Jack Johnson

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• Genre: Adult Alternative
• Hometown: Haleiwa
• Jack Johnson Website

About

Like G. Love, Jack Johnson plays groovy acoustic funk. The difference is that where G. Love relies on hip-hop, Johnson's points of reference are a bit more eclectic, incorporating lite jazz and classic singer-songwriter motifs (including interesting vocal experiments a la Joni Mitchell and Tim Buckley). It's all held together by earthy rock backing, and topped off with a voice that at times sounds enough like Mose Alison to convince listeners that maybe Johnson really has the goods. Before embarking on a musical career, Johnson was a successful professional surfer. His popularity simmered through his first few albums, but with 2005's In Between Dreams Johnson's stock exploded, crossing over from the jam rock crowd he had been the darling of and into the mainstream pop market. The record yielded hits in "Sitting, Waiting, Wishing" and "Better Together." Johnson's comfortable voice and sweet melodies naturally translated to children's songs with his 2006 release Sing-a-Longs & Lullabies For The Film Curious George.

- Mike McGuirk