I Wish I Was 18 Again Ray Price Movie With John Denver

American vocalizer, songwriter, and activist (1943–1997)

John Denver
Denver in 1974
Born	Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. (1943-12-31)December 31, 1943 Roswell, New Mexico, U.South.
Died	October 12, 1997(1997-10-12) (aged 53) Monterey Bay nearly Pacific Grove, California, U.Southward.
Crusade of expiry	Aeroplane crash
Resting place	Ashes scattered in the Colorado Rocky Mountains
Occupation	Singer-songwriter actor record producer activist humanitarian
Years active	1962–1997
Spouse(southward)	Annie Martell ​ ​ (k. 1967; div. 1982)​ Cassandra Delaney ​ ​ (1000. 1988; div. 1993)​
Children	3
Musical career
Genres	Folk folk rock popular Western country soft stone[one] [2]
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Labels	Mercury Reprise RCA Records Windstar Sony Wonder
Website	johndenver.com
Musical creative person

Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. (December 31, 1943 – Oct 12, 1997),^[3] known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer-songwriter, histrion, activist, and humanitarian whose greatest commercial success was equally a solo singer. Afterward traveling and living in numerous locations while growing up in his military family, Denver began his music career with folk music groups during the late 1960s.^[iv] Starting in the 1970s, he was one of the most popular acoustic artists of the decade and one of its best-selling artists.^[5] Past 1974, he was one of America's acknowledged performers; AllMusic has called Denver "amongst the most love entertainers of his era".^[half-dozen]

Denver recorded and released approximately 300 songs, about 200 of which he composed. He had 33 albums and singles that were certified Gold and Platinum in the U.South past the RIAA,^[seven] with estimated sales of more than than 33 meg units.^[8] He recorded and performed primarily with an acoustic guitar and sang virtually his joy in nature, disdain for city life, enthusiasm for music, and relationship trials. Denver'south music appeared on a diversity of charts, including country music, the Billboard Hot 100, and adult contemporary, earning 12 gold and four platinum albums with his signature songs "Have Me Home, Country Roads", "Poems, Prayers & Promises", "Annie'southward Song", "Rocky Mount High", "Calypso", "Thank God I'm a Country Boy", and "Sunshine on My Shoulders".

Denver appeared in several films and television specials during the 1970s and 1980s, including the 1977 hit Oh, God!, in which he starred aslope George Burns. He continued to record into the 1990s, also focusing on environmental issues as well as lending vocal support to space exploration and testifying in front of Congress to protestation censorship in music. He lived in Aspen for much of his life, and he was known for his love of Colorado. In 1974, Denver was named poet laureate of the state. The Colorado country legislature also adopted "Rocky Mountain High" every bit one of its two state songs in 2007, and W Virginia did the same for "Take Me Habitation, Country Roads" in 2014.

An avid pilot, Denver died at historic period 53 in a unmarried-fatality crash while piloting a recently purchased calorie-free plane.

Early on life [edit]

Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. was built-in on December 31, 1943, in Roswell, New Mexico, to Helm Henry John "Dutch" Deutschendorf Sr. (1920–1982),^[9] a United States Regular army Air Forces pilot stationed at Roswell Army Air Field, and his wife, Erma Louise (née Swope; 1922–2010).

In his 1994 autobiography, Take Me Home, Denver described his life as the eldest son of a family unit shaped by a stern begetter who could not show his love for his children. Because Denver's father was in the military and his family moved often, it was difficult for him to make friends and fit in with other children of his own age. Constantly existence the new kid was troubling for the introverted Denver, and he grew up e'er feeling as though he should exist somewhere else, merely never knowing where that 'right' place was.^[x] While the family was stationed at Davis–Monthan Air Strength Base of operations in Tucson, Arizona, Denver was a fellow member of the Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus for two years. He was content in Tucson, but his father was then transferred to Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama, where Denver disliked the racism of his segregated school.^[11] The family later moved to Carswell Air Strength Base in Fort Worth, Texas, where Denver graduated from Arlington Heights High School. Fort Worth was a distressing experience for Denver, and in his 3rd year of high school, he drove his begetter'due south automobile to California to visit family unit friends and begin his music career. His male parent flew to California in a friend'south jet to recall him, and Denver reluctantly returned to consummate his schooling.^[12]

Career [edit]

Early career [edit]

At age eleven, Denver received an audio-visual guitar from his grandmother.^[13] He learned to play well enough to perform at local clubs past the fourth dimension he was in college. He decided to change his name when Randy Sparks, founder of the New Christy Minstrels, suggested that 'Deutschendorf' would not fit comfortably on a marquee.^[14] Denver attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock and sang in a folk-music grouping, "The Alpine Trio", while studying architecture.^{[15] [sixteen] [17]} He was also a fellow member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. Denver dropped out of Texas Tech in 1963^[13] and moved to Los Angeles, where he sang in folk clubs. In 1965, he joined The Chad Mitchell Trio, replacing founder Chad Mitchell. After more personnel changes, the trio afterward became known every bit "Denver, Boise, and Johnson" (John Denver, David Boise, and Michael Johnson).^[13]

In 1969, Denver abandoned ring life to pursue a solo career and released his first album for RCA Records, Rhymes & Reasons. 2 years earlier, he had fabricated a self-produced demo recording of some of the songs he played at his concerts. It included a vocal he had written called "Babe, I Hate to Get", later renamed "Leaving on a Jet Plane". Denver made several copies and gave them out equally presents for Christmas.^[18] Producer Milt Okun, who produced records for The Republic of chad Mitchell Trio and the high-profile folk group Peter, Paul and Mary, had become Denver's producer as well. Okun brought the unreleased "Jet Aeroplane" song to Peter, Paul and Mary. Their version of the song hit number i on the Billboard Hot 100.^[xix] Denver'south vocal also fabricated it to No. two in the United kingdom in Feb 1970, having besides made No. one on the US Cash Box chart in December 1969.

