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Austin Songwriting Genius Daniel Johnston Dead at 58

Eccentric singer-songwriter reportedly died of heart attack Daniel Johnston , the influential singer-songwriter and visual artist who painted Austin’s famous “Hi How Are You” frog mural on the Drag, died at home last night following a presumed heart attack at age 58. The news was confirmed by his former manager Jeff Tartakov. Johnston’s physical health worsened significantly in recent years. Last year, his sister Margy Johnston told the Chronicle that Daniel had recently endured a rough go that included falling, hospitalization, and frequent adjustments to his medication. Daniel Johnston at home in Waller in 2015 (Photo by Todd V. Wolfson) In January, while famous fans like the Flaming Lips and Yo La Tengo were covering his songs at ACL Live at the Moody Theater for the second annual Hi, How Are You Day, Daniel landed in the hospital again. Johnston, who was raised in West Virginia and moved to Austin in the early Eighties, counts 17 full-length albums of original music