Vale Daniel Johnston, 1961-2019
 

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/m...n-dead-883161/

Thank you for showing, better than anyone else, that enthusiasm is more important than ability.

A sad day indeed, thank you for posting!

Daniel warned us: Don’t Play Cards With Satan

Daniel & Friends

One of my disappointments is never having a Daniel Johnston original homemade cassette as part of my music collection.

Eccentric singer-songwriter reportedly died of heart attack


From The Hi, How Are You Project page:

It is with very heavy hearts that we share the news of Daniel’s passing this morning. One thing we know to be true in this sad time, in Daniel’s words, “True love will find you in the end.”

We will share details about a memorial as soon as they become available.

—
The Johnston family is deeply saddened to announce the death of their brother, Daniel Johnston.

He passed away from natural causes this morning at his home outside of Houston, Texas.

Daniel was a singer, songwriter, an artist, and a friend to all. Although he struggled with mental health issues for much of his adult life, Daniel triumphed over his illness through his prolific output of art and songs. He inspired countless fans, artists, and songwriters with his message that no matter how dark the day that "the sun shines down on me" and "true love will find you in the end."



Daniel's life and music inspired the Hi, How Are You Project to encourage open conversation around mental health. His birthday, January 22, is celebrated as Hi, How Are You Day.



Dick Johnston, Daniel's older brother says of Dan, “I always wanted Danny to feel like his own person, and in control of his own life. Since beginning to work and travel with him in about 2003, we gratefully were able to travel the entire globe for over a decade to get out before the fans. He was always, everywhere, warmly received and he at least knew he was well loved. Health issues have plagued us for years, but I’m glad for the time we had.”



Tom Gimbel, Daniel's manager of over 25 years says "I am so saddened by the news of Daniel's passing. It has been the greatest honor and privilege of my professional life to work with Daniel Johnston - someone who I consider to be one of the greatest songwriting geniuses of our time. In our time together Daniel was more than an artist; he was a friend, he was family. I will miss him greatly but will smile every time I hear his songs."

 

o daaaaaaaaaamn

supersad news.

i dont know about ability. he had it in spades.

he was ill, is all

fuuuuuuuuc....

He was indeed an accomplished musician as far as I'm concerned. Either that or Jandek's whole discography (not to mention many, many other artists') is bullcrap. FIFTY-TWO YEARS after The Velvet Underground were called faggots who can't play their instruments, don't we need better terms for this shit? On the other hand, I guess it will never end, the virtuoso vs. intuitoso fallacy.

Back to Daniel, though: goodbye, sweet man. :(

RIP!

Well put, Soup

Daniel found a way to have a presence before social media. He knew the importance of documentation without being taught.

Colleges have courses for becoming a promoter, Daniel just did it:

 

Daniel’s 1990 Call-In Performance Over The Phone Broadcast On WFMU

Daniel’s Public Access Interview

Nardwuar vs. Daniel Johnston

I'm really glad I got to see him in'02. He played solo and was in good spirits. RIP, Daniel.

A couple of friends of mine backed him up when he played in Minneapolis some time ago. The stories of their time with him were quite priceless and extremely charming. RIP.

As a 19 year old at the University of Houston, (1992-1993) I was a member of the Student Program Board and we would put on lots of concerts. One of them was Daniel Johnston.

The stage was covered in fucked up instruments. Daniel would grab one and start playing his songs, and then grab another and play his songs. It was my first experience of him outside of a few songs on a cassette I had heard from my fellow music nerds.

It was a weird, great experience, never to be repeated. I admired his guts.

After the concert, it was my duty to shadow daniel as we waited for his handlers (orderlies from the mental hospital he had been staying in in Austin, which had released him under watch for this concert at UH.). I took him on the elevator out to the loading area and thanked him for the show and he was very nice, but very scattered. the performances took it out of him.

Later that weekend I read that Daniel johnston had "escaped" his handlers in Houston and was found in NYC 2 days later. Luckily he was OK, but he was off his meds and really ragged.

I'll never forget that.
I have met the man other times, once at a record store in Houston, and he was always a regular guy, who loved music and comics....

Hell of a story, Rob

Tributes Pour In For Daniel Johnston

“Do Yourself A Favor, Become Your Own Savior”

 

From Lee's Instagram page:

Found this image here (translation to English, it's not a very nice story ...)

Christ man

Out of context, it is rather funny and punk rock in an almost Raymond Pettibon way. Factoring in Johnston's troubled life, yes, it's something else.