Daniel Johnston American singer, songwriter, musician and artist Date of Birth: 22.01.1961 Country: USA

Biography of Daniel Johnston

Daniel Johnston was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and artist who was diagnosed with manic depression and schizophrenia. His mental disorders were a lifelong struggle for the musician.

Born in Sacramento, California, Daniel grew up in West Virginia. He started recording music in 1970 using a mono cassette recorder from the company 'Sanyo'. Daniel sang and played the piano and electric organ.

After graduating from Oak Glen High School, Johnston spent a few weeks at Abilene Christian University but was eventually expelled. He began gaining recognition in the music industry after moving to Austin, Texas. He caught the attention of the local press by handing out cassette tapes to anyone he met. His live performances were eagerly attended by the audience, who always anticipated them.

In 1985, Johnston appeared in an episode of the MTV show 'The Cutting Edge', which focused on the Austin music scene. Later that same year, he participated in the Woodshock festival in Austin.

In 1988, Johnston traveled to New York City to record his album '1990'. It was his first experience working in a professional studio, as he had previously been recording at home for the past ten years. After the album's release, his mental state sharply deteriorated.

Interest in Johnston's personality increased when Kurt Cobain appeared in public wearing a t-shirt with the cover image of Johnston's album 'Hi, How Are You', which had been given to him by a journalist. Despite being in a psychiatric hospital at the time, record labels began competing for a contract with him.

Johnston refused to sign a long-term contract with 'Elektra Records' because the band 'Metallica' was listed before him, and he believed they were under Satan's influence and would harm him. He also terminated his contract with his manager because he believed that the manager too was possessed by Satan.

Eventually, in February 1994, Johnston signed a contract with 'Atlantic Records' and released the album 'Fun' in September of the same year, which was a commercial failure. In 1996, the label ended their contract with Johnston.

In 1990, Johnston performed at a music festival in Austin. On his way back to West Virginia, he had a seizure and believed he was the ghost Casper. He pulled out the ignition key and threw it out of the plane. Despite only trees being below them, his father, a pilot in the US Air Force, managed to make an emergency landing. The plane was not salvageable, but Daniel and his father suffered minimal injuries. As a result of this incident, Johnston was sent to a psychiatric hospital again.

Johnston's last album, 'Is and Always Was', was released on October 6, 2009. His paintings are exhibited in various galleries. In 2006, his works were displayed at the Aquarium Gallery in London and the Clementine Gallery in New York. In 2008, they were exhibited at the 'Liverpool Biennial'.

In 1993, the owners of the 'Sound Exchange' store in Austin asked Johnston to paint a mural on the establishment's wall featuring the frog depicted on the cover of his album 'Hello, How Are You?'. The frog is also known as 'Jeremiah the Innocent'. By that time, the image had become widely known thanks to a photograph of Kurt Cobain wearing a t-shirt with the artwork. The store later closed, and the space remained vacant until 2004 when a Mexican eatery called 'Baja Fresh' opened there. The wall with the mural was initially going to be demolished, but neighbors convinced the managers to keep it. In the spring of 2008, a collectible figurine featuring Jeremiah in different color variations was released.

On March 13, 2012, Johnston released his first comic book compilation titled 'Space Ducks – An Infinite Comic Book of Musical Greatness'. He also collaborated with 'Dr. Fun Fun' and 'Smashing Studios' in the development of the iPhone game 'Hi, How Are You'. The game is similar to 'Frogger' and features Johnston's artwork and music.