Daniel Johnston, independent singer-songwriter, dies at age 58

"Daniel was a singer, songwriter, artist, and friend to everyone." Although he struggled with mental health issues for much of his adult life, Daniel overcame his illness through his prolific production of art and songs, "said Johnston family read. "He has inspired countless fans, artists and songwriters with his message, no matter how dark the day when" the sun shines on me "and" true love will find you in the end ".

As he has had the opportunity to broadcast his music more broadly, Johnston has developed a dedicated cult featuring great names in music, from Kurt Cobain to Tom Waits to Beck.

Johnston has struggled with mental health issues throughout his life, and an organization "inspiring new conversations about mental health issues," called "The Hi, How Are You Project," was founded by Gimbel and Courtney Blanton with the support of Daniel Johnston and his family. The project is named for one of Johnston's albums.

Johnston also had physical health problems, according to Gimbel, related to diabetes and medications that he had taken all his life.

"His problems with mental health are well documented, but what strikes me most is his triumphs," Gimbel said.

The 2005 documentary "The Devil and Daniel Johnston" introduced the artist's work to a wider audience while discussing his bipolar disorder and manifestation with a demonic self-obsession. Directed by Jeff Feuerzeig, he won the documentary award at the Sundance Film Festival.

In 2018, the city of Austin declared January 22 – Johnston's birthday – to be "Hi, how are you?" Day. Named to commemorate Johnston's 1983 album and the famous Frog mural, installed on the site of a former record store in the downtown area of ​​the Texas capital, this event also objective to encourage mental health support.

In keeping with the city's long live appreciation of music, the festivities are a concert. Performers of the 2019 show include Flo Lips, Yo La Tengo, Built to Spill, The Moth & the Flame.

"There are still very few dangerous rock and roll shows in the world where you really do not know what to expect," Gimbel said of Johnston's notoriously unpredictable stage presence. "At different times of the same show, there would be a heartbreaking beauty – those incredible words that would make people cry – and then there could be comical moments and then something could happen and it would just be a disaster, but I think that's what attracted people to him. "

He added: "You never knew what was going to happen at one of Daniel's concerts, but it was still incredibly honest and authentic."