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Clan Johnstone is extremely talented and have enjoyed great success across a wide range of fields. We’ve had a great time getting to know just a few of their most famous members better, and we can’t wait to introduce you to them!
Meet the Famous Johnstones
Daniel Johnston
Clan Johnstone seem to be particularly blessed with musical prowess, with many members having made an outstanding impact on the music scene. One that especially stands out is Daniel Johnston, a favourite of the legendary Kurt Cobain!
Johnston was born in California in 1961 but grew up in West Virginia. He began recording music in the late 1970s using a cheap boombox, singing and playing the piano and organ. His unusual, expressive voice combined perfectly with the stark instrumentals, and he quickly developed a unique and impressive style.
In the 1980s, Johnston moved to Austin, Texas, a hub of cultural activity, and started to find inventive ways to distribute his music. He made cassette tapes of his debut album, "Songs of Pain", and passed them out to friends, strangers, and customers at the McDonalds where he worked. Through doing this, he developed a strong local fanbase, and his live performances became keenly anticipated and drew in massive crowds.
In 1985, MTV filmed a show focusing on Austin’s music scene which featured Johnston heavily. This helped him gain fans across the country, as well as winning him even more critical acclaim. Numerous record stores began to sell his self-released cassettes, and he started to attract attention from industry professionals.
In the early 1990s, major labels began to compete to sign Johnston. He decided to take an offer with Atlantic and released the album, "Fun", with them in 1994.
Around this time, interest in Johnston was further stoked by Kurt Cobain frequently wearing a t-shirt featuring one of his album covers, and proclaiming that Johnston’s work, "Yip/Jump Music", was one of his favourite albums.
The 2000s only saw Johnston’s star grow. In 2004, he released a 2-disc compilation called "The Late Great Daniel Johnston: Discovered Covered". The first disc was comprised of covers of his songs by other artists including Beck, Eels, Bright Eyes, and The Flaming Lips, while the second featured his own original recordings. The album really exemplified how admired Johnston was not only by fans, but within the music industry.
His life was also the subject of much fascination. So much so that in 2006, Jeff Feuerzeif, released a documentary about Johnston’s work and mental health struggles called "The Devil and Daniel Johnston". The film won great critical acclaim and received the Director’s Award at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.
Over the new few years, Johnston toured extensively across the world, as well as exploring his other creative talents, exhibiting artwork in many places, including London and New York.
In 2017, he announced that we would soon retire from performing live and would be embarking on one last tour to say goodbye to his fans. At each stop of this tour, he was supported by an artist who had been influenced by his work, again highlighting the great impact he’d had on the musical world.
Johnston sadly passed away on the 11th of September 2019, but his work continues to bring joy and comfort to countless fans, as well as inspiration to numerous new musical talents.
Joe Johnston
Our next famous Johnstone for today made his name in the movie business and played a key role in some beloved films!
Joe Johnston was born on the 13th of May 1950 in Austin, Texas, but found himself drawn to the bright lights of California, where he began his sparkling career. While he was in college, an advert looking for a storyboard artist caught his eye. He applied and got the job, which turned out to be a position at George Lucas’s Lucasfilm Ltd. He went on to say that working here was the best education in film he could have hoped for.
He worked as a concept artist and effects technician on the first Star Wars film, as the creative designer of the Millennium Falcon spacecraft, and the co-creator of the design of Boba Fett in "The Empire Strikes Back". He was also the art director for one of the effects teams on the sequel, "Return of the Jedi".
Despite his many successes, Johnston was starting to get restless. In 1984, he went to George Lucas and told him that he intended to leave the company in order to travel for a year. Lucas was not keen to accept Johnston’s resignation, so made him an alternative offer. He told Johnston that he would put in a good word for him at his alma mater, the University of Southern California’s Film School, pay for his tuition, and keep him on at half salary. Johnston accepted this generous offer, and it seemed to pay off, as he expanded his career into directing not long after!
He made his directorial debut in 1989, releasing the hit comedy "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids", which soon became a cult classic. A few years later, he directed "Jumanji", starring Robin Williams, which audiences loved – exemplified by the fact that it grossed at over $260 million!
In 1999, he changed direction from effects-heavy action films to the more artistic "October Sky", starring Jake Gyllenhaal as a teenager with dreams of becoming a rocket scientist for NASA.
In the 2000s, Johnston continued to see great success, releasing the sequel, "Jurassic Park III", and making over $300 million at the box office. He also went on to win the highly sought after director role of Marvel’s "Captain America: The First Avenger".
It’s amazing to see how many classic films Clan Johnstone have had a hand in! Let us know if we’ve reminded you of one of your old favourites!
Julie Ertz, née Johnstone
Now we’ve covered music and film, we’d like to visit the world of sports for our final famous face of today.
Julie Ertz, née Johnstone, is a prominent American soccer player who has had an outstanding impact on both international and club play.
Johnstone was born on the 6th of April 1992 and showed a great talent for football from early childhood. She went on to study at Santa Clara University, where she played as a midfielder for the Broncos Women’s soccer team and was a standout performer.
After graduating, she started her professional career playing for the Chicago Red Stars in the National Women’s Soccer League in 2014. She became admired as a strong and versatile player, able to excel both in midfield and defence. She helped the team to achieve many wins.
Johnstone also played as a crucial member of the US Women’s National Team, debuting in 2013. She accompanied them to numerous high stakes competitions, including the 2015 and 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, and the 2016 Rio Olympics. She proved herself to be essential to the team on many occasions, including during the 2015 final against France where she scored her first international goal, helping the United States to win 2-0.
She has gained many accolades, including U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year in 2017 and 2019, and U.S. Soccer Young Female Athlete of the Year in 2012, and has enjoyed a longstanding career. She celebrated her 100th match with the United States team in March 2020, winning 2-0 against England at the SheBelieves cup competition.
She retired in September of 2023, citing her desire to focus on parenting her children as the reason. She is quoted as saying ‘I’m proud of my growth and I’m grateful that soccer allowed that. But I’m really excited for my next chapter and I’m grateful to have found something I love even more – and that’s being a mum.’
She made an emotional speech at her last game, encouraging her young followers, announcing ‘to any young girl out there who dreams to be here, it’s worth it. Every part of it.’
Julie clearly inherited the Johnstone strength, determination, and power!
We hope you have enjoyed meeting a few of the most talented members of the Johnstone clan. We have been deeply impressed by the impact the clan has made, and their many great achievements.
If you would like to learn more about Clan Johnstone, be sure to head over to our Clan Johnstone page, and keep an eye out for the rest of our content this month.
Images Sources:
Daniel Johnston and British Sea Power by Paul Hudson from United Kingdom - Daniel Johnston and British Sea Power, CC BY 2.0
Joe Johnston at the 2010 San Deigo Comic-Con International. by rwoan - https://www.flickr.com/photos/rwoan/4854788093/in/set-72157624516152411/, CC BY-SA 2.0
Christine Sinclair and Julie Ertz playing in a friendly at Avaya Stadium, San Jose, California, 12 Nov 2017. by Noah Salzman - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0
