Singer-songwriter and visual artist Daniel Johnston died Tuesday night. He was 58.
Former manager Jeff Tartakov said Johnston suffered a heart attack after months of medical issues that often put him in hospital.
“Daniel Johnston wrote beautiful songs and inspired countless musicians and songwriters,” actor Jason Ritter tweeted. "The heart and its truths are captured in his music.”
RIP Daniel Johnston https://t.co/y7ECMuX6Lr
— Beck (@beck) September 11, 2019
Johnston, who released 17 albums and had one more on the way, had his songs covered by artists like Tom Waits, Beck, and the Flaming Lips. The late Kurt Cobain famously wore a T-shirt featuring Johnston’s Hi, How Are You album artwork.
His struggles with mental health issues were explored in the 2005 documentary The Devil and Daniel Johnston.