John Denver
Henry John Deutchendorf
BORN: December 31, 1943, Roswell, NM
DIED: October 12, 1997
One of the most popular recording artists of the 1970s, country-folk singer/songwriter
John Denver's gentle, environmentally conscious music established him among
the most beloved entertainers of his era; wholesome and clean-cut, his appeal
extended to fans of all ages and backgrounds, and led to parallel careers
as both an actor and a humanitarian. Born John Henry Deutschendorf in Roswell,
New Mexico on December 31, 1943, he was raised in an Air Force family, and
grew up in various regions of the southwestern U.S. As a teen, his grandmother
presented him with a 1910 Gibson acoustic guitar, and while attending Texas
Tech University he began performing local clubs. Adopting the stage surname
"Denver" in tribute to the Rocky Mountain area he so cherished, he dropped
out of college in 1964 to relocate to Los Angeles; there he joined the Chad
Mitchell Trio, a major draw on the hootenanny circuit of the early '60s but
in the twilight of their career at the time of Denver's arrival. Over time,
however, Denver helped resuscitate the group on the strength of his songwriting
skills; signed to Mercury, the Trio recorded a number of tracks, which the
label repackaged in 1974 as Beginnings with the Chad Mitchell Trio.
Upon the departure of the last remaining founding member, the Chad Mitchell
Trio became known as Denver, Boise and Johnson; the new group proved short-lived,
however, when Denver exited in 1969 to pursue a solo career. That same year
he recorded his debut LP, Rhymes and Reasons; while not a hit, it contained
one of his best-loved compositions, "Leaving On a Jet Plane," an international
chart-topper for Peter, Paul & Mary. Still, neither of Denver's follow-up
albums, 1970's Whose Garden Was This and Take Me to Tomorrow, launched him
as a solo performer; finally, with 1971's Poems, Prayers and Promises, he
achieved superstardom, thanks to the million-selling hits "Take Me Home, Country
Roads" and "Sunshine On My Shoulders." In the years to follow, Denver also
scored with "Annie's Song" (penned for his wife) and "Back Home Again," and
by 1974 was firmly established as America's best-selling performer; albums
like 1975's An Evening With John Denver and Windsong were phenomenally popular,
and he continued to top the singles charts with efforts including "Thank God
I'm a Country Boy" and "I'm Sorry." Additionally, his 1974 best-of collection
sold over ten million copies worldwide, and remained on the charts for over
two years.
At the peak of his success, Denver was everywhere -- the governor of Colorado
proclaimed him the state's poet laureate, his label Windsong was responsible
for hits like the Starland Vocal Band's mammoth "Afternoon Delight," and he
appeared in a number of ratings-grabbing television specials. In 1977, he
even moved into film, co-starring with George Burns in the comedy hit Oh,
God! During this time, however, he dramatically curtailed his recording output,
and after 1977's I Want to Live issued no new material until 1980's Autograph.
The following year, he performed with opera star Placido Domingo, but as
the decade progressed, Denver's popularity waned as he turned his focus more
towards humanitarian work, focusing primarily on ecological concerns and
space exploration; he also toured Communist-led Russia and China, and in
1987 performed in Chernobyl in the wake of that city's nuclear disaster. While
maintaining a solid cult following, by the 1990s Denver had largely fallen
off the radar, and he made more news for a 1993 drunk-driving arrest than
he did for records like 1991's Different Directions. In 1994, he published
an autobiography, Take Me Home. Tragedy struck on October 12, 1997 when his
experimental aircraft suddenly crashed, killing him instantly. Denver was
53. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
Blessed with a soaring tenor and a knack for writing upbeat songs promoting
nature, love, the simple life and American values, John Denver was among the
top mainstream country/pop of the early to mid '70s. At the peak of his popularity,
Denver made a bid at becoming an actor playing an average Joe who finds himself
face to face with God (as played by George Burns) in Oh God! (1977). Though
consistently upstaged by the deadpan, cigar-chomping Burns, Denver held his
own and showed a knack for acting. But despite the promise of this film,
Denver did not act again until 1986 when he played a supporting role in Michael
Pressman's made-for-TV holiday movie, The Christmas Gift (1986). Denver had
a starring role opposite Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn in Foxfire (1987);
he made his final film appearance as an actor the following year in Higher
Ground (1988). When not performing, Denver worked with charitable organizations,
including the fight against world hunger --he was appointed to the Presidential
Commission on World Hunger by President Ronald Reagan. Denver was worked
with pro-ecology, and wilderness protection. His hobbies included space exploration
-- Denver was awarded a NASA commendation for his contributions, photography
and aviation. He was a skilled pilot and often flew from his Colorado home
to Northern California to visit his daughter. On Oct 12, 1997, Denver was
killed when the ultra-light plane he was flying over Monterrey Bay crashed
into the sea. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide