Detroit Artists Come Together to Celebrate Daniel Johnston

Andy Warhol once said that, "In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes" and in an era of Insta fame, it seems like he was right. Social media has changed the world. This can be inspiring and discouraging for an artist. Having a following doesn't mean that you make great music or produce great art and making great art or creating great music doesn't mean that you will have a following. This means that a lot of great artists fly under the radar and never get recognized for the talents that they are.

Daniel Johnston was an underappreciated artist that had tastes of fame throughout his life without ever getting the recognition he deserved. He recorded most of his music on a tape recorder in his bedroom and his biggest claim to mainstream fame was that Kurt Cobain wore a tee shirt with his art on it. He spent a significant part of his life in institutions and passed away this year at the age of 58 years old. To many, this is the end of his story, but a few artists in Detroit have a little more to say about it.

They want to remind you that Daniel played here two times. Once to around 60 people and once to a sold-out crowd at the Magic Stick. This iconic 2008 show was one of the highlights of Daniels's career and was a magical moment for anyone that attend the show. So, in honor of the artist, his music, and his impact on Detroit, a group of local music makers has come together to celebrate the music of Daniel Johnston.

Matt Milia, Stef Chura, Libby Decamp, Craig Brown, Ben Collins (minihorse), Marlon Morton (Remnose), Greater Alexander, and Jesse Sheperd-Bates (Handgrenades) will all be performing the music of Daniel Johnston at the Magic Stick on November 15th. Tickets to attend the show are $10 in advance and they can be purchased here. All ages are welcome to attend the event and doors for the show open at 8 p.m. A portion of the proceeds from this event will go the Hi How Are You Project, a non-profit that focuses on mental health. You can learn more about his non-profit here and you can keep up with the show by adding yourself to the FB event here.

RIP Mr. Johnston

~S