John Denver

[Whatever]

Why is John Denver so famous? I've seen some of his Muppet stuff and know how he died, but nothing else, and some people on this board seem to be really attached to him. Did he have any albums on his own? (probably, but hey if you don't ask you don't learn)

[Don'tLiveonMoon]

TONS of albums. :D He was extremely prolific. I am a HUGE John Denver fan - him and Simon and Garfunkel absolutely top the list for me. I love him because of his joie de vivre - as Mary Travers said, he could sing the phone book and make it sound joyful. I love him for his wholesomeness; he was just such a decent, down-to-earth, guileless, caring guy. I mean, he wasn't perfect, he had his problems, but he was such an incredibly decent human being. And he was a country boy, a nature freak whose music is absolutely filled with a love of the wilderness, of animals, and of good home-grown values. And he did so much for the causes he was passionate about, from helping impoverished children to all of his work on behalf of wildlife. He was a straight-edge nature boy who was never afraid to be himself in an industry that couldn't figure out how he fit in. He kept his integrity to the end. I think he and Jim Henson had a lot in common, and they had a sense of kinship that shows in the work he did with the Muppets. It was a sad, sad day when John Denver died. The world needs more people like him. :halo:
Erin

[Amazing Mumford]

Why is John Denver so famous? I've seen some of his Muppet stuff and know how he died, but nothing else, and some people on this board seem to be really attached to him. Did he have any albums on his own? (probably, but hey if you don't ask you don't learn)

John Denver is incredibly talented as a singer-songwriter. I grew up well after his "peak" in the 1970s but my parents were fans and I saw his work with the Muppets.

From what I've read, he was the biggest country star of the 1970s and 1980s and his popularity easily crossed over into popular music too. Think Garth Brooks but twenty years earlier. In addition, he's STILL one of the top-selling artists in history (8 platinum albums including one with the Muppets) and appeared in several movies. Check out his Greatest Hits CD sometime--you probably have heard many of his songs before.

As for John Denver as a person, Erin pretty much nailed it in her post above. Just seemed like a fun-loving, talented guy.

[AndyWan Kenobi]

I think it's pretty easy for people who are attached to Jim Henson to be attached to John Denver as well. It's amazing that people can be so passionate, and yet so gentle and genuine. I agree with all that's been said in the above posts--I think that Jim Henson and John Denver are both people about whom you could say that the world is a better place for having had them in it. I always have a kind of joy and sadness when I think about either of them, because they gave so much to so many people. I miss the simple, unironic days of "singing and dancing and making people happy," but I think it's a testament to both of these men that they are missed and remembered with such love.

[Don'tLiveonMoon]

I always have a kind of joy and sadness when I think about either of them, because they gave so much to so many people. I miss the simple, unironic days of "singing and dancing and making people happy," but I think it's a testament to both of these men that they are missed and remembered with such love.

Yeah, it's very bittersweet to think about Jim or John. It's very sad they left us so soon, but what a legacy they left us with. :halo:
Erin

[jediX]

I always loved his "Magic Garden" song from his TMS episode.

Being from Colorado myself I was pretty much exposed to John by my parents at an early age. Although I mostly listen to Punk and Ska and all that stuff its not uncommon to catch me with Denver or Muppets on.

After all, the cover band Me First & the Gimme Gimmes (the band that did the punk version of Rainbow Connection) also covered Denver's "(Take Me Home) Country Roads)." What an awesome cover.

[Bill Bubble Guy]

John was a special man. I so enjoy listening to him singing. He is sadly missed:cry:

Same with Jim. They both contributed wholesome entertainment and we will never forget them:cry:

[heralde]

I just bought my Dad a John Denver CD for his birthday, he's a huge fan. I like his work too. Even when I was a child, whenever I was around nature, I was reminded of his songs. That's quite a legacy, to be identified with nature, and I think that's what he wanted.

I had no idea John Denver had done so much work with the Muppets. In his two specials, he always seems to act like the mature parent next to the insane Muppets lol

I still have the Rocky Mountain Holiday album. I listen to it a lot (not too much because I don't want to scratch it up!), my favorite songs are "Durango Mountain Cabellaros" and "Catch Another Butterfly."

You can hear the first one here:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=l80NBC95QLE

[MrsWembly]

John Denver is great! I still like to watch OH GOD! with him and George Burns.

The Muppet Show with John Denver has got to be one of my favorite episodes!

