Entertainment & Celebrity News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! - Kelly Slater Sparked Jack Johnson's Music Career
Episode Date: March 15, 2026Jack Johnsons music career was ignited by a chance encounter with Kelly Slater, who left a four-track tape recorder at his Hawaii home. This simple act inspired Johnson to write original songs, m...arking a significant shift from his initial focus on covers. Their friendship, which includes jam sessions and collaborations on surf films, is a testament to their shared passion for music and surfing. The new documentary, Surf Il Music, explores Johnsons journey from surfer and filmmaker to Grammy-nominated artist, highlighting the influence of friendships and adventures on his laid-back sound. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:advertise@thednn.ai This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to feedback@thednn.ai. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/897d1328480b5283
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Today is March 15th. Here's what's trending in entertainment. Jack Johnson credits his longtime friend Kelly Slater for kick-starting his music career. The 50-year-old musician revealed in his new documentary, Surf Ill Music, that premiered at South by Southwest on Friday, March 13th, how? Slater left the four-track tape recorder at his house in Hawaii. That simple act, God Johnson, who was just 14 when he picked up the guitar, into songwriting for the first time. Back then, Johnson and Slater,
were learning chords together. Johnson had only been playing covers until Slater showed him it was
possible to write originals. When Slater headed to Florida at Winter's End, he forgot the recorder,
which Johnson called a game changer that sparked his passion. Their bond goes way beyond that
moment. The 54-year-old Slater, considered the greatest pro surfer ever, has jammed with Johnson
at festivals and events, including a recent team-up. With Rob Machado at the Salento Surf Festival
in California last September. They've also collaborated on Johnson's surf films like Thicker Than Water in 2000 and the September sessions in 2002. The film, directed by Emmett Malloy, traces Johnson's shift from surfer and filmmaker to Grammy-nominated artist. It mixes old footage from his archives with fresh interviews from friends and his wife Kim, whom he married in 2000. They have two sons and a daughter. Johnson's latest album, Meet the Moonlight, dropped in 2022.
and this documentary highlights how friendships and adventures shaped his.
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