1. John Denver
“Rocky Mountain High”
Pamela Liston Music 1010-Ferrin

2. Different Sides of John Denver
“Music does bring people together. It allows us to experience the same emotions. People everywhere are the same in heart and spirit. No matter what language we speak, what color we are, the form of our politics or the expression of our love and our faith, music proves we are the same.” – John Denver
I was born in the latter part of the 1950’s so I am technically a baby boomer. My older brother loved hard rock but I was never a fan (maybe because he played it at 100 decibels in his car). But I found my heart in the music of John Denver. My friends and I loved to hike, camp, bike, ski, etc. Everything outdoors and so when he sang about a Rocky Mountain High, even though he was referring to Colorado, I felt like he was singing to us. We would hike and listen to him sing. This is the first singer that I bought albums of. I would lay in my room and listen to “Take Me Home Country Roads” and dream of my future. I never got over my love of Mr. Denver’s music and the place it had in my life and heart.

3. Biography: Born Henry John Deutschendorf Jr., 1943
Father U.S. Air Force Test Pilot.
Grandmother introduced Country Music
Attended Texas Tech University
Started singing in a folk group
Denver was born Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. on December 31, 1943, in the military town of Roswell, New Mexico. His father, nicknamed "Dutch," was a U.S. Air Force test pilot. The Family moved around a lot as his father was transferred to different locations. John and his father clashed in that John was laid back and his father was a strict military man.
He was first exposed to Classical Country Music at his grandmother's farm in Oklahoma, where he heard the classic country music of the era. His other grandmother also shaped his musical education by giving him an antique Gibson guitar. In 1957 the family settled in Fort Worth, Texas; Denver attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock and sang in a folk-music group called the Alpine Trio while pursuing architecture studies. (notablebiographies.com)

4. Changed name to John Denver Sang with Chad Mitchell Trio
Biography (cont.):
Dropped out of College
Changed name to John Denver
Sang with Chad Mitchell Trio
first solo album in 1968
Died in a plane crash in 1997
“John dropped out of Texas Tech in 1964 and moved to California to pursue his music career. He changed his name To John Denver to make it easier. He started performing at a nightclub and was finally signed as the Lead Vocalist for Back Porch Majority, which was a local group. In 1965 he scored a breakthrough when he replaced Chad Mitchell as vocalist, guitarist, and banjoist for the Chad Mitchell Trio, a prime attraction on college campuses and in folk-oriented coffeehouses. Denver bested some 250 other performers who auditioned for the job. It was while he was performing with this group that he met Annie Martell who he would later marry. He released his first solo album soon after.” (notablebiographies.com)
John Denver died tragically in a plane crash on October 12, He had found another love, aviation. His father was an Air Force Test Pilot and had taught John how to fly a plane and served as a shared hobby that brought them together. John purchased a plane that was classified as experimental. He played golf with friends and then took his plane out for a spin over the Pacific Ocean near Santa Maria, CA. Witnesses saw the plane plunge into the Pacific and John did not survive.
He was not married to Annie anymore but had three children, Zak, Anna Kate, Jesse Belle.
“A strong outpouring of fan emotion followed his tragic death, and a musical featuring his songs, Almost Heaven , had its premiere in The show, noted Variety reviewer Mark Blankenship, "pays excellent tribute to an artist who remains great at making people feel good.“ ( That is what John’s songs did for me, they made me feel good at a time when I was trying to figure out who I was.

