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74-507: Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. (December 31, 1943 – October 12, 1997), known professionally as John Denver , was an American singer and songwriter. He was one of the most popular acoustic artists of the 1970s and one of the best selling artists in that decade. AllMusic has called Denver "among the most beloved entertainers of his era". Denver recorded and released approximately 300 songs, about 200 of which he wrote himself. He had 33 albums and singles that were certified Gold and Platinum in

148-459: A Christen Eagle aerobatic plane, two Cessna 210 Centurion airplanes, and a 1997 amateur-built Rutan Long-EZ . On April 21, 1989, Denver was in a plane 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 wind gusts caught the plane, causing it to spin around and sustain extensive damage. Denver

222-751: A United States Army Air Forces pilot stationed at Roswell Army Air Field . Captain Deutschendorf Sr. was a decorated pilot who set a number of air speed records in a Convair B-58 Hustler in 1961. In his 1994 autobiography Take Me Home , Denver described his father as a stern man who could not show his love for his children. With a military father, Denver's family moved often, and he found difficulty gaining friends and assimilating with children of his own age. The introverted Denver often felt misplaced and did not know where he truly belonged. While stationed at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona ,

296-467: A "pop" or "backfire" accompanied by a reduction in the engine noise level just before the plane crashed into the sea. In addition to Denver's 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 crash. Foremost among these was his inadequate transition training on this type of aircraft and the builder's decision to put

370-566: 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 alongside 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 protest censorship in music. Known for his love of Colorado, Denver lived in Aspen for much of his life. In 1974, Denver

444-604: A Jet Plane ". He made several copies and gave them out as presents for Christmas. Milt Okun , who produced records for The Chad Mitchell Trio and folk group Peter, Paul and Mary , had become Denver's producer as well. Okun brought the unreleased "Jet Plane" song to Peter, Paul and Mary. Their rendition hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Denver's song also made it to No. 2 in the UK in February 1970, having also made No. 1 on

518-474: A bench that was funded by donations as a tribute to his memory for that year's Earth Day. The bench sits on the South Lookout of the sanctuary. AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG ) is an American online music database . It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands . Initiated in 1991,

592-471: A database engineer, Vladimir Bogdanov , to design the All Music Guide framework, and recruited his nephew, writer Stephen Thomas Erlewine , to develop editorial content. In 1993, Chris Woodstra joined the staff as an engineer. A "record geek" who had written for alternative weeklies and fanzines, his main qualification was an "encyclopedic knowledge of music". 1,400 subgenres of music were created,

666-471: A feature that became central to the site's utility. In a 2016 article in Tedium , Ernie Smith wrote: "AllMusic may have been one of the most ambitious sites of the early-internet era—and it's one that is fundamental to our understanding of pop culture. Because, the thing is, it doesn't just track reviews or albums. It tracks styles, genres, and subgenres, along with the tone of the music and the platforms on which

740-468: A fool of me from one end of the valley to the other". In 1993, Denver pleaded guilty to a drunken driving charge and was placed on probation. In August 1994, while still on probation, he was again charged with misdemeanor driving under the influence after crashing his Porsche into a tree in Aspen. Though a July 1997 trial resulted in a hung jury on the second DUI charge, prosecutors later decided to reopen

814-550: A multiple-city tour of the People's Republic of China. He also released a greatest-hits CD, Homegrown , to raise 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. In 1996, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame . In 1997, Denver filmed an episode for

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888-462: A pop-rock anthem. "I didn't agree with this assessment," Kragen said, but he reluctantly turned Denver down anyway. Denver later wrote in his 1994 autobiography "Take Me Home" about the rejection, "It broke my heart not to be included." For Earth Day 1990, Denver was the on-camera narrator of a well-received environmental television program, In Partnership With Earth, with then- EPA Administrator William K. Reilly . Due to his love of flying, Denver

962-1044: A retired Air Force chaplain, after 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 Achievement Award from the World Folk Music Association , which also established a new award in his honor. In 2000, CBS presented the television film Take Me Home: The John Denver Story loosely based on his memoirs, starring Chad Lowe as Denver. The New York Post wrote, "An overachiever like John Denver couldn't have been this boring". That same year on April 22, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Kempton, Pennsylvania dedicated