RCA did not actively promote Rhymes & Reasons with a tour, but Denver embarked on an impromptu supporting bout throughout the Midwest, stopping at towns and cities, offering to play complimentary concerts at local venues. When he was successful in persuading a schoolhouse, college, American Legion hall, or coffeehouse to let him play, he distributed posters in the town and usually showed up at the local radio station, guitar in hand, offering himself for an interview.^[20] With his foot in the door as writer of "Leaving on a Jet Plane", he was oft successful in gaining some promotional airtime, normally featuring i or two songs performed live. Some venues allow him play for the 'door'; others restricted him to selling copies of the album at break and later on the show. After several months of this abiding depression-key touring schedule, he had as well built a sizable and solid fan base of operations, many of whom remained loyal throughout his career.^[xiii]

Denver recorded two more albums in 1970, Take Me to Tomorrow and Whose Garden Was This, including a mix of songs he had written and cover versions of other artists' compositions.

Career peak [edit]

Denver's side by side album, Poems, Prayers & Promises (1971), was a breakthrough for him in the United States, thanks in part to the single "Take Me Domicile, Country Roads", which went to No. 2 on the Billboard charts despite the first pressings of the rail existence distorted. Its success was due in role to the efforts of his new director, future Hollywood producer Jerry Weintraub, who signed Denver in 1970. Weintraub insisted on a reissue of the track and began a radio airplay campaign that started in Denver, Colorado. Denver's career flourished thereafter, and he had a series of hits over the side by side four years. In 1972, he scored his kickoff Top Ten anthology with Rocky Mountain High, with its title rails reaching the Top Ten in 1973.^[21] In 1974 and 1975, Denver experienced an impressive nautical chart authority, with a string of 4 No. ane songs ("Sunshine on My Shoulders", "Annie'south Song", "Thank God I'yard a Country Male child", and "I'thousand Sorry") and three No. 1 albums (John Denver's Greatest Hits, Back Dwelling house Once again, and Windsong).^[22]

In the 1970s, Denver's onstage advent included long blond hair and wire-rimmed "granny" spectacles. His embroidered shirts emblazoned with images commonly associated with the American West were created by the designer and appliqué creative person Anna Zapp. Weintraub insisted on a meaning number of goggle box appearances, including a series of one-half-hour shows in the Uk, despite Denver's protests at the time, "I've had no success in Britain ... I mean none".^[23] In Dec 1976, Weintraub told Maureen Orth of Newsweek: "I knew the critics would never go for John. I had to get him to the people."

Afterwards appearing equally a invitee on many shows, Denver hosted his own variety and music specials, including several concerts from Red Rocks Amphitheatre. His seasonal special, Rocky Mountain Christmas, was watched by more than than 60 million people and was the highest-rated show for the ABC network at that time.^[24]

Denver's live concert television set special An Evening With John Denver (1975)

His alive concert special, An Evening with John Denver, won the 1974–1975 Emmy Award for Outstanding Special, Comedy-Diversity or Music.^[25] When Denver ended his business concern relationship in 1982 because of Weintraub'southward focus on other projects,^[26] Weintraub threw Denver out of his office and accused him of Nazism. Denver afterward told Arthur Tobier, when the latter transcribed his autobiography,^[27] "I'd bend my principles to support something he wanted of me. And of grade, every fourth dimension y'all bend your principles — whether considering y'all don't want to worry about it, or because you lot're agape to stand up for fear of what you might lose — you sell your soul to the devil".^[28]

Denver was likewise a guest star on The Muppet Bear witness, the beginning of the lifelong friendship between Denver and Jim Henson that spawned ii television specials with the Muppets, A Christmas Together and Rocky Mountain Vacation. He likewise tried acting, appearing in "The Colorado Cattle Caper" episode of the McCloud boob tube movie in February 1974. He starred in the 1977 moving-picture show Oh, God! opposite George Burns. Denver hosted the Grammy Awards five times in the 1970s and 1980s, and guest-hosted The This evening Bear witness on multiple occasions. In 1975, he was awarded the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year honor. At the ceremony, the outgoing Entertainer of the Year, Charlie Rich, presented the honor to his successor after he fix burn to the envelope containing the official notification of the award.^[29] Some speculated Rich was protesting the selection of a non-traditional land creative person for the award, but Rich's son disputes that, saying his male parent was drunk, taking hurting medication for a broken human foot, and just trying to be funny. Denver'due south music was defended by country vocaliser Kathy Mattea, who told Alanna Nash of Entertainment Weekly: "A lot of people write him off as lightweight, but he articulated a kind of optimism, and he brought acoustic music to the forefront, bridging folk, popular, and country in a fresh way ... People forget how huge he was worldwide."

