John's Life

Two of our members, Marilyn Strube and Jeff Schwartz, have produced a ‘timeline’ of John’s life – we hope you find it interesting.

December 31, 1943	Born Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. - Roswell, New Mexico.
1955	A shy child, he was given a 1910 Gibson F-hole guitar by his grandmother Swope (Mother’s mother) to help him overcome shyness. She teaches him a few chords – and it soon becomes his only obsession. He takes about 9 months of lessons. He takes the guitar everywhere he goes and is asked and granted permission to bring it to the school choir. He loves to play in front of people – it is his way of getting around his shyness.
Spring 1961	Graduated from High School in Texas.
Fall 1961	Henry John Deutschendorf enters Texas Tech University as an architecture student. Before the third year is over – (1964) he leaves and heads to California to join the folk singing circuit. The disappointment his father feels carries on for decades – his mother encourages him to follow his dreams.
1964	Working as a draftsman during the day – singer at night - he meets Randy Sparks of The New Christy Minstrels – and begins playing at Ledbetter’s. Randy Sparks is convinced of a great talent – but jokingly told John - even if he did get a recording contract – they could never fit his name on the record label!! John chooses the last name of Denver because he once visited there associated the beauty of the Rocky Mountains with the city of Denver. He also wants to keep his initials – as most people call him “JD”.
Fall 1965	John sends an audition tape to Milt Okun for the group “The Chad Mitchell Trio” to replace Chad Mitchell. There are 350 applicants – John is chosen by Milt Okun and starts touring as “The Mitchell Trio” – then “Denver, Boise and Johnston”.
Spring 1966	John met Annie Martell, St. Peter, MN - Gustavus Adolphus College – while touring with the Mitchell Trio. He asks her for a date and is turned down!!! He asks 3 times – she finally accepts – they begin a relationship.
Winter 1966	Writes the song “Oh Babe, I Hate To Go”.
June 9, 1967	Married Annie Martell - St. Peter, MN.
Spring 1969	Milt Okun hears “Oh Babe, I Hate To Go” – changes the title to “Leaving On A Jet Plane” – recorded by Peter, Paul & Mary – becomes their ONLY #1 hit!
Summer 1969	Signs record contract with RCA.
Summer 1969	Releases first album: Rhymes and Reasons – highest chart position is #148
Fall 1969	Releases seconds album: Take Me to Tomorrow – highest chart position is #197
1970	Moved to Aspen, December
1970	Releases third album – Whose Garden Was This – does not make top 200 on any chart.
Spring 1971	Releases fourth album - Poems, Prayers and Promises “Country Roads” released as a single in April – get to #135 on pop chart – RCA pulls it – Okun/Denver calls RCA and beg them to push it through summer – they agree – by August it becomes #1 song in America – selling over 3,000,000 copies!
Spring 1972	Released “Aerie” – highest rank #37 - Got involved with EST – Werner Erhard
Summer 1972	Writes “Rocky Mountain High” while observing Perseid meteor shower. Later admits – he was completely stoned! Reaches #9 on hot 100 list.
August 19, 1972	John Denver is the original hosts the Friday night TV show "The Midnight Special" The show is later bought by Burt Sugarman – and turned into a weekly special – and will have an 8 year run on NBC following The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.
Spring 1973	BBC series recorded at Shepherd’s Bush Green, England – 6 episodes. Rating were good.
1973	Greatest Hits Album released – causes record industry to redo awards (first album in history to sell 10,000,000 copies within 6 months of release date) Old award was only Gold = 1,000,000l!! Now Gold = 500,000 – Platinum = 1,000,000 Diamond 10,000,000 sales.
1973	Owen Marshall: Counsellor at Law 1 episode - The Camerons Are a Special Clan
May 23, 1974	Zak is born in Minnesota.
Winter 1974	Annie’s Song is written in 10 minutes on a ski lift! This song alone eventually earns $35,000,000 for John.
1974	Appeared on McCloud – The Colorado Cattle Caper
1974	Bighorn!
1975	Releases “An Evening With John Denver” Double live album. Awarded Emmy For “Best Musical Album or Special”.
1975	Releases “Back Home Again” – album of the year. Air play money pays for house/land in Starwood Colorado. John designs the house – on 7.65 acres of land - using architectural knowledge from Texas Tech!
1975	Country Music Association (CMA) Entertainer of the Year
1975	“Back Home, Again” CMA Album of the Year
1975	“A Rocky Mountain Christmas”
Summer 1976	Campaigned for Jimmy Carter, Purchased 1000 acres of pristine land in Snowmass, CO – Started WindStar with Tom Crum.
Dec 19, 1976	Anna Kate is born in Minnesota.
Dec 25, 1976	John leaves to begin filming “Oh, God!”
1977	Starred in “Oh God”
1977	Awarded Poet Laurite Of Colorado.
1979	John Denver and the Muppets. A Christmas Together. Suffering from depression, John thinks of jumping off a balcony in London. L
1980	“Rocky Mountain Reunion” Nature Special
1981	”Music and The Mountains” TV special
1981	Two of a Kind Special with George Burns
1982	Awarded Star on Hollywood walk of Fame. Never schedules ceremony.
1982	Awarded Footprints in Cement on Hollywood Celebrity Walk of Fame. Never schedules ceremony.
March 15, 1982	John’s father “Dutch” dies of heart failure.
June 9, 1982	Annie asked for a divorce – on their 15th wedding anniversary!!! Reports of many of John’s affairs while on the road are in most papers.
