Often enough his own songs can carry off this same quality of tuneful, eminently listenable simplicity even when he gets to waxing pensive, John can usually maintain just enough good cheer to carry him through (as in the above-average title cut). "Take Me Home, Country Roads" is the cut that had some AM airplay, and it's a showcase example of John doing what he does best - bright, easy singing, friendly, workmanlike 12-string, and above all not falling into the trap of taking himself too seriously. They're all uneven, but this may well be the best of the lot by virtue of the better-than-average number of rough diamonds in its midst. John's made four albums since "Leaving On A Jet Plane" success brought him away from the trio and out on his own. What he also is, surprisingly enough, is a very solid good-timey singer who is at least talented enough to be forgiven a few of his trespasses.
THE ESSENTIAL JOHN DENVER ALBUM COVER AMAZON FULL
He's also corny as Kansas in August, full enough of tiresome platitudes about sunshine and feelings and giving peace a chance to render a good many of his compositions far too McKuenesque for comfort. He's loaded to the gills with it, and also with the kind of welterweight political conscience the Chad Mitchell Trio used to make the most of when they'd badmouth Barry Goldwater and then call themselves "irreverent." John, despite the early evidence of his Mitchell Trio days (he took over lead position when Chad left the group and took his first name with him right about then the boys got immeasurably better, though nobody bought enough records to find out), is just about as reverent as they come. He was 53.John Denver has a problem with sincerity. The announcement of The Music Is You: A Tribute to John Denver comes 15 years after Denver died when the light plane he was piloting crashed in the ocean off Monterey, Calif. PHOTOS: The Best (and Worst) Moments of Grammys 2012ĭenver hosted the Grammy Awards five times, including four consecutive from 1982-85 won a posthumous Grammy in 1997 scored an Emmy in 1975 for his special An Evening With John Denver was named entertainer of the year by the Country Music Association in 1975 guest-hosted The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson several times and co-starred with George Burns in the 1977 comedy hit Oh, God! and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. alone, including 9 million-plus copies of John Denver’s Greatest Hits. He has sold more than 33 million albums in the U.S. He also had a string of hit LPs, including three No. His “Rocky Mountain High” is the state song of Colorado. Four of those (“Sunshine on My Shoulders,” “Annie’s Song, “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” and “I’m Sorry”) topped the Billboard Hot 100 during a span of 19 months.
but closely associated with Colorado, where he lived for decades and was named its poet laureate - Denver enjoyed a run of eight Top 10 singles from 1971-75. 1 hit for Peter, Paul and Mary in 1969.ĬONCERT REVIEW: Dave Matthews Band at the Hollywood BowlĪlso contributing to the record are Lucinda Williams, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Amos Lee, Mary Chapin Carpenter, J Mascis, ex-Lemonhead Evan Dando and others.īorn Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. 197 on the Billboard 200 in 1970 Brandi Carlile’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” Denver’s breakout single from 1971 and My Morning Jacket’s take on the Denver-penned “Leaving, on a Jet Plane,” a No. Highlights include Dave Matthews covering “Take Me to Tomorrow,” the title track of Denver’s sophomore album, which peaked at No. A portion of its profits will benefit environmental initiatives in Denver’s name. The album features a clutch of rock, country and pop acts playing the bespectacled singer-songwriter’s biggest hits as well as lesser-known songs. This time, others will be shouldering the sunshine.ĪTO Records plans a February release for The Music Is You: A Tribute to John Denver, a star-studded homage to the ’70s hitmaker.