In 1977, Denver co-founded The Hunger Projection with Werner Erhard and Robert Due west. Fuller. He served for many years and supported the organization until his death. President Jimmy Carter appointed Denver to serve on the President'due south Committee on Earth Hunger. Denver wrote the vocal "I Desire to Alive" as the commission's theme song. In 1979, Denver performed "Rhymes & Reasons" at the Music for UNICEF Concert. Royalties from the concert performances were donated to UNICEF.^[30] His father taught him to wing in the mid-1970s, which led to their reconciliation.^[fifteen] In 1980, Denver and his father, past and then a lieutenant colonel, co-hosted an accolade-winning television special, The Higher We Fly: The History of Flight.^[31] Information technology won the Osborn Award from the Aviation/Space Writers' Association, and was honored by the Houston Film Festival.^[31]

Political activism [edit]

In the mid-1970s, Denver became outspoken in politics. He expressed his ecologic interests in the epic 1975 vocal "Calypso", an ode to the eponymous exploration ship RVCalypso used by Jacques Cousteau. In 1976, he campaigned for Carter, who became a close friend and marry. Denver was a supporter of the Democratic Political party and of a number of charitable causes for the environmental motility, the homeless, the poor, the hungry, and the African AIDS crisis. He founded the charitable Windstar Foundation in 1976 to promote sustainable living. His dismay at the Chernobyl disaster led to precedent-setting concerts in parts of communist Asia and Europe.^[15]

During the 1980s, Denver was disquisitional of the Reagan assistants and remained active in his campaign against hunger, for which Reagan awarded Denver the Presidential Earth Without Hunger Honour in 1987.^[15] Denver's criticism of the conservative politics of the 1980s was expressed in his autobiographical folk-rock ballad "Let Us Begin (What Are Nosotros Making Weapons For?)". In an open letter of the alphabet to the media, he wrote that he opposed oil drilling in the Chill National Wildlife Refuge. Denver had battled to aggrandize the refuge in the 1980s, and he praised President Bill Clinton for his opposition to the proposed drilling. The letter, which he wrote in the midst of the 1996 United states presidential ballot, was one of the last he ever wrote.^[15] Denver was also on the National Space Society'southward board of governors for many years.

Later years and humanitarian work [edit]

Denver had a few more U.s. Height xxx hits as the 1970s concluded, but nothing to lucifer his earlier success. He began to focus more than on humanitarian and sustainability causes, focusing extensively on nature conservation projects. He made public expression of his acquaintances and friendships with ecological design researchers such as Richard Buckminster Fuller (about whom he wrote and equanimous "What 1 Homo Tin Practice") and Amory Lovins, from whom he said he learned much. He besides founded the environmental group Plant-It 2020 (originally Plant-It 2000). Denver had a keen interest in solutions to earth hunger. He visited Africa during the 1980s to witness firsthand the suffering caused by starvation and work with African leaders toward solutions.

From 1973 to at least 1979, Denver annually performed at the yearly fundraising picnic for the Aspen Camp School for the Deaf, raising half of the camp's almanac operating budget.^[32] During the Aspen Valley Hospital's $1.seven million capital campaign in 1979, Denver was the largest single donor.^[32]

In 1983 and 1984, Denver hosted the annual Grammy Awards. In the 1983 finale, Denver was joined on phase past folk music legend Joan Baez, with whom he led an all-star version of "Blowin' in the Wind" and "Let the Sunshine In", joined past such diverse musical icons as Jennifer Warnes, Donna Summertime, and Rick James.

In 1984, ABC Sports president Roone Arledge asked Denver to compose and sing the theme song for the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. Denver worked as both a performer and a skiing commentator, as skiing was another of his enthusiasms. He composed "The Gold and Across", and sang it for the Olympic Games athletes, as well as local venues including many schools.^[31]

In 1985, Denver asked to participate in the singing of "We Are the Earth", only was turned down. According to Ken Kragen (who helped to produce the song), Denver was turned downwards because many people felt his image would hurt the credibility of the song as a pop-stone anthem. "I didn't concur with this cess", Kragen said, but he reluctantly turned Denver down anyway.^[33]

For Earth Day 1990, Denver was the on-photographic camera narrator of a well-received environmental television set program, In Partnership With Earth, with then-EPA Ambassador William K. Reilly.

Due to his love of flying, he was attracted to NASA and became dedicated to America'south work in outer infinite. He conscientiously worked to assistance bring into being the "Citizens in Infinite" program. In 1985 Denver received the NASA Exceptional Public Service Medal for "helping to increment sensation of space exploration by the peoples of the globe", an award usually restricted to spaceflight engineers and designers. Also in 1985, he passed NASA's rigorous physical examination and was in line for a space flight, a finalist for the first citizen'south trip on the Infinite Shuttle in 1986. Afterwards the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster with teacher Christa McAuliffe aboard, Denver defended his song "Flight for Me" to all astronauts, and continued to back up NASA.^[31] He entered discussions with the Soviet space program about purchasing a flight aboard one of their rockets. The talks fell through after the cost tag was rumored to be as high as $20 one thousand thousand.^[34]

Denver testified before the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee on the topic of censorship during a Parents Music Resources Center hearing in 1985.^[35] Contrary to his innocuous public image every bit a musician, Denver openly stood with more controversial witnesses similar Dee Snider (of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister) and Frank Zappa in opposing the PMRC's objectives. For instance, Denver described how he was censored for "Rocky Mountain Loftier", which was misconstrued as a drug song.^[36]

Denver too toured Russia in 1985. His eleven concerts in the USSR were the showtime by any American artist in more than 10 years.^[37] He returned two years later to perform at a benefit concert for the victims of the Chernobyl disaster.

In October 1992, Denver undertook a multiple-city tour of the People's Republic of Red china. He too released a greatest-hits CD, Homegrown, to heighten money for homeless charities. In 1994, he published his autobiography, Take Me Home, in which he candidly spoke of his cannabis, LSD, and cocaine use, marital infidelities, and history of domestic violence.^{[38] [39]} In 1996, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

In 1997, Denver filmed an episode for the idiot box series Nature, centering on the natural wonders that inspired many of his all-time-loved songs. His last song, "Yellowstone, Coming Abode", composed while rafting along the Colorado River with his son and immature daughter, is included.^[40] In the summertime of 1997, before long before his death, Denver recorded a children'due south train album for Sony Wonder, All Aboard!, produced by longtime friend Roger Nichols.^[41] The album consisted of sometime-fashioned swing, big band, folk, bluegrass, and gospel music woven into a theme of railroad songs. It won a posthumous Best Musical Album For Children Grammy, Denver'southward only Grammy.^[42] His concluding concert was held in Corpus Christi, Texas, at the Selena Auditorium on Oct v.

