Jack Johnson

Jack Johnson creates cosy melodies from a place where challenges are best confronted with the grace of a surfer approaching a wave, and where a fresh batch of banana pancakes can save a rainy day. Born on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, in 1975, Johnson spent his childhood with either a surfboard or guitar in hand while soaking up the sounds of Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan and hardcore punk—whose DIY ideals would later influence him to found both a record label (Brushfire Records) and environmental and educational charities like the Kokua Hawaii Foundation. After heading to Santa Barbara to study film, Johnson began playing house parties with his band Soil. But it was his soundtrack work for his own 2000 surf documentary, Thicker Than Water, that attracted the attention of Ben Harper and his producer J.P. Plunier, who helped bring Johnson’s 2001 debut album, Brushfire Fairytales, to life. Its breezy grooves and hushed intimacy established Johnson’s soft signature style, a sound that he—and soon a whole legion of fans—would continue to embrace, especially after the 2005 release of the multiplatinum In Between Dreams. Still, even through all that sun and sugar, the singer/songwriter remains a grounded artist, skillfully (and naturally) transitioning into the politically charged folk of 2017’s All the Life Above It Too, as he reflects on the rich complexities of life with a lullaby croon and an acoustic (and occasionally electric) guitar. His graciousness makes him a consummate collaborator; he’s sought after not just for his talent but for his ease, and his musical associates include good friends like Harper, Damian Marley, and Eddie Vedder.