John Denver

John Denver (December 31, 1943 – October 12, 1997), born Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr., was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Denver died at the age of 53 off the coast of Monterey, California while piloting a Rutan Long-EZ, an experimental fiberglass airplane.

Early years

John Denver was born in Roswell, New Mexico. His father, Henry Deutschendorf, Sr., was an Air Force officer andflight instructor. Denver was born while his father was stationed at the Roswell Army Air Field. He grew up on a number of military bases in the American southwest. Denver attended high school in Fort Worth, Texas and later enrolled at Texas Tech where he was a member of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity.

Related Topics:
Roswell, New Mexico - Air Force - Flight instructor - Roswell Army Air Field - American southwest - Fort Worth, Texas - Texas Tech - Delta Tau Delta

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

His introduction to playing music came at the age of twelve when his grandmother gave him a 1910 Gibson acoustic guitar. Denver began performing at local clubs while in college. He dropped out of college in 1964 and moved to Los Angeles to join the Chad Mitchell Trio, a folk group. He left the group, by then known as Denver, Boise and Johnson, in 1969 to pursue a solo career.

Related Topics:
1910 - Gibson - 1964 - Los Angeles - Chad Mitchell Trio - Folk - 1969

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

That same year he released his debut LP, Rhymes and Reasons. Within the next four years, albums such as Whose Garden Was This, Take Me to Tomorrow, and Poems, Prayers and Promises established him as one of America's popular recording stars.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~