The US musician, artist and comic book writer Daniel Johnston died on 10 September from suspected heart attack at his home in Austin, Texas. He was 58 years old. Suffering from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, as well as diabetes and hydrocephalus, Johnston was often viewed as an outsider artist, but he made a considerable impact on the mainstream. His music was covered by the likes of Mercury Rev, Tom Waits and Spiritualized, and the 2006 rock opera Speeding Motorcycle was based on his songs. Famously, Kurt Cobain was spotted wearing a T-shirt featuring Johnston’s Hi, How Are You album cover art drawing of a cartoon frog from 1983.

Born in Sacramento, California, Johnston grew up in West Virginia and moved to Austin, Texas in 1980. His chosen hometown honoured him by displaying a mural of the aforementioned Hi, How Are You artwork and naming 22 January “Hi, How Are You? Day”.

Johnston started recording in the 1970s, often giving his music away for free to friends and fans. He went on to make more than 60 records, beginning with his 1980 debut Songs Of Pain (reissued by Stress in 1988). His fourth album More Songs Of Pain followed a few years later. In 1989 he released It's Spooky with Half Japanese singer Jad Fair. The pair went on to release two Daniel Johnston & Jad Fair albums as well as the 2007 Jagjaguwar set Somewhat Humorous as The Lucky Sperms. In 1994 Johnston signed to Atlantic.

Jeff Feuerzeig’s documentary The Devil And Daniel Johnston won the Director’s Award at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. It was released theatrically in 2006, the same year Johnston’s work was exhibited at New York’s Whitney Museum of American Art. He last toured in 2017.