1036-604: A series of publications about various music genres. It was followed by the Required Listening series, and Annual guides. Vladimir Bogdanov is the president and the main editor of the series. In August 2007, PC Magazine included AllMusic in its "Top 100 Classic Websites" list. Randy Sparks Sparks was born on July 29, 1933 in Leavenworth, Kansas and grew up in Oakland, California . He attended

1110-480: A solid fan base, many of whom remained loyal throughout his career. 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 covers. Denver's next album, Poems, Prayers & Promises (1971), was a breakthrough for him in the United States, thanks in part to the single " Take Me Home, Country Roads ", which went to No. 2 on

1184-646: A theme of railroad songs. It won a posthumous Best Musical Album for Children Grammy , Denver's only Grammy. His final concert was held in Corpus Christi, Texas, at the Selena Auditorium on October 5. Denver's first marriage, in 1967, was to Annie Martell of St. Peter, Minnesota . She was the subject of his song " Annie's Song ", which he composed in 10 minutes as he sat on a Colorado ski lift . They lived in Edina, Minnesota , from 1968 to 1971. After

1258-428: A weekly music and variety show directed and produced by Stanley Dorfman . Denver's live concert special, An Evening with John Denver , won the 1974–1975 Emmy Award for Outstanding Special, Comedy-Variety or Music. When Denver ended his business relationship in 1982 because of Weintraub's focus on other projects, Weintraub threw Denver out of his office and accused him of Nazism . Denver later told Arthur Tobier, when

1332-539: Is a way to communicate a feeling." An exhibition of over 40 never-before-seen photographs taken by Denver debuted at the Leon Gallery in Denver , Colorado, in 2014. Denver was also an avid skier and golfer, but his principal interest was in flying. Denver's love of flying was second only to his love of music. In 1974, Denver bought a Learjet to fly himself to concerts. He was a collector of vintage biplanes and owned

1406-495: The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge . He had battled to expand the refuge in the 1980s, and he praised President Bill Clinton for his opposition to the proposed drilling. The letter, which Denver wrote in the midst of the 1996 United States presidential election , was one of the last he ever wrote. In 1992, Denver, along with fellow singers Liza Minnelli and John Oates , performed a benefit to fight

1480-510: The Billboard charts despite the first pressings of the track being distorted. Its success was due in part to the efforts of his new manager, 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

1554-615: The Grammy Awards five times in the 1970s and 1980s, and guest-hosted The Tonight Show on several occasions. In 1975, Denver was awarded the Country Music Association 's Entertainer of the Year award. At the ceremony, the outgoing Entertainer of the Year, Charlie Rich , presented the award to his successor after he set fire to the slip of paper containing the official notification of the award. Some speculated Rich

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1628-595: The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) showed that the leading cause of the crash was Denver's inability to switch fuel tanks during flight. The quantity of fuel had been depleted during the plane's flight to Monterey and in several brief practice 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

1702-773: The University of California at Berkeley . His first musical engagement was at the Purple Onion in San Francisco . In the late 1950s during his solo career, he released two albums on the Verve label, a self-titled album in 1958 and Walkin' the Low Road in 1959. The title single from the album reached the Cashbox magazine top 60. In 1960, he formed a trio called "The Randy Sparks Three", and they released an album of

1776-719: The 1970s, Denver's onstage appearance included long blond hair and wire-rimmed "granny" glasses. His embroidered shirts with images commonly associated with the American West were created by the designer and appliqué artist Anna Zapp. Weintraub insisted on a significant number of television appearances, including a series of half-hour shows in the United Kingdom, despite Denver's protests at the time, "I've had no success in Britain ;... I mean none ". In December 1976, Weintraub told Maureen Orth of Newsweek : "I knew

1850-816: The Deutschendorfs purchased a house and lived there from 1951 to 1959. Denver lived in Tucson from ages six to 14. During these years, Denver attended Mansfeld Junior High School and was a member of the Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus for two years. He was content in Tucson, but his father was transferred to Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama . The family later moved to Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth, Texas , where Denver graduated from Arlington Heights High School . Denver

1924-694: The Muppets , A Christmas Together and Rocky Mountain Holiday . He also tried acting, appearing in "The Camerons are a Special Clan" episode of the Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law television series in October 1973 and "The Colorado Cattle Caper" episode of the McCloud television series in February 1974. In 1977, Denver starred in the hit comedy film Oh, God! opposite George Burns . He also hosted