Personal life [edit]

Denver'south start marriage was to Annie Martell of St. Peter, Minnesota.^[43] She was the subject of his hit "Annie's Song", which he composed in only ten minutes as he sat on a Colorado ski lift.^{[15] [44]} They lived in Edina, Minnesota, from 1968 to 1971.^[45] After the success of "Rocky Mount Loftier", inspired by a camping trip with Annie and some friends, Denver bought a residence in Aspen, Colorado. He lived in Aspen continuously until his death.^[46] The Denvers adopted a boy, Zachary John, and a girl, Anna Kate, who, Denver said, were "meant to be" theirs.^[31] Denver one time said, "I'll tell you lot the best thing well-nigh me. I'grand some guy'due south dad; I'm some little gal'southward dad. When I die, Zachary John and Anna Kate'southward father, boy, that'due south enough for me to be remembered by. That's more enough".^[47] Zachary was the subject of "A Babe Just Like You", a song that included the line "Merry Christmas, lilliputian Zachary" and which he wrote for Frank Sinatra. Denver and Martell divorced in 1982. In a 1983 interview shown in the documentary John Denver: Country Boy (2013), Denver said that career demands drove them apart; Martell said they were too immature and immature to deal with Denver'southward sudden success. Following the belongings settlement, Denver nearly choked Martell. He cut their marital bed in half with a chainsaw.^{[38] [39] [48]}

Denver married Australian extra Cassandra Delaney^[49] in 1988 afterward a two-year courtship. Settling at Denver's home in Aspen, the couple had a daughter, Jesse Belle. Denver and Delaney separated in 1991 and divorced in 1993.^[15] Of his second marriage, Denver said that "before our short-lived marriage ended in divorce, she managed to brand a fool of me from one finish of the valley to the other".^[39]

In 1993, Denver pleaded guilty to a drunken driving accuse and was placed on probation.^[48] In August 1994, while all the same on probation, he was again charged with misdemeanor driving under the influence after crashing his Porsche into a tree in Aspen.^[48] Though a July 1997 trial resulted in a hung jury on the 2d DUI charge, prosecutors later decided to reopen the case, which was closed only subsequently Denver's accidental death in Oct 1997.^{[48] [50]} In 1996, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) determined that Denver was medically disqualified from operating an aircraft due to his failure to abstain from alcohol; in October 1995, following Denver's drunk-driving conviction, the FAA had directed Denver to abjure from alcohol if he wished to continue flight airplanes.^{[51] [52]}

Beyond music, Denver's artistic interests included painting, simply because of his limiting schedule he pursued photography, maxim once, "photography is a style to communicate a feeling". An exhibition of over 40 never-before-seen photographs taken past Denver debuted at the Leon Gallery in Denver, Colorado, in 2014.^[53]

Denver was also an avid skier and golfer, but his principal interest was in flying. His love of flying was second only to his love of music.^[50] In 1974, he bought a Learjet to fly himself to concerts. He was a collector of vintage biplanes and endemic a Christen Eagle aerobatic aeroplane, 2 Cessna 210 Centurion airplanes, and in 1997 an apprentice-built Rutan Long-EZ.^{[31] [52] [50]}

On April 21, 1989, Denver was in a aeroplane accident while taxiing down the runway at Holbrook Municipal Airport in his vintage 1931 biplane. Denver had stopped to refuel on a flight from Carefree, Arizona, to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Reports stated air current gusts caught the aeroplane, causing it to spin effectually and sustain extensive impairment. Denver was unharmed by the incident.^{[54] [55]}

Death [edit]

Denver died on the afternoon of October 12, 1997, when his light homebuilt shipping, a Rutan Long-EZ with registration number N555JD, crashed into Monterey Bay near Pacific Grove, California, while making a serial of touch-and-become landings at the nearby Monterey Peninsula Airport.^[51] He was the aeroplane's only occupant.^{[56] [57]} The official cause of death was multiple blunt force trauma resulting from the crash.

Denver was a pilot with over ii,700 hours of experience. He had pilot ratings for single-engine country and sea, multi-engine land, glider and instrument. He besides held a type rating in his Learjet. He had recently purchased the Long-EZ aircraft, made past someone else from a kit,^[58] and had taken a half-hour checkout flight with the shipping the solar day before his accident.^{[59] [60]}

Denver was not legally permitted to fly at the time of the crash. In previous years, he had several arrests for boozer driving.^[61] In 1996, nearly a twelvemonth before the accident, the FAA learned that Denver had failed to maintain sobriety past non refraining entirely from alcohol and revoked his medical certification.^{[51] [52]} The accident was not influenced by alcohol utilise; an autopsy found no sign of alcohol or other drugs in Denver's body.^[51]

Post-accident investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) showed that the leading accident source was Denver's inability to switch fuel tanks during flight. The quantity of fuel had been depleted during the aeroplane'south flight to Monterey and in several brief exercise takeoffs and landings Denver performed at the airport immediately before the final flight. His newly purchased amateur-built Rutan aircraft had an unusual fuel tank selector valve handle configuration. The handle had originally been intended by the plane'due south designer to be between the airplane pilot's legs. The builder instead put it behind the pilot's left shoulder. The fuel gauge was too placed behind the pilot's seat and was not visible to the person at the controls.^{[51] [52]} An NTSB interview with the aircraft mechanic servicing Denver's aeroplane revealed that he and Denver had discussed the inaccessibility of the cockpit fuel selector valve handle and its resistance to existence turned.^{[51] [52]}

