opposite. They represent the "long game." In a year where climate change and plastic waste are at the forefront of every global discussion, their work is more relevant than ever.
They’ve proven that a celebrity's greatest contribution isn't always the art they create, but the influence they wield to protect the world that allows that art to exist.
How You Can Take Action Based on Their Work
If you're inspired by what this duo has built over the last three decades, you don't have to be a rock star to help.
- Refuse the Big Four: Dianna Cohen’s biggest piece of advice is to "Refuse" rather than just "Recycle." Start with the big four: plastic bags, plastic bottles, plastic straws, and plastic cups.
- Support the Plastic Pollution Coalition: This is the organization Dianna leads. They provide toolkits for schools, businesses, and even musicians who want to go plastic-free.
- Watch "The Story of Plastic": It’s a wake-up call. It changes how you see every item in your grocery cart.
- Demand Policy Change: Follow their lead in supporting the UN Plastics Treaty and other legislation that holds producers—not just consumers—accountable.
Jackson Browne’s legacy used to be defined by the "sensitive songwriter" trope. Now, thanks in large part to his life with Dianna Cohen, it’s defined by a commitment to the earth that is just as enduring as his music.