time he was a teenager, Browne had developed an interest in folk music. He began playing guitar and writing songs, which he sang at local folk clubs. In early 1966 Jackson Browne joined the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band for a brief time, performing at The Golden Bear where they opened for The Lovin' Spoonful. The band later recorded a number of Jackson's songs including "These Days," "Melissa" and "Holding", and "Shadow Dream Song". Among his early songs, "These Days" and "Shadow Dream Song" were the strongest