Before the flight, Denver and the mechanic had attempted to extend the reach of the handle using a pair of Vise-Grip pliers, simply this did not solve the problem, and the airplane pilot still could non achieve the handle while strapped into his seat. NTSB officials' postal service-accident investigation showed that because of the fuel selector valves' positioning, switching fuel tanks required the pilot to plow his body xc degrees to reach the valve. This created a natural tendency to extend one's right foot against the right rudder pedal to support oneself while turning in the seat, which acquired the aircraft to yaw (olfactory organ right) and pitch up.^{[51] [52]}

The mechanic said that he told Denver that the fuel sight gauges were visible only to the rear cockpit occupant. Denver had asked how much fuel was shown. He told Denver that there was "less than one-half in the right tank and less than a quarter in the left tank". He and so provided Denver with an inspection mirror so he could look over his shoulder at the fuel gauges. The mirror was subsequently recovered in the wreckage. Denver said that he would apply the autopilot in flying to hold the airplane level while he turned the fuel selector valve. He turned down an offer to refuel, maxim that he would exist flying for near an hour.^{[51] [52]}

The NTSB interviewed 20 witnesses about Denver'south final flight. Six of them had seen the plane crash into the bay most Point Pinos.^{[51] [52]} Iv said the aircraft was originally heading west. Five said that they saw the plane in a steep bank, with four saying that the depository financial institution was to the right (north). Twelve described seeing the aircraft in a steep nose-down descent. Witnesses estimated the plane's distance between 350 and 500 feet (110 and 150 one thousand) when heading toward the shoreline. Viii said they heard a "pop" or "backlash" accompanied by a reduction in the engine dissonance level simply earlier the plane crashed into the bounding main.

In addition to Denver'south failing to refuel and his subsequent loss of control while attempting to switch fuel tanks, the NTSB determined other key factors that led to the blow. Foremost amidst these was his inadequate transition training on this type of shipping and the builder's determination to put the fuel selector handle in a difficult-to-reach place.^{[51] [52]} The board issued recommendations on the requirement and enforcement of mandatory grooming standards for pilots operating dwelling-built aircraft. It besides emphasized the importance of mandatory ease of admission to all controls, including fuel selectors and fuel gauges, in all aircraft.

Legacy [edit]

Upon the announcement of Denver'due south death, Colorado Governor Roy Romer ordered all state flags to be lowered to one-half-staff in his award. Funeral services were held at Faith Presbyterian Church in Aurora, Colorado, on Oct 17, 1997, officiated by Pastor Les Felker, a retired Air Force chaplain, afterward which Denver's remains were cremated and his ashes scattered in the Rocky Mountains. Further tributes were made at the following Grammy and Country Music Association Awards.

In 1998, Denver posthumously received the Lifetime Accomplishment Award from the World Folk Music Association, which also established a new award in his honor.^[62]

In 2000, CBS presented the television picture show Accept Me Dwelling house: The John Denver Story loosely based on his memoirs, starring Republic of chad Lowe equally Denver. The New York Post wrote, "An overachiever like John Denver couldn't have been this ho-hum".^[63]

On September 23, 2007, most ten years after Denver's death, his blood brother Ron witnessed the dedication of a plaque placed near the crash site in Pacific Grove, California.

Copies of DVDs of Denver's many goggle box appearances are now sought-after collectibles, especially his one-hr specials from the 1970s and his 6-role series for Britain'due south BBC, The John Denver Show.^[64] An anthology musical featuring Denver'due south music, Back Dwelling house Once again: A John Denver Holiday, premiered at the Rubicon Theatre Visitor in 2006.^[65]

On March 12, 2007, the Colorado Senate passed a resolution to make Denver's trademark 1972 hitting "Rocky Mountain High" one of the state'south two official state songs, sharing duties with its predecessor, "Where the Columbines Abound".^[66] The resolution passed fifty–11 in the House, defeating an objection by Representative Debbie Stafford that the song reflected drug use, most specifically in the line "friends effectually the campfire and everybody's high". Senator Bob Hagedorn, who sponsored the proposal, defended the vocal as having null to do with drugs, simply rather everything to do with sharing with friends the euphoria of experiencing the beauty of Colorado's mountain vistas. Senator Nancy Todd said, "John Denver to me is an icon of what Colorado is".^[67]

John Denver Memorial rock with the lyrics to "Rocky Mountain Loftier" in Rio Grande Park, Aspen, Colorado^[68]

On September 24, 2007, the California Friends of John Denver and The Windstar Foundation unveiled a statuary plaque nigh the spot where his plane went down. The site had been marked past a driftwood log carved by Jeffrey Pine with Denver's proper name, just fears that the memorial could be washed out to sea sparked the campaign for a more than permanent memorial. Initially, the Pacific Grove Council denied permission for the memorial, fearing the identify would attract ghoulish curiosity from extreme fans. Permission was finally granted in 1999, but the projection was put on concur at the request of Denver'south family. Eventually, over 100 friends and family attended the dedication of the plaque, which features a bas-relief of the singer'due south face up and lines from his song "Windsong": "And so welcome the wind and the wisdom she offers. Follow her summons when she calls over again."^[69]

To mark the 10th anniversary of Denver'due south death, his family released a set of previously unreleased recordings of his 1985 concert performances in the Soviet Union. This two-CD set, John Denver – Live in the USSR, was produced by Roger Nichols and released by AAO Music. These digital recordings were made during 11 concerts and so rediscovered in 2002. Included in this set is a previously unpublished rendition of "Annie's Vocal" in Russian. The drove was released Nov 6, 2007.^[37]

On Oct 13, 2009, a DVD box set of previously unreleased concerts recorded throughout Denver's career was released by Eagle Rock Entertainment. Around the World Live is a five-disc DVD ready featuring three complete alive performances with full ring from Australia in 1977, Nihon in 1981, and England in 1986. These are complemented past a solo audio-visual performance from Japan in 1984 and performances at Subcontract Aid from 1985, 1987, and 1990. The concluding disc has ii hour-long documentaries made by Denver.