“Inch by inch, row by row, gonna make this garden grow. All you need in a rake and a hoe and a place on solid ground.” :flirt:

[Kiki]

I don't really know John Denver all that much apart from his appearences w/ the Muppets. The hadta cut the bit where Rowlf or someone is in a plane from the special 'Rocky Mountain holiday' because John died in a plane crash.
rest in peace, mr.Denver. :sympathy: :(

[heralde]

Yeah, a lot of people disagreed with that cutting decision. It mean, the accident was certainly tragic, but he loved flying. People are so sensitive to "not offending" anyone.

[zeldazipple]

Well! Yeah John Denver was a very fameous gutatest and folk singer. He did so much for the invroment and released a few albums, and had severial top hit songs. I still like his music I find it to be soothing. Look up his music I'm sure you'll find some that's not Muppet.

TONS of albums. :D He was extremely prolific. I am a HUGE John Denver fan - him and Simon and Garfunkel absolutely top the list for me. I love him because of his joie de vivre - as Mary Travers said, he could sing the phone book and make it sound joyful. I love him for his wholesomeness; he was just such a decent, down-to-earth, guileless, caring guy. I mean, he wasn't perfect, he had his problems, but he was such an incredibly decent human being. And he was a country boy, a nature freak whose music is absolutely filled with a love of the wilderness, of animals, and of good home-grown values. And he did so much for the causes he was passionate about, from helping impoverished children to all of his work on behalf of wildlife. He was a straight-edge nature boy who was never afraid to be himself in an industry that couldn't figure out how he fit in. He kept his integrity to the end. I think he and Jim Henson had a lot in common, and they had a sense of kinship that shows in the work he did with the Muppets. It was a sad, sad day when John Denver died. The world needs more people like him. :halo:
Erin

[Vic Romano]

My whole family were John Denver maniacs (my dad used to sing "Sunshine On My Shoulder" to me as a lullaby when I was just a little tiny Vic Romano) and quite possibly why they were so supportive and even pushy at times in the development of my Muppet fandom because of all the work he did with Jim.

EDIT: Which made me wonder and even disappointed when that made for TV movie about John's life was made and there was no mention of Jim. :confused: :smirk: :sympathy:

[heralde]

My parents used to have John Denver on when I was a baby too, whenever I was crying too much! I think we had the Rocky Mountain Holiday album as a compromise, John Denver for my dad, Muppets for me, lol. Only, I never listened to it as a child, it was "too boring." Now, I'm the only member of the family who listens to it!

I guess the Muppets were not considered immediately vital to the telling of his overal career in documentaries. It's too bad, I would have liked to know why he enjoyed working with them so much.

[MrsWembly]

my dad used to sing "Sunshine On My Shoulder" to me as a lullaby when I was just a little tiny Vic Romano[/I])

Aww...thats so sweet. My dad use to sing Yellow Submarine to me. (hehe)
:halo:

[Skye]

“Inch by inch, row by row, gonna make this garden grow. All you need in a rake and a hoe and a place on solid ground.” :flirt:
Talk about a gorgeous song! I love the way he sang this song. I'm a fairly new fan of John's, but I really adore him, and I think he was amazing. I listen to his music a lot. He was such a truly talented songwriter and musician with such a beautiful voice. And most definitely missed.

[mikebennidict]

Why is John Denver so famous? I've seen some of his Muppet stuff and know how he died, but nothing else, and some people on this board seem to be really attached to him. Did he have any albums on his own? (probably, but hey if you don't ask you don't learn)
Of course he was a musician in his own right. He's was a musician long before The Muppets.

[Fragglemuppet]

I can do nothing here but second what everyone else said! It's a shame that he became less popular later in life. You know, even though I like most country music, I don't like to consider him country; his music was too prolific, and just sounded and felt different from that.
I enjoyed watching the clip on youtube, and for anyone who doesn't already know about it, you can find the entire Rocky Mountain Holiday album on Muppet Musique in the On the Web section.
I also would like to say for the record that the plane scene in RMH was hilarious! I didn't know they cut it for that reason; it sounds rather unnecessary to me.

[Skye]

You know, even though I like most country music, I don't like to consider him country; his music was too prolific, and just sounded and felt different from that.
And really, I don't think anyone can really put him and his music in just one genre. He was all over the place and did so many different kinds and different styles of music... he did some country, some folk, some rock, etc, etc... pretty much everything. I really like that about him.

