A Tribute to Daniel Johnston—Buckingham Nicks Reimagined Takes The Stage At The Paramount

The Details:

• On Saturday, January 25th at 8 pm: Austin’s historic Paramount Theater will host the annual “Hi, How Are You Concert,” a belated birthday bash honoring music icon Daniel Johnston and raising mental health awareness (tickets, doors @ 7pm).
• IYKYN. Daniel’s birthday, January 22nd, is officially Hi, How Are You? Day in Austin.

Daniel Johnston’s Legacy:

In 2019, when Daniel Johnston died, obituaries poured out from new outlets across the world—Austin Chronicle, Pitchfork, New York Times, Rolling Stone, The Atlantic, Irish Times, and BBC—for “one of the greatest songwriting geniuses of our time.”

And yet, despite his enormous musical legacy, his friends and family hope that the biggest legacy Johnston leaves behind will be to “remove the stigma around mental health, and to encourage open conversations about well-being.”

It all starts with: “Hi, How Are You?” As the Austin Chronicle wrote last year, the “Hi, How Are You” mural, depicting art from Johnston’s album by the same name, “has become an indelible part of the Austin landscape: as emblematic of the city as the UT Tower [and] Barton Springs.”

The mural illustrates Johnston’s original artwork, which graces the cover of his 1983 album by the same name. Today, though, Hi, How Are You?, is an invitation, an expression of empathy, a desire to connect over mental health struggles instead of stigmatizing them. Johnston, who had both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, knew that the meaningful connections these simple words invite can mean the difference between life and death.

The Performance:

• Buckingham Nicks: Two years before Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joined iconic rock band Fleetwood Mac in 1975, elevating the band to stratospheric heights, the duo released a largely unknown, still extremely hard to locate album, dubbed “Buckingham Nicks.”
  
  As Jim Shahen writes for No Depression, “primarily having to do with the tumultuous relationship between Buckingham and Nicks, Buckingham Nicks doesn’t exist in the digital media age. There has never been a CD release; it’s not available on streaming platforms. To find the 10 songs that make up the record, you’d have to track down an original or bootlegged copy on vinyl or listen to an iffy rip on YouTube.”
  
  Andrew Bird and Madison Cunningham, both singer-songwriters with a near-cult following themselves, decided to remake the album. Bird recently told Pitchfork that when he heard the album, he knew he had found an “iconic, if underrated gem ... a super ambitious, great record.” Cunningham agrees, telling Variety that as she “dug into the songs, [and] started going through personal stuff,  I started to really see myself in some of these stories and words that these songs have … I feel it so deeply.”

• Cunningham Bird. Eventually, Andrew and Madison decided to remake the album. As Madison told Pitchfork…

“Excited by its scarcity on streaming platforms, we decided to take it on from front to back, in our own way. It was unsurprising to me how it ended up becoming one of the most creatively satisfying record-making experiences I’ve had, but the unforeseen bonus was how relevant some of those lyrics would be to my own life in the time of making it. It became a lifeline for me, and I hope we’ve done it justice.”

• Rave Reviews:
  
  • Salon: “Leave it to Andrew Bird and Madison Cunningham to breathe new life into the long-forgotten album … Bird and Cunningham celebrate the original album’s emotional highs and lows in fine style. At the same time, they imprint the songs with their particular indie sound. The result makes for an irresistible combination of old and new.”
  
  
  • Los Angeles Daily News: “The original record delivered a dozen diverse songs, most of which stand the test of time. In the hands of Cunningham and Bird, it’s even more beautiful.” Indeed, “from the moment Andrew Bird and Madison Cunningham started to sing and play at the Troubadour”…

“The audience listened in rapt attention.The audience inside the sold-out Troubadour hardly moved as the album flowed from song to song.

When Cunningham and the others paused for a few seconds of silence near the end of ‘Crystal,’ a fan broke the silence, shouting, ‘Oh my God!’ at the beauty of the music.’

Cunningham smiled slightly before she started to sing again, playing uncommon patterns on her guitar, and with Bird whistling melody lines, they finished the song to cheers and applause.”

Video From The Troubadour Show: Cunningham And Bird Perform, “Crystal”:

Social Stimulus Connected With Tom Gimbel, Co-Founder Of The ‘Hi, How Are You’ Project.

The non-profit project is dedicated to honoring Johnston’s legacy by raising mental health awareness, especially among young adults. Notably, until recently, Gimbel also served as the long-time general manager of Austin City Limits.

Gimbel On Why Cunningham And Bird Honor Johnston’s Legacy:

• “Both Andrew Bird and Madison Cunningham were chosen to honor Daniel’s profound influence on music and mental health advocacy, [because] each performer shares a deep connection to Daniel’s artistry—whether through his raw, emotional honesty or his impact on their creative journey.”
  
  Gimbel also told us that, while never a requirement, “usually ‘Hi, How Are You Day’ performing artists will share their own experiences with mental health, making the event not only a tribute but a platform for advocacy and understanding.”

Gimbel On The Power Of ‘Hi, How Are You?’

• “These four simple words hold extraordinary power because they open the door to connection and vulnerability. Often, the hardest part of mental health struggles is just starting the conversation.
  
  We’ve seen their impact firsthand in Austin through Hi, How Are You Project community events where individuals have shared how being asked—and truly listened to—has helped them find support and healing.
  
  One local example is our collaboration with the College Student Housing Mental Wellness Coalition where students have expressed that these "hi, how are you?" conversations have given them the courage to seek help.”

Gimbel On Other Austin Events Celebrating ‘Hi, How Are You’ Day

• “On January 22nd coffee shops across Austin are joining the celebration with unique offerings that spotlight the Hi, How Are You Project’s mission of mental health awareness.”
  
  Participating locations will feature specially designed coffee sleeves with the ‘Hi, How Are You?’ logo. Visitors can also purchase Hi, How Are You Project merchandise, including apparel and art-inspired items, with proceeds supporting the organization.
  
  To set the tone, each shop will play a curated Hi, How Are You Day playlist, blending Daniel Johnston’s timeless music with tracks from artists inspired by his legacy.
  
  This initiative brings the community together in everyday spaces, reminding Austinites of the importance of connection and conversation.”

Here’s Where To Get Your Coffee TODAY:

• Brew and Brew
• Cuvee Coffee Bar (inside The Natiivo)
• Cabana Club
• Cenote
• Cherrywood Coffee House
• Cosmic Coffee | Saltillo
• Radio Coffee: South | East
• Houndstooth: Downtown | N Lamar | MLK | Rock Rose | Laurel
• Intelligentsia

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