On April 21, 2011, Denver became the kickoff inductee into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame. A benefit concert was held at Broomfield's 1stBank Middle and hosted past Olivia Newton-John. Other performers participating in the issue included the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Lee Ann Womack, and John Oates. Both his ex-wives attended, and the award was presented to his three children.

The John Denver Spirit sculpture is a 2002 bronze sculpture statue by creative person Sue DiCicco that was financed by Denver'south fans. It is at the Colorado Music Hall of Fame at Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

On March seven, 2014, the West Virginia Legislature canonical a resolution to make "Have Me Habitation, Country Roads" the official land song of W Virginia. Governor Earl Ray Tomblin signed the resolution into law on March viii.^[70] Denver is just the 2d person, along with Stephen Foster, to take written 2 state songs.

On Oct 24, 2014, Denver was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood, California.^[71]

[edit]

Denver began his recording career with a group that had started as The Chad Mitchell Trio; his distinctive phonation can exist heard where he sings solo on "Violets of Dawn", amongst other songs. He recorded three albums with the Trio, replacing Republic of chad Mitchell as high tenor.^[13] Denver also wrote a number of songs that were covered past the group, such as his hits "For Bobbi", "Leaving on a Jet Plane", as well as "Deal with The Ladies" (later recorded on his 1988 anthology, Higher Basis (John Denver anthology)) and "Stay With Me". The group Denver, Boise, and Johnson, which had evolved from The Republic of chad Mitchell Trio, released a single before he moved on to a solo career. The Trio likewise performed at higher campuses across the United states.^[fourteen]

Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert, billed as Fat City^[72] and credited equally co-writers of Denver's song "Take Me Domicile, Land Roads", were close friends of Denver and his family unit, actualization as singers and songwriters on many of Denver's albums until they formed the Starland Song Band in 1976. The band'due south albums were released on Denver's Windsong Records characterization, later on known every bit Windstar Records.

Denver's solo recording contract resulted in part from the recording by Peter, Paul, and Mary of his vocal "Leaving on a Jet Plane", which became the sole number-1 hit single for the group.^[thirteen] Denver recorded songs past Tom Paxton, Eric Andersen, John Prine, David Mallett, and many others in the folk scene. His record company, Windstar, is still an active record label today.^[73] Land singer John Drupe considers Denver the greatest influence on his own music and has recorded Denver'due south striking "Annie's Song" with the original system.

Olivia Newton-John, an Australian singer whose all-embracing appeal to popular, middle-of-the-road, and country audiences in the mid-1970s was similar to Denver's, lent her distinctive backup vocals to Denver's 1975 single "Wing Away"; she performed the vocal with Denver on his 1975 Rocky Mountain Christmas special. She too covered his "Take Me Abode, Land Roads", and had a striking in the U.k. (#15 in 1973) and Japan (#half-dozen in a belated 1976 release) with it.^[74] In 1976, Denver and Newton-John appeared as guest stars on The Carpenters' Very First Television Special, a one-60 minutes special broadcast on the ABC television network.^[75]

Awards and recognition [edit]

Academy of Country Music

• 1974 Anthology of the Twelvemonth for Back Home Again

American Music Awards

• 1975 Favorite Pop/Rock Male Creative person
• 1976 Favorite Country Album for Back Home Again
• 1976 Favorite Country Male Artist

Land Music Association

• 1975 Entertainer of the Yr
• 1975 Vocal of the Year for "Back Dwelling Again"

Emmy Awards

• 1975 Emmy for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special for An Evening With John Denver ^[31]

Grammy Awards

• 1997 Best Musical Album For Children for All Aboard!
• 1998 Grammy Hall of Fame Award for "Take Me Abode, Country Roads"

Songwriters Hall of Fame

• Inducted in 1996

Other recognition [edit]

• Poet laureate of Colorado, 1977^[31]
• People'due south Pick Awards, 1977^[31]
• Ten Outstanding Young Americans, 1979^[31]
• Freedoms Foundation Honor, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, 1980^[76]
• Carl Sandburg's People'south Poet Award, 1982^[77]
• NASA Exceptional Public Service Medal, 1985^[78]
• Albert Schweitzer Music Accolade, 1993^[79]

Discography [edit]

Studio albums

Filmography [edit]

Acting credits

• Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law: The Camerons Are A Special Clan (1973, as Clark)
• McCloud: The Colorado Cattle Caper (1974, equally Deputy Dewey Cobb)
• Oh, God! (1977, as Jerry Landers)
• Fire and Water ice (1986, as Narrator)
• The Disney Sunday Picture show: The Leftovers (1986, as Max Sinclair)
• The Christmas Gift (1986, as George Billings)
• Foxfire (1987, as Dillard Nations)
• Higher Ground (1988, as Jim Clayton)
• Walking Thunder (1997, every bit John McKay)

Selected writings [edit]

• The Children and the Flowers (1979) ISBN 0-914676-28-viii
• Alfie the Christmas Tree (1990) ISBN 0-945051-25-5
• Accept Me Habitation: An Autobiography (1994) ISBN 0-517-59537-0
• Poems, Prayers and Promises: The Art and Soul of John Denver (2004) ISBN 1-57560-617-8

References [edit]

