John Denver: Poet and Singer
One of the biggest selling recording artists of the1970s
The life and accomplishments of one of the world's most beloved folk singers.
Famous American Singers
Born in Roswell, New Mexico, on December 31, 1943, Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. was the son of an Air Force officer and flight instructor. While he was growing up, his family moved around the American South and Southwest and the boy who would become known as John Denver had family difficulties, most notably with his father. He was raised a Christian, although he shared many beliefs with Zen Budhism
. Receiving a 1910 Gibson acoustic guitar from his grandmother as a teenager, by the time he was in college John Denver had polished his skills sufficiently to perform at local clubs. Adopting the surname "Denver" after his favorite city, he dropped out of Texas Tech University in 1964 and moved to Los Angeles. There John Denver sang in smoky folk clubs and in 1965 he joined the Chad Mitchell Trio
A Solo Singing Career
John Denver released his first album, Rhymes and Reasons, in 1969. Although it was not that successful, one of the songs, "Leaving In A Jet Plane" became a number one hit for Peter, Paul and Mary. John Denver's breakthrough to fame came with the release of his third album, Poems, Prayers and Promises, which contained the hit, "Take Me Home, Country Roads." His career skyrocketed with one hit after another over the course of the next few years. John Denver became one of the biggest selling recording artists of the 1970s, and in his lifetime he recorded more than 300 songs.
His Music, Later Life and Death
John Denver's lyrics spoke of a deep and abiding kinship with nature and the environment. So many of his songs expressed his love of the great outdoors, a western life style and the planet earth that he was named Poet Laureate of his home state of Colorado in 1977. In 1974, "Sunshine on My Shoulder" and "Annie's Song" reached number one status. John Denver's popularity waned during the 1980s although he continued to record with some success. He then turned his attention to many conservation projects and helped to establish the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. In 1996, he was inducted into the "Songwriters Hall of Fame."
John Denver died on October 12, 1997, when an aircraft he was piloting ran out of fuel off the California coast. He remains one of the world's best-known and best-loved performers. His musical legacy is immortal and he leaves a son, a daughter and many, many adoring fans.
