Beloved Austin-based artist, singer-songwriter, and master archiver Daniel Johnston is going to get a Detroit tribute next month.
Johnston, who was, by all means, prolific, died of a heart attack last month at the age of 58. Johnston was known for his incredibly endearing body of work as much as he was known for his ongoing battles with mental and physical health — namely his battle with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, as his work was an extension of his struggle. The result? Well, just listen to fan-favorite “True Love Will Find You in the End,” on which Johnston's fragile voice fights to believe every word. He also really loved the Beatles and McDonald's. (All things that can be gleaned by watching the revealing 2006 documentary The Devil and Daniel Johnston.)
“He was first a legend in his own mind, then he became a real legend. That was the only time I saw that happen where someone was like, ‘I’m gonna get famous’ and he just kind of made himself,” Johnston's longtime friend Brian Beattie told The Austin Chronicle following his death. “He was the least likely person on Earth to get popular — and he did.”
The I'm OK: A Tribute to Daniel Johnston will take place on Nov. 15 at the Magic Stick in Detroit, and will offer performances by Matt Milia, Stef Chura, Ben Collins (Minihorse), Marlon Morton (Remnose), Greater Alexander, Libby Decamp, Craig Brown, and Jesse Shepherd-Bates (Handgrenades).
Tickets are $10 and are available for purchase via ticketweb.com. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Johnston's Hi How Are You Project, which aims to provide mental health awareness by funding various art and music events.
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