1. ^ Sterling, Christopher H.; O'Dell, Cary (April 12, 2010). The Curtailed Encyclopedia of American Radio. Routledge. ISBN9781135176846 – via Google Books.
2. ^ "The Music of John Denver". AllMusic.
3. ^ Leigh, Spencer (October fourteen, 1997). "Obituary: John Denver". The Independent . Retrieved June 20, 2020.
4. ^ "John Denver Biography – life, family unit, children, name, decease, wife, young, son, built-in". Notablebiographies.com. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
5. ^ Maphis, Susan. "10 Best Selling Artists of the 1970s". mademan.com. Archived from the original on May 21, 2012. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
6. ^ Ankeny, Jason. "John Denver Biography". AllMusic . Retrieved June four, 2014.
7. ^ "John Denver". RIAA.
8. ^ "John Denver, A Rocky Mountain High Concert". The Florida Theatre. November 19, 2013. Archived from the original on June xix, 2018. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
9. ^ "Ancestry of John Denver compiled by William Addams Reitwiesner". Wargs.Com. Retrieved May 9, 2011.
10. ^ "John Denver". The Daily Telegraph. London. Oct 14, 1997. Archived from the original on July 6, 2010.
11. ^ Collis, John (2011). John Denver: Mother Nature's Son. Random House. p. 12. ISBN9781780573304.
12. ^ "John Denver". 2002. Archived from the original on July viii, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2011 – via Notice Articles.
13. ^ ^{a b c d due east f} "Biography". johndenver.com. Retrieved Baronial 17, 2010.
14. ^ ^{a b} "The New Christy Minstrels". Thenewchristyminstrels.com. Retrieved August 17, 2010.
15. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} "John Denver Biography". Notablebiographies.com. Retrieved August 17, 2010.
16. ^ University, Texas Tech (1962). "La Ventana, vol. 037". hdl:2346/48702.
17. ^ Academy, Texas Tech (1964). "La Ventana, vol. 039". hdl:2346/48704.
18. ^ Current Events Archived December 5, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
19. ^ Ruhlman, William (Apr 12, 1996). "Beginnings". Goldmine Magazine . Retrieved Jan 24, 2010.
20. ^ "Denver, John". New Mexico Music Commission. Retrieved July eight, 2019.
21. ^ "Tiptop 100 Music Hits, Elevation 100 Music Charts, Elevation 100 Songs & The Hot 100". Billboard. September 12, 2008. Retrieved Baronial 17, 2010.
22. ^ "Artist Biography – John Denver". Countrypolitan.com. Oct 12, 1997. Archived from the original on February 21, 2001. Retrieved May 9, 2011.
23. ^ John Denver: Rocky Mount Wonderboy, James M. Martin, Pinnacle Books 1977
24. ^ "Rocky Mountain Christmas (1975)". IMDb . Retrieved July 8, 2019.
25. ^ "1974–75 Emmy Awards". Infoplease.com. Retrieved Baronial 17, 2010.
26. ^ "Producer Jerry Weintraub reflects on his career". Reuters. November ane, 2011. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
27. ^ John, Denver; Arthur, Tobier (Oct eleven, 1994). Have Me Dwelling house: An Autobiography (2d ed.). Rocky Mount Merchandise, LLC. ISBN0517595370.
28. ^ Take Me Home: An Autobiography, John Denver and Arthur Tobier, Harmony Books, 1994.
29. ^ "The Greatest : Features". Country Music Television. April 3, 1992. Archived from the original on March 20, 2012. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
30. ^ thepiperchile. "ABBA on TV – Music for UNICEF – A Gift of Song Concert". Abbaontv.com. Archived from the original on July seven, 2011. Retrieved May ix, 2011.
31. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j} "Biography – The Earth Family of John Denver". June 28, 2006. Archived from the original on June 28, 2006. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
32. ^ ^{a b} Isenberg, Barbara (Baronial xx, 1979). "Aspen Takes a Mellow Opinion Towards John Denver's Gas Tank". The Tape. Los Angeles Times News Service. Retrieved Dec xviii, 2018.
33. ^ "Harry Chapin". Harrychapin.com. Retrieved May 9, 2011.
34. ^ Mullane, R. (2006). Riding rockets: the outrageous tales of a space shuttle astronaut. New York: Scribner. ISBN0-7432-7682-5. OCLC 62118471.
35. ^ Deflem, Mathieu (2020). "Popular Culture and Social Control: The Moral Panic on Music Labeling". American Journal of Criminal Justice. 45(1):2-24: 2–24. doi:10.1007/s12103-019-09495-three. S2CID 198196942.
36. ^ Denver, John. "John Denver: Senate Statement on Rock Lyrics & Tape Labeling". American Rhetoric . Retrieved January 26, 2019.
37. ^ ^{a b} "Windstar Foundation announcement". Wstar.Com. September 11, 2007. Archived from the original on June 15, 2011. Retrieved May 9, 2011.
38. ^ ^{a b} "Piece Of Life: Denver Tells Of Chainsaws, Choke Holds". The Orlando Lookout. Nov 6, 1994. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
39. ^ ^{a b c} Denver, John, Take Me Domicile: An Autobiography, Crown Archetype Press, ISBN 978-0-517-59537-4 (1994)
40. ^ "John Denver – Let this be a voice". Pbs.org Nature. Retrieved May 9, 2011.
41. ^ "Roger Nichols". The Daily Telegraph. London. June xvi, 2011. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022.
42. ^ "John Denver". Stone on the Net. Retrieved May 9, 2011.
43. ^ Martin, Frank W. (February 26, 1979). "John Denver'south Unsung Story". People . Retrieved Baronial fifteen, 2018.
44. ^ Pareles, Jon (October xiv, 1997). "John Denver, 53, Who Sang of Natural Love and Love of Nature, Dies in a Plane Crash". The New York Times. section B. p. eleven. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
45. ^ John Denver in Minnesota Twin Cities Music Highlights
46. ^ "John Denver". Midtod.com. October 5, 1997. Retrieved Baronial 25, 2015.
47. ^ Martin, Frank W. "John Denver'due south Unsung Story", People, February 26, 1979.
