Well on his way to becoming a professional surfer, Hawaiian
Jack Johnson was sidelined with an injury and began writing and playing songs to pass the time. That hobby would turn into a career as Jack Johnson learned to infuse rock with the same carefree aloha spirit he had adopted to ride the waves. Jack Hody Johnson was born in 1975, near Haleiwa, on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii. His big musical break came when he was ready to go surfing with buddy G.Love who was also a musician and had a band called Special Sauce. They heard Johnson’s “
Rodeo Clowns” and releas
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ed it on their 1999 album, Philadelphonic. With his unique blend of lazy blues and soft rock stylings, Johnson soon made other record industry contacts and it wasn’t long before his first LP, Brushfire Fairytales, came out in the winter of 2001 with such singular Jack Johnson songs as “Flake” and “Bubble Toes.”Successive albums were equally as popular with 2006’s Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies for the Film Curious George peaking at number 1 in the United States,
Canada and Australia.
Besides being a successful singer, Johnson has also made waves as a filmmaker. In 2000, Johnson directed a surf film entitled Thicker than Water with a friend from his film school days. The film features breaks from Indonesia, Tahiti, India, Ireland, France, OZ, and Hawaii, and Jack provides various rhythms for the soundtrack, with some appearances being performed by G. Love & Special Sauce. In 2004, Johnson co-founded the Kokua Hawaii Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports environmental education in the schools and communities of Hawaii. The Kokua Festival is the Kokua Hawaii Foundation's annual benefit event that brings together environmental organizations, eco-friendly businesses, musicians, artists, teachers, and community leaders to promote environmental awareness in Hawaii. As he matures, Johnson is likely to continue to master music, as well as excel in extra-curricular activities.