John Denver

Subject: John Denver
From: PattyG
Date: 13 Oct 97 - 11:33 AM

I'm sure you've all heard about John Denver's death. His private plane crashed that he was piloting and there's not much left of either, I've gathered. The loss of a tremendous talent who once seemed to have it all and then it seemed to slip through his fingers. Sad:(

Subject: RE: John Denver
From: Bert
Date: 13 Oct 97 - 12:10 PM

We were singing a couple of his songs Friday night. We are going to miss him.

Subject: RE: John Denver
From: Coralena
Date: 13 Oct 97 - 02:09 PM

I choose to believe he is sitting by a lake playing his guitar and enjoying the nature around him.

Subject: RE: John Denver
From: Ralph Butts
Date: 13 Oct 97 - 03:22 PM

Despite the commercial aspects, John was a fine musician and an inspiration to a lot of young pickers.

His songs, while not classics, are universally recognized, singable and clean. My favorite, by far, is "Wild Montana Skies", duet with Emmy Lou.

Sunshine on your shoulder, John.......Tiger

Subject: RE: John Denver
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Oct 97 - 04:35 PM

Lately, whenever I've seen the name John Denver, I've heard all sorts of remarks about drunk driving and what a horrible person he turned out to be. I dunno. I guess life was hard on him in many ways. He certainly wrote some wonderful songs that moved a lot of people. He also really put his heart into his performances. I went to a John Denver concert in Fresno in the 1970's. He sang for 3 hours without a break. He lost his voice for a while, but he kept going. We all have our faults, but I think he was a good man.
--Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: John Denver
From: lesblank
Date: 13 Oct 97 - 06:08 PM

I first saw "John Denver" in the flesh, picking and singing solo in 1962. I had just gotten out of service and enrolled in Fullerton Jr. College, Calif. The Vets Club has scheduled a fund raising concert featuring the Greenwood County singers. The show's opener was a youngster who played an 18-string guitar named Henry Dutchendorf, Jr. As sergeant-at-arms for the Vets Club, I got to pick him up and escort him to the auditorium, and in doing so, got to talk to him for a bit and listen to him warm up prior to going on. I knew that I was listening to history being made. This was way before Jet Plane or Sunshine or any of the great stuff that came later. His show that night contained nothing of his own, at least I don't remember any. I have never heard some of those classics done better in nearly forty years. I'll miss him and will cherish those two evenings.

Subject: RE: John Denver
From: Dale Rose
Date: 13 Oct 97 - 09:11 PM

There are precious few artists that I remember "exactly" when I first heard them, Hank Snow doing Golden Rocket, and Elvis Presley with I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine, both over good old WCKY in Cincinnati a few years apart. I knew the instant that I heard them that their music would be a part of my life as long as they made music and I would be around to hear it. The only other one that comes to mind at the moment is hearing a song on the jukebox in Williams Tavern in Fults, Illinois. I remember going over to what must have been one of the last nickel jukeboxes in the world, and looking up the song to see who it was~~John Denver and Country Roads. Some things are just made for remembering. I have many favorites, but the one which comes back to me most often is Whiskey Basin Blues. Thanks, John.

Subject: RE: John Denver
From: Suibhan
Date: 13 Oct 97 - 10:03 PM

Ralph has it exactly right. Denver wrote great songs for those of us not blessed with perfect pitch and multiple octave range. I feel bad for his family - I think he left a couple of kids behind.

Bye John, we'll miss you:)

Subject: RE: John Denver
From: PattyG
Date: 13 Oct 97 - 10:05 PM

Henry Dutchendorf, Jr! Sure didn't realize that was his real name. Is that German?

I'm enjoying "listening" to you guys reminisce. I really like "Country Roads" too, but I guess my favorite would be, "Annie's Song." Made me so sad when they broke up. What happens to old love songs written for old loves?

Some years ago, one of my son's friends gave me a cassette of "John Denver and the Muppets" Christmas music and I thought..."Now *why* on earth would I want this?!" Well! It has become one of my favorites! Some of those songs are just beautiful. "When The River Meets The Sea" for one. If you haven't heard this collection, I can highly reccommend it.