48. ^ ^{a b c d} Story, Rob. "Dropping In: John Denver's Moral Victory". Ski Magazine. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved February 16, 2012.
49. ^ "Cassandra Delaney Biography". IMDb . Retrieved July 8, 2014.
50. ^ ^{a b c} Castro, Peter (October 27, 1997). "Peaks & Valleys". People . Retrieved August xiv, 2019. {{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-condition (link)
51. ^ ^{a b c d e f grand h i j} "Close-up: The John Denver Crash" Archived February 11, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, AVWeb. Retrieved February 16, 2012
52. ^ ^{a b c d e f m h i} National Transportation Safety Board, "NTSB Public Meeting of January 26, 1999: Aircraft Accident involving John Denver in Flight Standoff with Terrain/Water October 12, 1997, Pacific Ocean near Pacific Grove, CA, LAX-98-FA008", Washington, D.C., January 26, 1999
53. ^ "Sweet, Sweetness Life: The Photographic Works of John Denver". johndenver.com. Dec 18, 2013.
54. ^ "Nation: John Denver Survives Air Crash". Los Angeles Times. April 21, 1989. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
55. ^ "John Denver's Plane Crashes in California". The Washington Postal service . Retrieved July 20, 2021. {{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
56. ^ Kligman, David (October xiii, 1997). "John Denver dies in crash // Vocalizer's experimental plane falls into body of water". Chicago Lord's day-Times. Archived from the original on June 10, 2014. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
57. ^ "Archive : Vault : Death Certificates: John Denver". Rockmine. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
58. ^ "John Denver Plane Crash Inquiry Ends". Los Angeles Times. Associated Printing. June 23, 1998.
59. ^ "Denver'southward Long-EZ". Check-half dozen.com. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
60. ^ "NTSB Determines John Denver'southward Crash Caused by Poor Placement of Fuel Selector Handle Diverting His Attention During Flight" (Press release). National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Archived from the original on July 24, 2012. Retrieved December vii, 2009.
61. ^ Coile, Zachary; Gurnon, Emily; Hatfield, Larry D. (October 13, 1997). "John Denver dies in crash". San Francisco Chronicle . Retrieved September 26, 2016.
62. ^ Noble, Richard E. (2009). Number #ane : the story of the original Highwaymen. Denver: Outskirts Printing. pp. 265–267. ISBN9781432738099. OCLC 426388468.
63. ^ Buckman, Adam. "Home Moving picture Disses Denver", New York Post, April 29, 2000.
64. ^ "The John Denver Evidence". IMDb . Retrieved July eight, 2019.
65. ^ "John Denver and Friends Rocky Mountain High". Shellworld.net. April 17, 2009. Retrieved May ix, 2011.
66. ^ "Colorado State Song Rocky Mountain High composed past John Denver". Netstate.com. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
67. ^ Denver Post, March 13, 2007
68. ^ "John Denver Sanctuary, Aspen, Colorado". Aspenportrait.com. October 12, 1997. Retrieved May 9, 2011.
69. ^ "John Denver Memorial Plaque Pacific Grove". Johndenverclub.org. Retrieved May ix, 2011.
70. ^ ""Land Roads" To Become Fourth Official Due west Virginia State Song". Eyewitness News. Archived from the original on March eight, 2014. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
71. ^ Baskin, Gregory (October 16, 2014). "John Denver To Become Posthumous Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame [Video]". Guardian Liberty Voice. Retrieved October 18, 2014.
72. ^ Flippo, Chet (May 8, 1975). "John Denver: His Rocky Mount Highness". Rolling Stone . Retrieved February half dozen, 2018.
73. ^ John Denver, The Windstar Greatest Hits , retrieved July 8, 2018 ; the record was published in December 2017, suggesting the characterization is still active, only it appears to be mostly reissuing John Denver'south music
74. ^ "Accept Me Abode, State Roads – John Denver". Last.fm . Retrieved July 8, 2019.
75. ^ "Carpenters Very First Tv Special (1976)". IMDb. December 8, 1976. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
76. ^ Forth with U.S. Senator Jake Garn, U.S. Administrator Shirley Temple Black, thespian James Stewart, and Tom Abraham, a businessman from Canadian, Texas, who worked with immigrants seeking to become U.S. citizens. Cited in "Tom Abraham to be honored by Freedoms Foundation Feb. 22", Canadian Record, Feb fourteen, 1980, p. 19
77. ^ "Awards". johndenver.com . Retrieved July viii, 2019.
78. ^ Kroll, David (December 31, 2010). "John Denver, friend of science, born today in 1943 | Take As Directed". Take As Directed. PLOS. Archived from the original on June 17, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
79. ^ "WHEN Information technology WAS OVER, OVER THERE". The Washington Post. May 28, 1995. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved April 29, 2019.

Sources [edit]

• Flippo, Chet (1998) "John Denver", The Encyclopedia of State Music, Paul Kingsbury, editor, New York: Oxford University Press. p. 143.
• Martin, James 1000. (1977) John Denver: Rocky Mountain Wonderboy, Acme Books. (out of print) Biography of Denver with insight into Denver's impact of the 1970s music industry.
• Orth, Maureen, "Vocalization of America", Newsweek, December 1976. Includes information on the role of Weintraub in shaping Denver's career, which has since been edited out of subsequently versions of his biography.

External links [edit]

• Official website
• FBI Records: The Vault — John Denver
• John Denver at IMDb
• Appearances on C-Span

garretsonpuppere.blogspot.com

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Denver

Share this post