Singer/songwriter Jack Johnson joined KROQ's Klein.Ally.Show ahead of this month's BeachLife Ranch Festival, sharing his thoughts on the packed lineup, and how he's planning on helping victims and families of the devastating Maui fire.
LISTEN NOW: Jack Johnson talks with the Klein.Ally.Show.
Just weeks after the world witnessed the devastating fires that engulfed the Maui city of Lahaina, Hawaii-born singer Jack Johnson tells Klein and Ally that although he's on a neighboring island, it's "hard to put into words, it's so sad... My heart goes out to everybody, we're doing what we can as a community to try to rally behind that area."
"It's a long healing process and a long rebuilding process but it's a strong community so we're hoping for the best for them," Jack adds. One way he decided to help was to donate a portion of his ticket sales to the upcoming BeachLife Ranch festival in Redondo Beach, CA that he's set to headline on night one over the weekend of September 22-24.
"I really do prefer playing outside," Jack admits, discussing his upcoming set and his songwriting process in general. "A lot of these songs were written outside," Johnson explains. "I tend to write a lot when I'm on a camping trip... just sitting on my front porch. It's where I go to for solitude. I do have several songs that are about sitting under the stars or the moonlight... When you play those songs, and you're together with friends and you're outside, it does mean a little more for me," he says.
Jack is also excited to see some of his fellow artists and old friends over the upcoming BeachLife Ranch weekend, with the hopes of hooking up backstage for a few jam sessions as well. He's not promising any of those collaborations will make it to the main stage -- but you never know who could come wandering out of the smoke and sunshine. "I love when I see a lineup where it's a bunch of friends that I get to play music with, and this is gonna be one of those for sure."
Jack also gave Klein and Ally a look into a more aggressive side of him that listeners certainly would miss -- unless they were going up against him in a heated game of pickleball, that is. "All my best friends kind of laughed as they started seeing these things coming out about the mellow guy," he laughs, "because I'm actually pretty competitive when it comes to a lot of things. Bocce ball, croquet, or pickleball nowadays. I'm not very good at any of those, but it's like, I wanna win... I'm the hothead of the group."
Listen to Klein and Ally's full interview with Jack Johnson above, and stay tuned for more conversations with your favorite artists right here on Audacy.
Jack Johnson has also just announced Songs For Maui, a live benefit album featuring Hawaii’s own Paula Fuga and John Cruz. which will be digitally available on September 15, featuring 10-tracks recorded live on location at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center’s Castle Theater during Johnson’s special 2012 Hawaiian Islands tour.
“All our love is going to our friends and family on Maui right now, he says. "While listening to the songs we thought back to the time we spent that spring, both on stage but also bonding with our Maui ‘ohana. We know it will be a long road ahead. We hope the positive energy from this show can carry on to help raise funds and support families in need. Aloha, Jack”
Also, on September 18, Johnson and his band will perform an intimate benefit concert at The Republik in Honolulu, along with special guests Paula Fuga and John Cruz, with all proceeds from the Songs For Maui album and The Republik show benefiting fire relief efforts and to help provide ongoing support for Maui. Tickets for this very special benefit concert will go on sale Friday, September 8 at 10AM HST HERE.