Sixteen years ago this past week, one of the greatest German/American pop singer/songwriters of the latter part of the 20th century, John Denver, died tragically at age 53, when he crashed his experimental aircraft into the Pacific ocean.
Born, Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. on the US Air Force base in Roswell, New Mexico (the site of the mysterious 1947 UFO crash), he was the son of a famed USAF pilot.
His father, a German of Mennonite background, Lt. Colonel, Henry John Deutschendorf, was a renowned American flyer who broke several speed records in post-WW II US aircraft and has been inducted into the US Air Force Hall of Fame.
Growing up as a "military brat" young John Denver had to change schools frequently to correspond with changes in the locations of his father's military assignments.
As such he became rather introspective and wrote poetry and practiced on the guitar, which his German-Irish grandmother gave him.
In later years, these skills would serve him well.
Over the course of his 3 decade long musical career, John Denver, (he changed his name at the suggestion of a manager who recommended that Deutschendorf was too long to fit on a theater marquee), and then recorded 300 records - most of which he wrote and composed.
He had lifetime sales of 33 million in the US and the UK and won an Emmy Award for his American TV specials in the 70s and the Country Music Association "Entertainer of the Year" award in 1975.
Perhaps John Denver is best remembered for his romantically-oriented songwriting. Early on in his career, he wrote, "Leaving on a Jet Plane." His manager sold that work toPeter, Paul and Mary who took it to #1 in the US and #2 in the UK. Despite their fantastic success in the 60s, Denver's song was their only ever #1 hit.
His confidence bolstered, Denver churned out and self-performed a succession of hit songs in the 70s, including a romantic paean to his wife, "Annie's Song,""Back Home Again,""Sunshine on my Shoulders,""Rocky Mountain High"and "Thank God, I'm a Country Boy,"(which has become the unofficial anthem of the Baltimore Orioles, Major League baseball team.)
Overall he had 3 platinum and 6 Gold discs.
Denver's popularity began to wane in the 1980s and his life began to unravel. He had an acrimonious divorce from his long-time wife, Annie - married and divorced an Australian girl - was convicted of drunk driving on several occasions, which led to the revocation of his airplane pilot's license.
Nevertheless - perhaps in an attempt to live up to the legacy of his famous pilot father - he helped produce a poorly designed experimental aircraft. This he flew on a fatal solo experimental effort on October 12, 1997 wherein the plane's fuel flow failed and he crashed into the Pacific ocean.
Today, a memorial plaque to John Denver, rests on a cliff near the site of his demise in Pacific Grove, California.
Even now, John Denver retains legions of devoted fans who recognize him as one of the most wonderfully poetic musical entities of the pop music world.
John Denver is assuredly, one of the greatest German/American pop artists of all-time.
Here is a live performance of John Denver singing his hit song, "Rocky Mountain High (Colorado)" The Colorado State Legislature voted this to be the official State song of Colorado (although 11 legislators voted against the bill, saying that the song promoted the use of illicit drugs.)
Here's John Denver with his hit, "Thank God, I'm a Country Boy." It has become the anthem of the Baltimore Orioles professional baseball team and is played at all of their home games. Interestingly it evokes schlager music in its love of "heimat" or love of one's home region and its simple lifestyle:
Here is John Denver at his poetic best, with his lovely paean to his wife, "Annie's Song." He wrote it in 15 minutes while aboard a ski lift, after a disagreement with his wife:
When he was very young, John Denver wrote and sold this song to 60s folk music stars, Peter, Paul and Mary and it became their greatest hit of their careers shooting to #1 in the US and #2 in Britain. Here they are in a recent performance of "Leaving on a Jet Plane":
You can get more on the immortal German/American, John Denver, at his fan website:
http://johndenver.com/
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| John Denver |
Born, Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. on the US Air Force base in Roswell, New Mexico (the site of the mysterious 1947 UFO crash), he was the son of a famed USAF pilot.
His father, a German of Mennonite background, Lt. Colonel, Henry John Deutschendorf, was a renowned American flyer who broke several speed records in post-WW II US aircraft and has been inducted into the US Air Force Hall of Fame.
Growing up as a "military brat" young John Denver had to change schools frequently to correspond with changes in the locations of his father's military assignments.
As such he became rather introspective and wrote poetry and practiced on the guitar, which his German-Irish grandmother gave him.
In later years, these skills would serve him well.
 |
| The California memorial to John Denver |
Over the course of his 3 decade long musical career, John Denver, (he changed his name at the suggestion of a manager who recommended that Deutschendorf was too long to fit on a theater marquee), and then recorded 300 records - most of which he wrote and composed.
He had lifetime sales of 33 million in the US and the UK and won an Emmy Award for his American TV specials in the 70s and the Country Music Association "Entertainer of the Year" award in 1975.
Perhaps John Denver is best remembered for his romantically-oriented songwriting. Early on in his career, he wrote, "Leaving on a Jet Plane." His manager sold that work toPeter, Paul and Mary who took it to #1 in the US and #2 in the UK. Despite their fantastic success in the 60s, Denver's song was their only ever #1 hit.
His confidence bolstered, Denver churned out and self-performed a succession of hit songs in the 70s, including a romantic paean to his wife, "Annie's Song,""Back Home Again,""Sunshine on my Shoulders,""Rocky Mountain High"and "Thank God, I'm a Country Boy,"(which has become the unofficial anthem of the Baltimore Orioles, Major League baseball team.)
Overall he had 3 platinum and 6 Gold discs.
Denver's popularity began to wane in the 1980s and his life began to unravel. He had an acrimonious divorce from his long-time wife, Annie - married and divorced an Australian girl - was convicted of drunk driving on several occasions, which led to the revocation of his airplane pilot's license.
Nevertheless - perhaps in an attempt to live up to the legacy of his famous pilot father - he helped produce a poorly designed experimental aircraft. This he flew on a fatal solo experimental effort on October 12, 1997 wherein the plane's fuel flow failed and he crashed into the Pacific ocean.
 |
| The John Denver memorial in Aspen, Colorado |
Today, a memorial plaque to John Denver, rests on a cliff near the site of his demise in Pacific Grove, California.
Even now, John Denver retains legions of devoted fans who recognize him as one of the most wonderfully poetic musical entities of the pop music world.
John Denver is assuredly, one of the greatest German/American pop artists of all-time.
Here is a live performance of John Denver singing his hit song, "Rocky Mountain High (Colorado)" The Colorado State Legislature voted this to be the official State song of Colorado (although 11 legislators voted against the bill, saying that the song promoted the use of illicit drugs.)
Here's John Denver with his hit, "Thank God, I'm a Country Boy." It has become the anthem of the Baltimore Orioles professional baseball team and is played at all of their home games. Interestingly it evokes schlager music in its love of "heimat" or love of one's home region and its simple lifestyle:
Here is John Denver at his poetic best, with his lovely paean to his wife, "Annie's Song." He wrote it in 15 minutes while aboard a ski lift, after a disagreement with his wife:
When he was very young, John Denver wrote and sold this song to 60s folk music stars, Peter, Paul and Mary and it became their greatest hit of their careers shooting to #1 in the US and #2 in Britain. Here they are in a recent performance of "Leaving on a Jet Plane":
You can get more on the immortal German/American, John Denver, at his fan website:
http://johndenver.com/