| B i o g r a p h y |
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. 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". After traveling and
living in numerous locations while growing up in his military family,
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.
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 Billboard Hot 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", 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 aircraft at
the age of 53.