Like just about all folkies, I had a few John Denver songs in my songbag, and in the early '70's they went over well with audiences. Great for singing along.

Well, one night in the early '80's, I was performing at the Dubliner in Washington, D.C.
John Denver and Raoul Julia were in the audience. JD was in town lobbying with NASA to go up in the space shuttle, and RJ was in town promoting a movie. They were friends and they met in the Dubliner for a few drinks.

I sang a parody of "Country Roads" called Concrete Roads, and they were both tickled; in fact John Denver came and stood in front of the stage and wagged his finger at me in mock admonishment, laughing.

On my break Raoul Julia asked me to get John up to sing a few songs.
I said, "Oh, God, I couldn't do that. The man has the night off. He's not working. It's not right."

Raoul Julia just said, "He LOVES to perform. Go on, just ask him."

So I started the next set, sang a song or two and said," Ladies and Gentlemen, you've all noticed a very special performer in the audience, and I'd like to ask John Denver if he'd be kind enough to come up here and favor us with a couple of songs."

No sooner had I said it than he was up on stage beside me.
"I'd be glad to do a few songs; may I borrow your guitar?"
I gave him my old Martin D-28, and he said," Now I'd like to do Country Roads MY way!"

He did about 10 minutes explaining how he came to write the song with Bill and Taffy right there in Washington D.C. after a gig at the Cellar Door. Then he sang it and everyone in the place sang along. He sang a couple more, and then said, I'd like to ask Seamus to come here and sing one with me.

I got up and said "Do you know any Irish songs?" He said, "Nope."
I said "Then let's do one of yours." He said, "After what you did to Country Roads, I don't think so!"
He asked if I knew Home On The Range. I said "Sure."
So we launched into it; I sang lead and John Denver played guitar and sang a sweet tenor harmony beside me into one mic.

When we'd finished, he got down to tumultuous applause.
He went to the bar and bought 2 pints of Guinness; he brought one over to the stage and handed it to me. We saluted each other with our pints and he went back to join Raoul Julia.
I finished my set.


Seamus