Daniel Johnston, US singer-songwriter and artist, dies at 58

Daniel Johnston, the American singer-songwriter and visual artist known for his raw lo-fi music and outsider art, died of a heart attack on September 11, 2019, at age 58. Born in Sacramento, California in 1961, he was based in Austin, Texas. Johnston's simple, genuine approach contrasted with the commercialized music scene. His sparse chord progressions and distinctive vocal style defined lo-fi genre. His mental health struggles were documented in Jeff Feuerzeig's 2005 film 'The Devil and Daniel Johnston,' which won the Documentary Directing Award at Sundance. His drawings, featuring surreal characters like Jeremiah the Innocent, drew comparisons to Jean Dubuffet. The character appeared on his self-released 1983 album 'Hi, How Are You: The Unfinished Album,' which became an indie icon after Kurt Cobain wore a shirt with the image at the 1992 MTV Awards. Johnston's influence extends to Harmony Korine, Larry Clark (who used his songs in 'Kids'), Beck, Pavement, Sonic Youth, Mac DeMarco, and Lana Del Rey (who covered his song in the 2015 short film 'Hi, How Are You Daniel Johnston?').