1998-518: The Olympic Games athletes, as well as local venues including many schools. In 1985, Denver asked to participate in the singing of " We Are the World " but was rejected, despite his obvious genuine commitment to charity work and his musical talent. According to Ken Kragen (who helped produce the song), Denver was snubbed because many people felt his image would hurt the credibility of the song as

2072-624: The Osborn Award from the Aviation/Space Writers' Association, and was honored by the Houston Film Festival. In the mid-1970s, Denver became outspoken in politics. He expressed his ecologic interests in the epic 1975 song " Calypso ", an ode to the eponymous exploration ship RV  Calypso used by Jacques Cousteau . In 1976, Denver campaigned for Jimmy Carter , who became a close friend and ally. Denver

2146-625: The PMRC's objectives. For instance, Denver described how he was censored for " Rocky Mountain High ", which was misconstrued as a drug song. Denver also toured Russia in 1985. His eleven concerts in the USSR were the first by any American artist in more than 10 years. Denver returned two years later to perform at a benefit concert for the victims of the Chernobyl disaster . In October 1992, Denver undertook

2220-765: The U.S by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), with estimated sales of more than 33 million units. He recorded and performed primarily with an acoustic guitar and sang about his joy in nature, disdain for city life, enthusiasm for music, and relationship trials. Denver's music appeared on a variety of charts, including country music , the Billboard Hot 100 , and adult contemporary , earning 12 gold and four platinum albums with his signature songs " Take Me Home, Country Roads "; " Poems, Prayers & Promises "; " Annie's Song "; " Rocky Mountain High "; " Calypso "; " Thank God I'm

2294-571: 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 tour throughout the Midwest, stopping at towns and cities, offering to play free concerts at local venues. When he was successful in persuading a school, college, American Legion hall, or coffeehouse to let him play, Denver distributed posters in

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2368-599: The Wind " and " Let the Sunshine In ", joined by such diverse musical icons as Jennifer Warnes , Donna Summer , 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. Denver composed "The Gold and Beyond", and sang it for

2442-472: The camp's annual operating budget. During the Aspen Valley Hospital's $ 1.7 million capital campaign in 1979, Denver was the largest single donor. In 1983 and 1984, Denver hosted the annual Grammy Awards, which he had previously done in 1977, 1978, and 1979. In the 1983 finale, he was joined on stage by folk music legend Joan Baez , with whom Denver led an all-star version of " Blowin' in

2516-703: The case, which was closed only after Denver's accidental death in October 1997. 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 abstain from alcohol if he wished to continue flying airplanes. Beyond music, Denver's artistic interests included painting, but because of his limiting schedule, Denver pursued photography, saying once, "photography

2590-481: 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 . Denver's father taught him to fly in the mid-1970s, which led to their reconciliation. In 1980, Denver and his father, by then a lieutenant colonel , co-hosted an award-winning television special, The Higher We Fly: The History of Flight . It won

2664-481: The crash. Denver was a pilot with over 2,700 hours of experience. He had pilot ratings for single-engine land and sea, multi-engine land, glider and instrument. Denver also held a type rating in his Learjet. He had recently purchased the Long-EZ aircraft, made by someone else from a kit, and had taken a half-hour checkout flight with the aircraft the day before the crash. Denver was not legally permitted to fly at

2738-571: The critics would never go for John. I had to get him to the people." After appearing as a guest 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 60 million people and was the highest-rated show for the ABC network at that time. In 1973, Denver starred in his own BBC television series, The John Denver Show ,

2812-476: The database was first made available on the Internet in 1994. AllMusic is owned by RhythmOne . AllMusic was launched as All-Music Guide by Michael Erlewine , a "compulsive archivist, noted astrologer, Buddhist scholar and musician". He became interested in using computers for his astrological work in the mid-1970s and founded a software company, Matrix, in 1977. In the early 1990s, as CDs replaced LPs as

2886-508: The dominant format for recorded music, Erlewine purchased what he thought was a CD of early recordings by Little Richard . After buying it, he discovered it was a "flaccid latter-day rehash". Frustrated with the labeling, he researched using metadata to create a music guide. In 1990, in Big Rapids, Michigan , he founded All Music Guide with a goal to create an open-access database that included every recording "since Enrico Caruso gave

2960-519: The environmental group Plant-It 2020 (originally Plant-It 2000). He also had a keen interest in solutions to world hunger and 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 fundraising picnic for the Aspen Camp School for the Deaf, raising half of

