“I was never trying to write a
hit. I was just trying to write good songs and get a message out,
and it was my great good fortune to be popular.” – John Denver
Born in Roswell, NM on this date in 1943, Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr., best known by his recording name John Denver, wrote more than 200 songs and recorded more than 300 in his relatively short lifetime, becoming one of the world’s most popular folk/country/soft rock singers and performers. Among his hits were the song known as Colorado’s “unofficial” anthem, Rocky Mountain High, and West Virginia's "unofficial" anthem Country Roads, making him the only American singer/songwriter to hold such a distinction.
A great storyteller, he wrote about his love for and activism on behalf of nature as well as beautiful tales about people and relationships. Among
them are the very moving Poems, Prayers and Promises, often sung at
funerals; the beautiful Annie’s Song, sung at countless weddings;
and one of his signature songs – a call out to the hopes of Spring – Sunshine
on My Shoulders.
The son of a career
military man, Denver moved often in his childhood and wished for a life of "growing up on a farm or ranch and living off the land." His joyous Thank
God I’m A Country Boy spoke to any kid who was raised in those environs. In his lifetime, which ended in a tragic plane crash in
1997, Denver’s songs sold a remarkable 33 million copies and continue to be
re-recorded and listened to by new generations.
"Music does bring people
together,” Denver said. “It allows us to
experience the same emotions. People everywhere are the same in heart and
spirit. No matter what language we speak, what color we are, the form of our
politics or the expression of our love and our faith, music proves: We are the
same."
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