Subject: RE: John Denver
From: GaryD
Date: 13 Oct 97 - 10:37 PM

I think the most memorable song I heard him sing was Whose Garden is this? (Paxton, I think)..anyway this was before fame & fortune had caught up with him..Was at St.Cloud State College in Central MN..I've been told John was originally from MN..I do know that he was part of the Chad Mitchell Trio when Chad left for a solo career..heard that the Trio was thousands in debt and John paid it all off personally..I for one will really miss him. He was a great songwriter too..

Subject: RE: John Denver
From: S.P. Buck Mulligan
Date: 14 Oct 97 - 07:57 AM

I have been a JD fan since the Mitchell Trio days, and even through the times when those around me scoffed (many still do). I was surprised after I bought a copy of "The Wildlife Concert" (1995) on an impulse. I had not heard anything he had done since the early 70s, when some genius critic described his voice as a "mellifluous if reedy tenor". Indeed. Unwrapping & listening to The Wildlife concert CDs was amazing; here was quite plainly the same voice and the same man and the same native passionate feelings, the same facility on the 12-string that had boomed out on "Bells of Rhymney", but there was so much more to the voice - depth and grit & gravel, and the reediness was gone. The boy had grown to a man indeed, (as I had, I guess, despite what my wife sometimes says) and yet the young man stayed recognizable and in touch and touchable through the adult's work. I have a pile of old JD vinyl in the attic, and I guess I will go resurrect it, for old time's sake, but the later stuff is worth a listen for anyone who hasn't heard it. (The "Whispering Jesse" on the WC CD blows me away as much as Gilette's "Darcy Farrow" ever did.)

Subject: RE: John Denver
From: Karina
Date: 14 Oct 97 - 11:04 PM

I was also quite moved, hearing of his passing. I guess for my generation, where I am anyway, it wasn't "cool" to like JD, his music was considered pretty square. I've always liked folk music, so his stuff was always fine with me, but more than that, I think I appreciated him more than his music. I've only seen him in concert twice, both televised. Each time he spoke out very strongly for the environment and for tolerance amongst peoples and religions. Life can be pretty hard on famous people, but I thought it was a pretty cool, sensible and well rounded message he delivered. If only more could hear it.

Subject: RE: John Denver
From: Speed-1
Date: 15 Oct 97 - 04:16 AM

John Denver's legacy to Baltimore was "Thank G-d I'm a Country Boy" which was played at Orioles games during the seventh inning stretch. Orioles management decided to do away with it and replace it with "Take Me Out To the Ballgame" - a unique choice, hey? - and Orioles fans tried to revolt. John came here and played, but Edward Bennett Williams, the Orioles' owner, had his way. I hope the Orioles remember John Denver at the sixth game of the American League Championship Series.

John Denver's songs were easy to sing, easy to sing, and spoke volumnes in their simplicity. As we boomers are getting older, it would have been nice to have John's talent and perspective. He will be greatly missed. :^)

Speed

Subject: RE: John Denver
From: Cam
Date: 16 Oct 97 - 06:33 PM

I am now living in West Virginia, a beautiful state that is not known or appreciated by many people not living here. Needless to say, John Denver earned a lot of fans when he penned "Almost heaven, West Virginia..."

At open mike last night someone got up and sang that song. The performance wasn't great, but the emotion sure was.

People can argue the quality of JD's music all they want, but his words and his music made people smile, and will continue to do so. I think that is as much as any man or woman can ask for.

Thanks, John.

Subject: RE: John Denver
From: LaMarca
Date: 17 Oct 97 - 01:41 PM

The Washington Post printed a nice "Appreciation" column by Bill Danoff, the local DC songwriter who wrote "Country Roads" for Denver to sing. My favorite John Denver story is told by Brian Bowers in concert appearances. He said that John excitedly invited him backstage to listen to his version of Bowers' song, "Berkeley Woman", and Bowers was sort of underwhelmed by the pop band arrangement; at least until the first hefty royalty check showed up in the mail. John Denver popularized a lot of good stuff by other, lesser known songwriters like Danoff and Bowers, and freely gave credit where credit was due (unlike some other big Folk-Pop stars like Dylan...)