3034-412: The flight, Denver and the mechanic had attempted to extend the reach of the handle using a pair of Vise-Grip pliers , but this did not solve the problem, and the pilot still could not reach the handle while strapped into his seat. NTSB officials' post-crash investigation showed that because of the fuel selector valve’s positioning, switching fuel tanks required the pilot to turn his body 90 degrees to reach

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3108-477: The forefront, bridging folk, pop, and country in a fresh way ... People forget how huge he was worldwide." In 1977, Denver co-founded The Hunger Project with Werner Erhard and Robert W. Fuller . He served for many years and supported the organization until his death. President Jimmy Carter appointed Denver to serve on the President's Commission on World Hunger. Denver wrote the song "I Want to Live" as

3182-656: The fuel selector handle in a hard-to-reach place. The board issued recommendations on the requirement and enforcement of mandatory training standards for pilots operating home-built aircraft. It also emphasized the importance of mandatory ease of access to all controls, including fuel selectors and fuel gauges, in all aircraft. Upon the announcement of Denver's death, Colorado Governor Roy Romer ordered all state flags to be lowered to half-staff in his honor. Funeral services were held at Faith Presbyterian Church in Aurora, Colorado , on October 17, 1997, officiated by Pastor Les Felker,

3256-640: The industry its first big boost". The first All Music Guide , published in 1992, was a 1,200-page reference book, packaged with a CD-ROM, titled All Music Guide: The Best CDs, Albums & Tapes: The Expert's Guide to the Best Releases from Thousands of Artists in All Types of Music . Its first online version, in 1994, was a text-based Gopher site. It moved to the World Wide Web as web browsers became more user-friendly. Erlewine hired

3330-491: The latter transcribed his autobiography, "I'd bend my principles to support something he wanted of me. And of course, every time you bend your principles — whether because you don't want to worry about it, or because you're afraid to stand up for fear of what you might lose — you sell your soul to the devil". Denver was also a guest star on The Muppet Show , the beginning of the lifelong friendship between Denver and Jim Henson that spawned two television specials with

3404-566: The music is sold. It then connects that data together, in a way that can intelligently tell you about an entire type of music, whether a massive genre like classical, or a tiny one like sadcore ." In 1996, seeking to further develop its web-based businesses, Alliance Entertainment Corp. bought All Music from Erlewine for a reported $ 3.5 million. He left the company after its sale. Alliance filed for bankruptcy in 1999, and its assets were acquired by Ron Burkle 's Yucaipa Equity Fund. In 1999, All Music relocated from Big Rapids to Ann Arbor , where

3478-472: The musical score for the 1964 movie Advance to the Rear , a Civil War spoof. The love song "Today" ("while the blossoms still cling to the vine") was part of that score. Sparks sang the theme song over the opening credits of the 1958 film Thunder Road . In an email to DJ Allyn in 2009, he said that Robert Mitchum had asked him to play the kid brother in the movie and to compose a theme song for it, but in

3552-461: The next four years. In 1972, Denver had his first Top Ten album with Rocky Mountain High , with its title track reaching the Top Ten in 1973. In 1974 and 1975, Denver had a string of four No. 1 songs (" Sunshine on My Shoulders ", " Annie's Song ", " Thank God I'm a Country Boy ", and " I'm Sorry ") and three No. 1 albums ( John Denver's Greatest Hits , Back Home Again , and Windsong ). In

3626-801: The passage of Amendment 2 , an anti-LGBT ballot measure that prevented Colorado municipalities from enacting anti-discrimination protections. Denver was also on the National Space Society 's board of governors for many years. Denver had a few more US Top 30 hits as the 1970s ended, but nothing to match his earlier success. Denver began to focus more 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 composed "What One Man Can Do") and Amory Lovins , from whom he said he learned much. Denver also founded

3700-417: The plane crash into the bay near Point Pinos. Four said the aircraft was originally heading west. Five said that they saw the plane in a steep bank, with four saying that the bank was to the right (north). Twelve described seeing the aircraft in a steep nose-down descent. Witnesses estimated the plane's altitude between 350 and 500 feet (110 and 150 m) when heading toward the shoreline. Eight said they heard