1982	A Rocky Mountain Holiday with the Muppets.
1982	The divorce from Annie is final.
1983	Sang Wild Montana Skies with Emmylou Harris
1983	The Higher We Fly.
1983	Guild releases John from his contract. He can now play any guitar he wants – he mostly plays Taylor Guitars
1983	It’s About Time Release, Includes Falling Out of Love
1984	Visited Africa for the Hunger Project
1985	Farm Aid
1985	Awarded NASA Public Service Medal – comes up with the idea of “Citizens In Space” Program and is promised to be the first. Then President Reagan decided it must be a teacher. Denver agrees.
January 28, 1986	Challenger explodes – John writes “They Were Flying For Me”
1986	John is dropped by RCA, probably because new owner General Electric objects to “What are we making weapons for?”. They do business in the weapons industry.
1986	John met Cassandra Delaney in Australia – she recalls her first thoughts were “I’m going to marry him someday soon.”
1986	The Christmas Gift
1986	The Leftovers
1987	Foxfire
August 12, 1988	John married Cassandra in Aspen, CO.
1988	A Christmas in Aspen
1988	Higher Ground
January 1988	John is offered trip to Russian Mir space station. He declines – the training and time away – he would miss the birth of his daughter.
May 18, 1989	Jesse Belle is born.
1993	Walking Thunder is filmed.
1993	The Chippewa Indians gave John Denver the Chippewa Name “Chimigwetch” which translates to “He Who Sees Eagles”.
1993	John divorced Cassandra – they have been living apart of over 2 years.
1994	Guild Guitars files bankruptcy – is purchased by Fender guitars.
1994	Wrote Autobiography “Take Me Home”. Ron Deutschendorf (John’s younger brother) says it is all fiction. Many friends are disappointed – John abruptly ends the book signing tour.
February 1995	Wildlife Concert is performed at the request of SONY/BMG executive. 2 concerts in 2 days. It is a smash hit for video and a Platinum Double album within 1 year of release. RCA’s new management wants Denver back – SONY/BGM wants him. Negotiations begin with both.
Summer 1996	John Denver is voted into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame.
1997	Walking Thunder is released.
March 1997	The FAA disqualifies John Denver and revokes his pilot’s license due to a DUI in Aspen.
August 16, 1997	“All Aboard” Denver’s final album is released. It is marketed as a children’s album about trains and includes his 4th song of his career using the name Jesse – “Jesse Dreamed Of Trains” – which was a reprise of “Jenny Dreamed Of Trains” the albums first track.
September 1997	John buys a 10 year old experimental airplane – Long EZ to travel from Monterey, California to Aspen, Colorado. It has an oversized engine and 2 car batteries in the nose for balance. He buys the plane so he can spend more time with daughter Jesse. He also rents a house in Monterey – Clint Eastwood is his next door neighbour.
October 5, 1997	John flies Long EZ to Monterey – is told by 2 Long EZ test pilots to replace fuel switch. It is ordered and will be installed in 2 weeks – when he is on a short tour.
October 12, 1997 05:28 PM PST	John Denver plays a round of golf at Spyglass and decides to fly his new plane and buzz his friend Clint Eastwood’s house. He is killed in an airplane accident in Monterey, CA L Word leaks to press – Annie is notified in Aspen – Anna Kate is with her – they cannot locate Zachary (He later hears it on his car radio) Cassandra is called in California – she decided to wait until tomorrow to tell Jesse Belle.
October 13, 1997 08:00AM PST	NTSB (case #07-227) officially releases news: The only person aboard was killed and has been positively identified through fingerprints obtained from the Aspen Police Department as Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. – known as singer “John Denver”. Annie is officially notified in Aspen, Colorado. Cassandra Delaney tells 8 year old Jesse Belle Denver – she can be heard by neighbours screaming “Not My Daddy!” Colorado and Minnesota order all state flags to half staff for 3 days of morning. (First time ever for 2 different states to lower flags for an entertainer.) 32 people were interviewed as eye witnesses to the accident. The NTSB notes that Denver’s pilots licence had been suspended several months ago - due to a DUI in Aspen. The DUI was due to go to court in January 1998.
October 17, 1997	A memorial service for John Denver takes place at 10:00AM at Faith Presbyterian Church in Aurora Colorado. The Postlude song was "The Wings That Fly Us Home" from the 1976 album “Spirit”. John Denver’s ashes are scattered over the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. The government forced the sale of his house and property in Starwood, Colorado – to pay taxes.
November 1997	“All Aboard” Denver’s final album is posthumously awarded a Grammy for “Best Children’s Album” – Denver’s 1st Grammy. The Grammy is accepted by Anna Kate, Zachary and given to Jesse Belle. “Take Me Home, Country Roads” is inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame – as best original recording.
1998	Nature (producer)
1998	Let This Be A Voice – is released
1998	John Denver – A Portrait is released
1999	The WildLife Concert - 2 disc release is officially awarded Diamond status (5,000,000 double album copies sold)
1999	John Denver’s house and land sell for $4,500,000. It will be used as a summer vacation house.
1999	NTSB Final Report is released – reason for accident: while flying at about 500 feet, he was reaching to back of plane to turn fuel switch – accidentally pressed right rudder pedal – goes into a dive – too low to get out of. The official cause of accident is “Pilot Error”.
2002	John Denver’s estate gets a $600,000 refund – due to the IRS overestimation of his value upon his death.
2005	John Denver - A Song’s Best Friend is released and becomes the most watched PBS special in PBS History – passing 1976 “Cosmos” by Carl Sagan.
November 6, 2007	The mark the 10th anniversary of Denver’s death, the 1985 Russian tour tapes are located and “JOHN DENVER – Live in the USSR” is released. Colorado votes “Rocky Mountain High” as official state song – also keeps “Where the Columbine Grow” as official state song.