5. Composition: "Rocky Mountain High: 4:44
Written During a Meteor Shower
“Rocky Mountain High” Colorado State Song
Reflected John’s Life
Rocky Mountain High – Written in 1972 by John Denver & Mike Taylor
John said this about writing this song: “I worked on the song - and the song worked on me - for a good couple of weeks. I was working one day with Mike Taylor, an acoustic guitarist who had performed with me at the Cellar Door and had moved out to Aspen. Mike sat down and showed me this guitar lick and suddenly the whole thing came together. It was just what the piece needed. When I realized what I had - another anthem, maybe; a true expression of one's self, maybe - we changed the sequencing of the album we'd just completed, and then we changed the album title.“ (johndenver.com)
Some of the references in the lyrics:
"He was born in the summer of his 27th year" - John was 27 that summer. "Coming home to a place he'd never been before" - He and Annie had just made Aspen home. "And he lost a friend but kept his memory" - A good friend from Minnesota had come to visit
and was killed riding John's motorcycle. "Why they try to tear the mountains down to bring in a couple more" - This referred to the
debate at that time about bringing the Olympics to Colorado. (songfacts.com)
March 12, 2007, the Colorado General Assembly made "Rocky Mountain High" one of two official state songs.

6. Rocky Mountain High Time Form Descriptions:
0:00
Instrumental Music
There is an eight measure intro where just the instruments play. It is in 2/2 rhythm.
:11
Vocals & 1st Verse
Vocals Start and the rhythm stays the same in 2/2. Uses Pentatonic Scale
:43
Vocals & 2nd Verse
Rhythm is AABB, Pitch is ABCc and the Song is AB
2:20
Chorus
Music Goes Higher – Louder, A Little Faster Rhythm, Higher Notes by Singer
2:53
Vocals & 3rd Verse
Tonic Arpeggio – whole sing is in the F Major Key.
3:18
Music goes up a pitch, rhythm is , there is only one voice, so he sings the melody line.
3:40
4th Verse
Goes back to the Melody Line -
3:58
Repeat Chorus
Chorus – Higher Notes, Rhythm Speeds Up

7. Composition Analysis: Take Me Home Country Roads – 3:10
Released as a single in 1971
Never been to West Virginia.
Wanted to write about somewhere exotic:
John Denver and Bill & Taffy Danoff collaborated on this song. Danoff wanted to write about somewhere exotic and said: “I just thought the idea that I was hearing something so exotic to me from someplace as far away. West Virginia might as well have been in Europe, for all I knew.” (songfacts.com) Neither man had ever been to West Virigina. The Danoff’s first thought that Johnny Cash would be a good person to sing this son.

8. Take Me Home, Country Roads
Time
Form
Description
0:00
Instrumental Intro
2 Acoustic Guitars – one as background.
:06
1st Verse and Vocals
Clapping , Snapping Fingers – 4/4 rhythm
:30
Chorus
Tempo is homophonic and the dynamics are steady.
:55
2nd Verse & Vocals
Synthesizer Enters
1:19
Increase in Pitch and Faster Tempo. The vocal bridge starts with an increase in the pitch, and a slightly faster tempo. Harmony on all the choruses.
1:43
3rd Verse & Vocals
Texture is ABABCB
2:05
Same as the Other Chorus
2:25
Chorus Repeats
Syncopated Rhythm
2:55
Chorus Repeats Again
Strong Guitar and still 4/4 rhythm

9. Composition Analysis - “This Old Guitar” – 3:02
Appeared on 8 Albums
Written about his first guitar
The Guitar was cremated with him
“John Denver wrote this song about a 1910 Gibson "F-hole" acoustic jazz guitar his grandmother gave him when he was 12 years old. This was the same guitar she used to play, and it became Denver's prized possession, as he learned to love music playing the instrument. Denver would often talk about the guitar in concert appearances and interviews, as it was such an important part of his development. He was living in Tucson, Arizona when he got the guitar, as his father, who was in the Air Force, was stationed there.” (songfacts.com) This song appeared on 8 of John’s albums.
John Denver died on October 12, 1997 and his body was cremated along with this same guitar. The remains were spread over the Rocky Mountains.
Lyrics: This old guitar taught me to sing a love song
It showed me how to laugh and how to cry
It introduced me to some friends of mine
And brightened up some days
It helped me make it through some lonely nights
Oh, what a friend to have on a cold and lonely night

