Daniel Johnston
is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and visual artist who is regarded as a significant figure in outsider, lo-fi, and alternative music scenes. Most of his work consists of cassettes he recorded alone in his home. Johnston spent extended periods of his life in psychiatric institutions and has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and manic depression.
Johnston’s music is frequently cited for its “pure and childlike soul”. He gathered a local following in the 1980s by passing out tapes of his music while working at a McDonald’s in Austin, Texas. His notoriety among underground circles was launched once Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain began wearing a T-shirt that featured artwork from Johnston’s 1983 album Hi, How Are You. In 2005, Johnston was the subject of the documentary The Devil and Daniel Johnston.