3774-438: The plane's designer to be between the pilot's legs. The builder instead put it behind the pilot's left shoulder. The fuel gauge was also placed behind the pilot's seat and was not visible to the person at the controls. An NTSB interview with the aircraft mechanic servicing Denver's plane revealed that he and Denver had discussed the inaccessibility of the cockpit fuel selector valve handle and its resistance to being turned. Before

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3848-451: The point that their assets were being split in the divorce, he cut their marital bed in half with a chainsaw . Denver married Australian actress Cassandra Delaney in 1988 after 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. Of his second marriage, Denver said that "before our short-lived marriage ended in divorce, she managed to make

3922-473: The price tag was rumored to be as high as $ 20 million. Denver testified before the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee on the topic of censorship during a Parents Music Resource Center hearing in 1985. Contrary to his innocuous public image as a musician, Denver openly stood with more controversial witnesses like Dee Snider (of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister ) and Frank Zappa in opposing

3996-522: The right tank and less than a quarter in the left tank". He then provided Denver with an inspection mirror so he could look over his shoulder at the fuel gauges. The mirror was later recovered from the wreckage. Denver said that he would use the autopilot in flight to hold the airplane level while he turned the fuel selector valve. He turned down an offer to refuel the aircraft, saying that he would only be flying for about an hour. The NTSB interviewed 20 witnesses about Denver's last flight. Six of them had seen

4070-532: The sale, and as Rovi from 2009 until 2016). In 2012, AllMusic removed all of Bryan Adams ' info from the site per a request from the artist. In 2015, AllMusic was purchased by BlinkX, later known as RhythmOne . The AllMusic database is powered by a combination of MySQL and MongoDB . The All Media Network produced the All Music Guide: The Definitive Guide (at first released as The Experts' Guide ), which includes

4144-573: The same name. He composed " Today "; this was a hit for the New Christy Minstrels from their 1964 album of the same title for Columbia Records (CL 2159/CS 8959). He co-composed " Green, Green " with Barry McGuire for the 1963 album Ramblin (CL 2055/CS 8855). Sparks starred in the 1960 film drama The Big Night . Sparks also wrote "Saturday Night in Toledo, Ohio", which was recorded and made famous by John Denver . Sparks composed

4218-407: The staff expanded from 12 to 100 people. By February of that year, 350,000 albums and two million tracks had been cataloged. All Music had published biographies of 30,000 artists, 120,000 record reviews and 300 essays written by "a hybrid of historians, critics and passionate collectors". In late 2007, AllMusic was purchased for $ 72 million by TiVo Corporation (known as Macrovision at the time of

4292-522: The success of " Rocky Mountain High ", inspired by a camping trip with Annie and some friends, Denver bought a residence in Aspen, Colorado . He lived in Aspen until his death. The Denvers adopted a boy, Zachary John, and a girl, Anna Kate, who, Denver said, were "meant to be" theirs. Denver once said, "I'll tell you the best thing about me. I'm some guy's dad; I'm some little gal's dad. When I die, Zachary John and Anna Kate's father, boy, that's enough for me to be remembered by. That's more than enough." Zachary

4366-602: The television series Nature , centering on the natural wonders that inspired many of his best-loved songs. His last song, "Yellowstone, Coming Home", composed while rafting along the Colorado River with his son and young daughter, is included. In the summer of 1997, shortly before his death, Denver recorded a children's train album for Sony Pictures Kids Zone , All Aboard! , produced by longtime friend Roger Nichols . The album consisted of old-fashioned swing, big band , folk , bluegrass , and gospel music woven into

4440-566: The theatrical release, Sparks sang a different theme song, which was co-written by Mitchum. In 1975, Sparks provided the new vocal tracks for the characters Ernest the "Dude" and Zeke in the Country Bear Jamboree . In 2009, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California , Walk of Stars was dedicated to the New Christy Minstrels and him. Sparks was married to Jackie Miller from 1958 to 1962. After their divorce, he

4514-712: The time he was in college. Denver decided to change his name when Randy Sparks , founder of the New Christy Minstrels , suggested that "Deutschendorf" would not fit comfortably on a marquee . Denver attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock and sang in a folk-music group, "The Alpine Trio", while studying architecture. He was also a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. Denver dropped out of Texas Tech in 1963 and moved to Los Angeles, where he sang in folk clubs. In 1965, Denver joined The Chad Mitchell Trio , replacing founder Chad Mitchell. After more personnel changes,

