He was the gentle voice of the US Country. Accessible, catchy, charismatic – but also politically committed. He should be surprised that his biggest hit “Country Roads” has long since become a beer tent stamping from the calm country ballad over the nature of his homeland.
But his other pieces, especially “Leaving on a jet plan”, have long since become classics. It is a tragic turn that he, of all people, who once sang from the fact that he would fly away, later died in a plane crash. We devote ourselves to John Denver’s life and death.
John Denver: childhood and beginnings
John Denver was born on December 31, 1943 as Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. in Roswell, New Mexico. He was the first child of Erma Louise Deutschendorf (born Swope) and Henry John Deutschendorf Sr., a pilot and later lieutenant Colonel of the US Air Force. Due to his father’s profession, the family often moved. The family lived in Arizona, Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas, they also lived in Japan for a while.
Denver himself described his childhood as difficult, so his father was not particularly loving. Due to the many moving, Denver also had difficulty establishing social contacts. Denver found a little more stability from 1951: the family bought a house in Tucson, Arizona, since the father was stationed there. The desert city was the place where John lived with his family from the sixth to the age of four.
It is thanks to his grandmother’s that John Denver (more about his stage name was a little later). It was she who gave the young John an old guitar – a Gibson. John began to teach himself the instrument. His musical socialization took place both in church choirs and later in rock bands.
John Denver: Studies and Clubgigs
At first he had actually planned to become an architect. He enrolled at the University of Lubbock in Texas, and also began to play local appearances at the same time. He got a taste – so much that he broke off his studies to devote himself to music. For this he also needed a day job to stay afloat. So he earned his living as a technical draftsman, and he performed in clubs on his free evenings.
It was also at the time when Henry John Deutschendorf changed his name: from then on he called John Denver. Denver played Clubgig to Clubgig. At that time, Randy Sparks became aware of Denver. Sparks is an American singer-songwriter who was an important figure in the US folk scene in the 1960s and founded The New Christy Minstrels. He was a successful musician, but also a networker and sponsor of young talents – as well as founders of the Ledbetter’s Club in Los Angeles, where young talents such as Denver performed. He joined the Chad Mitchell Trio, where he prevailed against 250 competitors. When the band leader Mitchell left the band, the group was baptized to Denver, Boise and Johnson.
When a place was released in the renowned Chad Mitchell Trio, Denver applied together with around 250 other candidates. He prevailed in the selection process and was finally involved. Shortly thereafter, Chad Mitchell himself left the group, whereupon the trio re -formed and from then on under the name Denver, Boise and Johnson – named after the last name of the three members. Denver was not only part of a well-known folk group, but also prominently represented for the first time.
John Denver: Start of his solo career
The group separated in 1969, whereupon Denver moved to Aspen with his wife Ann Marie Martell. In the same year, Denver signed at RCA Records – this was thanks to his manager Jerry Weinkraub. In 1969, Denvers SolodeBüt “Rhymes and Reasons” was published. It was included here. The song did not hit big waves at first. In the same year, however, Peter, Paul & Mary, published a version of the play that became a hit. A first success as a songwriter for Denver, but as a solo artist it wasn’t so round.
Denvers debut was not a success – and the following long players “Take Me To Tomorrow” (1970) and “Whose Garden What This?” (1970) were not big hits. That should change in 1971 – Denver published the single “Take Me Home, Country Roads” and celebrated a big charter sequence in many countries. Gold for the single, platinum for the album: Denvers career plan opened.
Career highlight
Denver followed up with the album “Poems, Prayers & Promises” (1971) and became a star. From there it ran like lubricated. “Rocky Mountain High” (1972) was appointed Hymn Colorados, and later even declared an official state song. In 1974 he published his big ballad with “Annie’s Song”, with which he reached the top of the US charts. Further hits followed, such as “Sunshine on My Shoulders” (1973), “Back Home Again” (1974) or “Thanks God I’m a Country Boy”-a huge success in the live version.
Denver was a star that could be reached. He was certainly not a representative of the Outlaw Country, on the contrary. Denver had a clean man image: the friendly, always smiling singer with the round nickel glasses and youth-free songs. He was politically committed and spoke out for nature conservation and pacifism. In 1974 he was given his own TV show: “The John Denver Show” ran on the US broadcaster ABC.
When it went downhill
Denvers career high lasted. The music landscape changed towards the end of the 1970s. Punk and disco came up, synthpop ruled the hit parade-and Denver somehow seemed out of time with his Saubermann Country. The record sales grew lower, his audience smaller. In 1982 the marriage broke up to Annie. Denver increasingly devoted himself to political and environmental activism, but continued to make music.
John Denver: Marriage and Children
John Denver was once married: in 1967 he married Annie Martell. With her he adopted two children: Zachary John Denver and Anna Kate Denver. The marriage lasted until 1982.
John Denver: his death
On October 12, 1997, John Denver died in tragic way: he crashed with a self -made aircraft in the California Monterey Bay. Denver was an experienced pilot – but one without a valid license. This had been withdrawn due to medical requirements that were related to his previous alcohol consumption.
Denver had struggled with alcohol problems in the past and had been arrested twice for driving under the influence of alcohol. According to the investigation report, a combination of a construction error on the tank selection switch of the aircraft and an operating error was to blame for the crash. Denver was alone on board – and sober at the time of his death.