John
Denver - Annie's Song
John
Denver - Take Me Home, Country Roads
John Denver
From
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John Denver
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John
Denver, 1973
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Background
information
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Birth name
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Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr.
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Born
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December 31, 1943
Roswell, New Mexico |
Died
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October 12, 1997 (aged 53)
Monterey Bay near Pacific Grove, California |
Occupation(s)
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Musician, singer-songwriter,
record producer, activist, actor
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Instruments
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Vocals, guitar, piano, fiddle
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Years active
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1962–1997 (his death)
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Associated acts
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Website
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Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. (December 31, 1943 – October 12, 1997), known
professionally as John Denver,
was an American singer-songwriter, actor, activist and humanitarian, whose
greatest commercial success was as a solo singer, starting in the 1970s. He was
one of the most popular acoustic artists of the decade and one of its
best-selling artists.[1] By 1974, he was firmly established as America's
best-selling performer, and AllMusic has
described Denver as "among the most beloved entertainers of his era".[2] After traveling and living in numerous locations while
growing up in his military family,[3] Denver began his music career in folk music groups
in the late 1960s. Throughout his life, Denver recorded and released
approximately 300 songs, about 200 of which he composed, with total sales of
over 33 million.[4]
He recorded and performed primarily with an acoustic
guitar and sang about his joy in nature, his enthusiasm for music, and his
relationship trials. Denver's music appeared on a variety of charts, including country and western,
the BillboardHot 100,
and adult contemporary,
in all earning him twelve gold and four platinum albums with his
signature songs "Take Me Home,
Country Roads", "Annie's Song", "Rocky Mountain High",
"Thank God I'm a
Country Boy", and "Sunshine on My
Shoulders".
Denver further starred in films and several notable
television specials in the 1970s and 1980s. In the following decade, he
continued to record, but also focused on calling attention to environmental
issues, lent his vocal support to space exploration, and testified in front of
Congress to protest against censorship in music. He was known for his love of
the state of Colorado, which he sang about numerous times.
He lived in Aspen, Colorado, for much of his life. He was
named Poet Laureate of the state in 1974. The Colorado state
legislature also adopted "Rocky Mountain High" as one of its state
songs in 2007. Denver was an avid pilot, and died in a single-fatality crash of
his personal experimental aircraft at the age of 53.
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