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4588-470: The time of the crash. In previous years, he had been arrested several times for drunk driving . In 1996, nearly a year before the crash, the FAA learned that Denver had failed to maintain sobriety by not refraining entirely from alcohol and revoked his medical certification. However, it was determined that the crash was not caused or influenced by alcohol use; an autopsy found no signs of alcohol or other drugs in Denver's body. The post-crash investigation by

4662-438: The town and usually showed up at the local radio station, guitar in hand, offering himself for an interview. As the writer of " Leaving on a Jet Plane ", Denver was often successful in gaining some promotional airtime, usually performing one or two songs live. Some venues let him play for the 'door'; others restricted him to selling copies of the album at intermission and after the show. After several months of this, Denver had built

4736-450: The trio later became known as "Denver, Boise, and Johnson" (John Denver, David Boise, and Michael Johnson ). In 1969, Denver abandoned band life to pursue a solo career and released his first album for RCA Records , Rhymes & Reasons . Two years earlier, he had made a self-produced demo recording of some of the songs he played at his concerts. It included a song Denver had written called "Babe, I Hate to Go", later renamed " Leaving on

4810-414: 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 caused the aircraft to yaw (nose right) and pitch up. 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 half in

4884-536: Was a supporter of the Democratic Party and of a number of charitable causes for the environmental movement, the homeless, the poor, the hungry, and the African AIDS crisis . He founded the charitable Windstar Foundation in 1976 to promote sustainable living . Denver's dismay at the Chernobyl disaster led to precedent-setting concerts in parts of communist Asia and Europe. During the 1980s, Denver

4958-445: Was attracted to NASA and became dedicated to America's work in outer space. He conscientiously worked to help bring into being the "Citizens in Space" program. In 1985, Denver received the NASA Exceptional Public Service Medal for "helping to increase awareness of space exploration by the peoples of the world", an award usually restricted to spaceflight engineers and designers. That same year, he passed NASA's rigorous physical exam and

5032-428: Was critical of Ronald Reagan’s administration and remained active in his campaign against hunger, for which Reagan awarded Denver the Presidential World Without Hunger Award in 1987. Denver's criticism of the conservative politics of the 1980s was expressed in his autobiographical folk-rock ballad "Let Us Begin (What Are We Making Weapons For?)". In an open letter to the media, Denver wrote that he opposed oil drilling in

5106-423: Was distressed with life in Fort Worth, and in his third year of high school, he drove his father's car to California to visit family friends and begin his music career. His father flew to California in a friend's jet to retrieve him, and Denver reluctantly returned to complete his schooling. At age 11, Denver received an acoustic guitar from his grandmother. He learned to play well enough to perform at local clubs by

5180-421: Was in line for a space flight, a finalist for the first citizen's trip on the Space Shuttle in 1986. After the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster with teacher Christa McAuliffe aboard, Denver dedicated his song "Flying for Me" to all astronauts, and continued to support NASA. He entered discussions with the Soviet space program about purchasing a flight aboard one of their rockets. The talks fell through after

5254-535: Was named poet laureate of the state. The Colorado state legislature also adopted "Rocky Mountain High" as one of its two state songs in 2007, and West Virginia did the same for "Take Me Home, Country Roads" in 2014. An avid pilot, Denver was killed at age 53 in a single-fatality crash while piloting a recently purchased light plane in 1997. Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. was born on December 31, 1943, in Roswell, New Mexico , to Erma Louise (née Swope; 1922–2010) and Captain Henry John "Dutch" Deutschendorf Sr. (1920–1982),

5328-439: Was not harmed in the incident. Denver died on the afternoon of October 12, 1997, when his light homebuilt aircraft , a Rutan Long-EZ with registration number N555JD, crashed into Monterey Bay near Pacific Grove, California , while making a series of touch-and-go landings at the nearby Monterey Peninsula Airport . He was the plane's only occupant. The official cause of death was multiple blunt force trauma resulting from

5402-440: Was protesting the selection of a non-traditional country artist for the award, but Rich's son disputes that, saying his father was drunk, taking pain medication for a broken foot, and just trying to be funny. Denver's music was defended by country singer 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

5476-407: Was the subject of "A Baby Just Like You", a song that included the line "Merry Christmas, little Zachary" 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 young and immature to deal with Denver's sudden success. To drive home

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