Jack Johnson Using Solar Energy to Record New Album

Jack Johnson has returned to his eco-friendly studio, the Mango Tree, and expects to release a new record the first week of June. For his sixth studio album, Johnson is relying on the sunshine, recording on 100 percent solar energy in his native Hawaii.

Unless the heavens decide to wreak havoc on Oahu, Johnson and his band -- Adam Topol, Merlo Podlewski and Zach Gill -- will have the follow-up to 2008's 'Sleep Through the Static' ready by the June 16 kickoff date to their summer world tour. With the band hard at work since mid-January, the first single from the untitled effort, which will drop on Johnson's own Brushfire Records, is expected to surface in April.

While Johnson's month-long world tour doesn't include any North American stops, his annual Earth Day weekend Kokua Festival will take place April 23-24 in Honolulu. Ziggly Marley, Taj Mahal and local Hawaiian acts Jake Shimabukuro and Anuhea round out the festival bill. All proceeds go toward the Kokua Hawaii Foundation, a non-profit started by Johnson and his wife that promotes environmental education.