Jackson Browne Revisits Cleveland Heart in Intimate Baked Potato Performance
On August twenty seventh, twenty twenty four, Jackson Browne appeared at The Baked Potato in Los Angeles alongside guitarist and vocalist Val McCallum and McCallum’s band, featuring Scott Thurston on bass, James Cruce on drums, and Michael Landau on guitar. The evening offered not only music but also storytelling, as Browne shared the origin of his song Cleveland Heart in a relaxed and conversational setting.
The Baked Potato, known for its close quarters and attentive audiences, provided an ideal backdrop for Browne’s reflective narrative style. During the performance, he described how the idea for Cleveland Heart came to him while driving in Cleveland. He recalled noticing a building near the lake and asking what it was. Upon learning that it was associated with the production of artificial hearts, the image stayed with him. Browne explained that the phrase Cleveland Heart sparked something immediate and symbolic, suggesting emotional replacement or repair, and it eventually became central to the song.
The discussion naturally extended to the song’s music video, which has circulated widely online. Browne referenced the humorous concept behind the video, in which Val McCallum plays a surgeon who removes Browne’s worn out heart and replaces it with a new mechanical one. The staged procedure was presented with playful exaggeration, and Browne acknowledged the lighthearted tone of the project. McCallum’s participation as the fictional surgeon added a personal layer to the collaboration, reinforcing the creative rapport between the two musicians.
Musically, the performance highlighted the strength of the ensemble. Val McCallum contributed both guitar and vocals, while Scott Thurston, James Cruce, and Michael Landau provided a seasoned and responsive rhythm and lead guitar foundation. Landau’s presence added further depth, given his long standing reputation as one of Los Angeles’ most respected session and touring guitarists. The band maintained a restrained dynamic that allowed Browne’s storytelling and phrasing to remain at the forefront.
The evening demonstrated Browne’s continued commitment to connecting songs with lived experience. Rather than presenting Cleveland Heart as a fixed narrative, he offered insight into its moment of inspiration, grounding the composition in a specific place and time. The intimate venue amplified this effect, allowing the audience to engage directly with both the song and its backstory.
In revisiting Cleveland Heart at The Baked Potato, Jackson Browne combined humor, memory, and musicianship in equal measure. The result was a performance that underscored his enduring ability to blend personal reflection with collaborative artistry, reaffirming his relevance on both small stages and larger platforms alike.