I was also surprised to hear about the cut scene from RMH. I read about it, and it did sound really funny, but things like that can be so difficult. If it was his family that wanted it cut (that's what I heard, I believe), then I do understand it.

[heralde]

Yeah he was never really Country, more of a unique mixture of Folk/Rock.

[mikebennidict]

He was probably just considered a streightfoward folk singer. He might of been labled a country singer because some of his songs like Take Me home Country Roads, Thank God I'm a Country Boy and a few other hits were country sounding. I use to listen to country music when I was young and recall hearing a few of his songs on the station I was listening to.

[Vic Romano]

I always was surprised when I heard he was considered a country singiner, but yeah; I guess he was!

[heralde]

It's just that you don't hear too many Country songs talking about the Rocky Mountains or the enviornment like he did. There are exceptions, but in general it's true. I personally wouldn't consider his career overall Country.

[erniebert1234ss]

Hey, did they just cut the airplane scene from the RMH DVD? If so, VHS, here I come!!!

I am also a HUGE John Denver fan, I remember exactly where I was when I heard he died, and I remember how sad I was. What a great guy and a huge loss to not only the music community, but also to the environmental activist community.

There was this "urban legend" (if you can call it that) surrounding Take Me Home Country Roads. John denied it time after time, but truly, in his heart of hearts, he might have done it.

I lived on the I-81 corridor where my mom and I heard this particular rumor/urban legend. Basically, John had overindulged on alcohol and saw the beauty of his surroundings and thought he was in West Virginia (this is on I-81, mind you). So he wrote Country Roads (or so the story goes). Don't know if ppl don't want this story, but this is concerning John Denver after all. Got lambasted on a JD Yahoo group for posting it. Seems ppl don't exactly take too well to stories like this.

BJ

[Bill Bubble Guy]

Bump. John was one of the greatest. Anybody care to carry on the discussion about him?

[travellingpat]

John Denver ROCKS he was pretty awesome!!!

[Bill Bubble Guy]

I'll say he ROCKED all right Pat. In fact one of my favourite songs of his is ROCKY Mountain High. :D

Hmm. That gives me another idea for a quirk to post in my happy wanderer thread ;)

[Skye]

Hmm. That gives me another idea for a quirk to post in my happy wanderer thread ;)
Ha, and what an interesting thought it was, too. ;)

I recently got the John Denver/Muppets "A Christmas Together" CD, as well as another Christmas CD of John's called "Christmas Like A Lullaby." And both CDs are amazing. "Christmas Like A Lullaby" (both the actual album as a whole, and the song by the same name that's also featured) is so gorgeous, and his renditions of songs like "The First Noel," "White Christmas," and "Little Drummer Boy" are completely perfect. There are so many great songs on this CD.

And he sure did rock! :D I'm always amazed at how gorgeous his music and his voice are.

[Bill Bubble Guy]

I have both those discs in my seasonal collection.
I'll start playing some of them in my unit from December 1st onwards.
RIP John:cry:

[GroversGal]

Of course he was a musician in his own right. He's was a musician long before The Muppets.
I'd suggest you look at wikipedia for info on JD.People forget,or are too young to know,but JD was pretty much the biggest American pop star of the early 1970s.One of the earliest 'sensitive singer-songwriter' types in the mould of James Taylor,Cat Stevens et al.He sold over 100 million records.What Michael Jackson was to the eighties,Denver was to the 70s.He was EVERYWHERE-guest-hosting the Tonight Show,doing his own specials,on the cover of Newsweek and Rolling Stone.In 1975,he sold the most records of ANYBODY in the world.Every Gen Xer who learned to play a guitar did so by playing Denver songs.His hits stopped after about 1980,but he always drew a good concert crowd right up to his death.Denver was also one of the first pop singers to make use of film clips for his songs:he won an Emmy for a tv show in 1975 where video of illustrating scenes played over his performances.Look him up:every acoustic,soft-sung crooner with a guitar has some influence from JD,whether they admit it or not.

[bazooka_beak]

I wouldn't call myself a huge fan, but I do very much like his music :) I think he's adorable! And when I listen to the John Denver and the Muppets Christmas CD, I always end up crying at some point.

[sesameguy]

I'm a fan, too. Here's my past blog post about John, which includes memories from a concert & a list of some of John's appearances on home video -

http://heroshaven.blogspot.com/2007/02/john-denver.html

He definitely had talent and is very missed. Thankfully, he's got a big library of music that we can still enjoy. And I do still enjoy.