10. “This Old Guitar” Time Form Description Form
0:00
Instrumental
Written in D Major -10 Measures of guitar – Slow rhythm in 2/2 time
:20
Vocals Start
John Denver singing
1:00
2nd Verse Begins
Only guitar in a 2/2 tempo
1:40
3rd Verse Begins
Still Only guitar in 2/2 tempo
This song is different in that there really isn’t a chorus.
This is a short song and is just John and his Guitar.
Form

11. Composition Analysis: Annie’s Song – 3:00
Written while Skiing in Colorado
Written as a love song
John’s 2nd Number One Single.
John Denver was on a Ski Lift in Colorado and said: “Suddenly, I'm hypersensitive to how beautiful everything is. All of these things filled up my senses, and when I said this to myself unbidden images came one after the other. All of the pictures merged and I was left with Annie. That song was the embodiment of the love I felt at that time.“ John Denver (songfacts.com) “Come, let me love you, Let me give my life to you, Let me drown in your laughter, Let me die in your arms- Chorus of Annie’s Song. (songfacts.com) This was written to his wife at the time. They moved to Colorado and made a home near Aspen.

12. Vocals Start – Harmony – one voice with Guitar :46 Chorus
Annie’s Song:
Time
Form
Description
0:00
Instrumental
Key of D – ¾ Time
0:09
First Verse
Vocals Start – Harmony – one voice with Guitar
:46
Chorus
Higher, slower, lilting melody
1:27
Interlude
Humming accompanied by the Flute and Violin – Still Harmony in ¾ Time
1:48
Voices
Part of the 1st Verse Repeats.
2:08
Crescendos on a high note
2:34
Final Chorus
Tempo Slows
2:50
End
Ends with Guitar fade-out.

13. Notable Events 1974 Album of the Year 1975 Emmy Award
1975 Entertainer of the Year
1993 Songwriters Hall of Fame
1997 Poet Laureate of Colorado
MUSIC AWARDS
1974 – Academy of Country Music: Album of the Year for “Back Home Again”
1975 – American Music Awards: Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist
1976 – American Music Awards: Favorite Country Album for “Back Home Again”
1976 – American Music Awards: Favorite Country Male Artist
1975 – Country Music Association: Entertainer of the Year
1975 – Country Music Association: Song of the Year for “Back Home Again”
1975 – Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special for “An Evening With John Denver”
1977 – People’s Choice Awards: Favorite Male Music Performer
1993 – Albert Schweitzer Music Award: For a life’s work dedicated to music and devoted to humanity.
1996 – Inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame
1997 – Grammy Award for Best Musical Album for Children for “All Aboard”
1998 – Grammy Hall of Fame Award for “Take Me Home, Country Roads”
OTHER RECOGNITION
1997 – Poet Laureate of Colorado
1979 – U.S. Jaycee’s Ten Outstanding Men of America
1982 – Carl Sandburg’s People’s Poet Award
1985 – NASA Public Service Medal
2007 – “Rocky Mountain High” declared state song of Colorado
(johndenver.com/about/awards)

14. Most Popular John Denver Song Titles.
Take Me Home Country Roads
Thank God I’m a Country Boy
Sunshine on my Shoulder
Annie’s Song
Rocky Mountain High
Calypso
Leaving on a Jet Plan
Music has always been an important part of my life. John Denver was my first love along with Dan Fogelberg. Now, I love country, Broadway, and many other genres. Still not a Rock & Roll fan! This music helped to shape who I was as a teenager and young adult. I loved the world that I lived in and this music helped me express that. I will be forever grateful that I had John in my life at that time. My friends and I would hike and camp and sing the songs of John Denver. Sunshine on my Shoulder, Calypso, and Take Me Home Country Roads were some of my favorites. I had forgotten how much I loved his music as a teen.
My kids also love music. One son is into vinyl and listens to everything from modern to Sam Cooke, to Dean Martin. It has been awesome to watch them develop their own likes and dislikes. Now they have Spotify and ITunes so you don’t have to buy a whole CD, you can only listen to what you like. They are so lucky!

15. Works Cited www.johndenver.com www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=6814
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