Subject: RE: John Denver
From: PattyG
Date: 17 Oct 97 - 03:14 PM

I just finished watching the John Denver memorial service on MSNBC. It was very personal, very moving and the type service I would think John would have wanted. They played a recording of him singing, "Perhaps Love." I've always loved that song, but (feeling foolish) I have to ask, did he write that? His family and friends did such an eloquent job of presenting the "spirit of John" there was almost no need for the clergy. I certainly wiped away some tears.

Subject: RE: John Denver
From:
Date: 04 Nov 99 - 01:13 AM

how is going I am looking for the lyrics to John Denvers song "leaving on a jetplane" so if you could nelp please do so. Thank you aaron gilbert

Subject: RE: John Denver
From:
Date: 04 Nov 99 - 02:04 AM

Aaron, it would be better to start a new message thread using the "Lyric Req" prefix. I suspect it's available, but doesn't seem to be here at DT

Subject: RE: John Denver
From: alison
Date: 04 Nov 99 - 03:09 AM

oh yes it is..... LEAVING ON A JET PLANE found it doing a search for [jet]

welcome to Mudcat agilbert. George is right though... you will usually get a quicker response if you start a new thread with the song title in the thread name.... easier for you to find later as well.

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: John Denver
From:
Date: 04 Nov 99 - 06:44 AM

Weird. I specified "Jet Plane", without the quotes and it didn't come up. That search is REALLY weird sometimes.

Subject: RE: John Denver
From: lloyd61
Date: 04 Nov 99 - 07:30 PM

I will never forget the concert I attended at Red Rocks, outside Denver. What a night! I miss him and his music.

Subject: RE: John Denver
From: alison
Date: 04 Nov 99 - 07:47 PM

George.....it helps if you are only using some of the words to put them inside [..]'s. Also it seems to work better if you you fewer rather than more words.

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: John Denver
From:
Date: 05 Nov 99 - 12:51 AM

get off it seems he got a fast response under a minute

Subject: RE: John Denver
From: alison
Date: 05 Nov 99 - 01:19 AM

what's your problem "anonymous poster"?... all I've done is tried to help someone to use the search engine (which isn't always as straight forward as people expect it to be) not just for this song but so they can find songs easier in the future... that's what we're here for.... to help each other... isn't it?

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: John Denver
From: Sourdough
Date: 05 Nov 99 - 05:00 AM

While reading this recently refreshed John Denver thread, I saw that PattyG had posted a message about how much she enjoyed the music from John Denver's Christmas Special done with the Muppetts. Several years ago, I made a visit to Aspen with my longest term friend who was a writer on the Mupptett Specials with John Denver. He started out with somewhat dim appreciation of Denver. When they were discussing what the Muppeteers were going to need to set up production on anch, Joe told him that they would need to cut a series of six foot trenches across his ranch so the muppeteers could work underneair puppes who would appear to be at camera level. Joe enjoyed watching him blanche at the thought of a back hoe tearing through his land.

Over the next few weeks, Joe was transformed into a fan. In one show they did, something that impressed him was Denver's ability as a pilot. When they were filming in the air, with Denver at the controls of his biplane and carrying Ralph, the piano playing dog operated by Jim Henson who was scrunched down in the open cockpit, out of the sight of the lens. Since the aerobatics included looping with Henson wedged into the plane, it was necessary that he do consistently so that the camera plane can deliver the lens where it is needed. He also was highly regarded by the other pilots at the airfield. Since many of them were professionals who flew high altitude routes, he'd earned the respect of his pilot peers.

After working on several shows with Denver, Joe decided that he was a real professional and a gentleman. I post this because there was some mention of another side of John Denver and I wanted to help round out the picture even if my story is second hand.

Sourdough

If I remember correctly, Denver was also a good poker player.