CHARLESTON W.Va. (WVDN) – The induction ceremony and performances will be held at 7 p.m. on April 12, and the opening of “Blue Skies Will Haunt You From Now On: A Mini Retrospective of the Artwork of Daniel Johnston” will be held on March 29 at 5 p.m., both at the Culture Center Theater, in Charleston WV.
Daniel spent his formative years in West Virginia where he recorded his first incredible cassettes in the basement of his house in Hancock County, now the place that helped create him will honor him!
Wilco co-founder Jeff Tweedy will present acclaimed “outsider” singer/songwriter/artist Daniel Johnston’s posthumous award to the honoree’s brother and sister, Dick and Margie Johnston. Johnston’s deceptively simple songs are, by turns, sweet, innocent yet emotionally deep and has a dedicated fanbase all over the world.
Tweedy – who performed and recorded with Daniel – and his band Tweedy will perform three of his favorite Johnston songs. Other special guests include our host Ray Benson, who founded his legendary Western Swing band Asleep At The Wheel in Paw Paw, WV in 1970; Charlie McCoy, Tim O’Brien, Larry Groce, Kathy Mattea, John Ellison, Lionel Carwright, Bob Thompson, Barbara Nissman, Michael Cerveris, Greg Blake, Juliana Soltis… and more!!
The event will be live-streamed by West Public Broadcasting and edited for later statewide broadcast. Advance general admission tickets are $75 ($95 at the door). “Preferred Tickets” are $250 each and include admittance to the Friday evening reception at the Governor’s Mansion and the Saturday after-show party.
For tickets/info:
https://www.wvmusichalloffame.
Email: wvmhof@gmail.com
Call: 304-342-4412
Free admission to the special Exhibit Opening of “Blue Skies Will Haunt You From Now On: A Mini Retrospective of the Artwork of Daniel Johnston” on March 29 at 5 p.m. at the WV Music Hall of Fame, Charleston. This 30-plus piece exhibit is curated by Johnston’s former tour manager, friend, & biographer Don Goede. Featuring his favorite pieces of art and memorabilia that he collected for more than 20 years as Daniel Johnston’s caretaker and bandmate. Almost all of the pieces were acquired or gifted from Johnston himself. There will be at minimum of ten pieces of original artwork, separate from the collection, that will be for sale.
There will also be a screening of the award-winning film of “The Devil & Daniel Johnston” on March 28, at The Lewis Theater, Lewisburg at 7 p.m., $15. And again on March 29, at the WV Music Hall of Fame, Charleston at 6 p.m., which is pay what you can. In the ’90s his music was recorded and championed by the likes of Nirvana, Beck, Jeff Tweedy, Sonic Youth, and Tom Waits. Beneath Johnston’s success is the story of an artist battling bipolar disorder, who spent the last three decades of his life in and out of institutions including a stretch at the West Virginia state mental hospital in Weston. The film won the Documentary Directing Award at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. The film’s LA-based director, Jeff Feuerzeig, will introduce the film and hold a Q&A following the screening.
And if that’s not enough we will be selling a hand cut & numbered, limited edition, commemorative 7-inch vinyl record celebrating Daniel’s induction & love of West Virginia! It will include alternative recordings of original songs, EYE Band reunion remixes, and of course his classic recording of “Wild West Virginia’’ and “Cold Hard World.”
Contact for questions: Dongoede@hihowareyou.com
“Daniel Johnston: I’m Afraid Of What I Might Draw” New from Rizzoli Publishing, arriving April 29th!
The legendary artist and musician Daniel Johnston is seen through the most comprehensive collection of his drawings ever published from author/curator Lee Foster of Electric Lady Studios, with contributions by Dick Johnston and Robin K. Williams!
Featuring remembrances by Jack Antonoff, Lana Del Rey, Phoebe Bridgers, Daniel Caesar, Beabadoobee, Dev Hynes, Karen O, Jeff Tweedy, Jim Jarmusch, and Raymond Pettibon. With editorial oversight by Rizzoli Senior Editor, Loren Olson.
A significant figure in outsider, lo-fi, and alternative scenes, Daniel Johnston inspired musicians and listeners for decades. From his origins in the Austin scene in the mid-1980s, where he performed at local venues while working at McDonald’s, to his appearance on MTV and championing by Kurt Cobain, to eventual world fame, Johnston’s singular compositions and raw lyrics earned him lifelong fans.
Predating his interest in music and continuing alongside it, art was Johnston’s longest-running passion. This publication presents drawings spanning four decades of Johnston’s production, including many rare and previously unseen pieces. The artist’s brightly colored illustrations, incorporating figures from pop culture, devils, and heroes, blended with his own original characters, range from his iconic “Jeremiah the Innocent Frog” to surrealist landscapes. With the support of Johnston’s family and estate, the first comprehensive project since his passing includes remembrances from his brother, musicians, and artists, and benefits the Hi, How Are You Project.
About The Author: Lee Foster is the general manager and co-owner of Electric Lady Studios, the legendary recording studio in Greenwich Village commissioned by Jimi Hendrix. He is also the Curatorial Advisor for the Daniel Johnston Trust. Dick Johnston is Daniel Johnston’s older brother, former manager, and a director of the Hi, How Are You Project. Robin K. Williams is a former curator of the Contemporary Austin. She is currently the Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the University of Michigan Museum of Art.
Publish Date: April 08, 2025
Publisher: Rizzoli
US Price: $55.00
