© 1975 ABC Television

Singer/songwriter John Denver sold more than 33 million records, with his wholesome country boy image helping to make him one of the best-selling icons of the 1970s. As a prolific songwriter, he recorded around 300 songs and enjoyed a career at the top for three decades. Although he was born in the city of New Mexico, Roswell, he was true to his stage persona at heart, enjoying a rural lifestyle in later life and moving to the retreat of Aspen, Colorado, where he took up the hobbies of painting and photography. The folk music icon recorded eight platinum and 14 gold-selling albums. Today, 22 years after his tragic death in a plane crash in 1997, at the age of 53, Denver is still one of the top five best-selling artists of all time. What inspired Denver to sing? Denver's father, Captain Henry John Deutschendorf Snr, was a US Air Force pilot, who lived with his wife, Erma Louise, on the Roswell air base. Their son, Henry John Deutschendorf, was born on 31st December 1943. He changed his name to John Denver when he first pursued a music career because he thought his real name would be too long to fit on publicity posters. After the family relocated to Tucson, Arizona, Denver started singing with the Tucson Arizona Boys' Chorus, which was to inspire an interest in music that was to last his entire life. His grandma bought him a guitar for his 11th birthday and he taught himself to play. He started out playing gigs in local clubs to pay for his college education. He was determined to follow a career in the music industry, but initially wrote songs for other artists. Cementing his position as a great writer, he wrote Leaving on a Jet Plane for the folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary in 1966. When was his first record deal? Denver was rejected by many record companies when he first tried to win a deal, as his acoustic style was considered old-fashioned. Music industry moguls felt the folk era was over, but RCA Records' Harry Jenkins took a chance on Denver in 1969, offering him his first record deal. Aged 26, he released his debut album, Rhymes and Reasons. Denver organised his own publicity tour across the American Midwest when RCA failed to do so. His name was well known as a result of writing Leaving on a Jet Plane, so when he turned up at venues and radio stations in various towns, offering to play, he was welcomed with open arms. He was so successful that the impromptu tour lasted for months and he built up a big fan base, spurring RCA record chiefs to extend his contract to a four-album deal. How did he earn his country boy image? Denver's laid back, simple, acoustic style and clean-cut charm soon earned him the image of a wholesome country boy. He released his own version of Leaving on a Jet Plane in 1969, followed by Take Me Home, Country Roads in 1971 and Rocky Mountain High in 1972. He continued his succession of folk hits with Annie's Song and Thank God I’m a Country Boy in 1974. His acoustic songs, with simple lyrics about human emotions that meant something to listeners, made him a best-selling artist. He had a number one hit in the United States and Canada with Thank God I'm a Country Boy, which was written by John Martin Sommers in December 1973. What was the song's background? There was no deep or hidden meaning in the song's lyrics. Sommers later said he'd had the idea for the song as he drove from his Aspen home to Los Angeles. He recalled that he felt “peaceful, happy and content” with his life at the time. The idea for the lyrics started forming as a result of his happy state of mind and he began to scribble down some notes, when he stopped en route, about the thoughts going through his head. They were the inspiration for the song, which began with the words, "Life on the farm is kinda laid back, there ain't much an old country boy like me can't hack. It's early to rise, early in the sack, thank God I'm a country boy!" The lyrics were close to home for Denver, especially since he settled in Aspen himself. Initially, he recorded it as a track on his 1974 album, Back Home Again. When it was released as a single, it shot straight to the top of the US charts. Denver went on to host his own variety show in 1977, which he called Thank God I'm a Country Boy. He also hosted several television specials, with more than 60 million viewers tuning in to watch his ABC networked show, Rocky Mountain Christmas. What were his main achievements? Presented by country singer and songwriter Charlie Rich, Denver won the Entertainer of the Year title at the Country Music Awards in 1975. It was said that Rich didn't think Denver should be eligible for the award, due to his crossover folk and country style. However, Denver won regardless, beating competition from the likes of Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn, who were both well-established country stars at the time. When Rich opened the envelope and saw that Denver had won, he launched his own one-man protest - taking a lighter from his pocket and igniting the card! Denver ignored Rich's actions when he gave his acceptance speech and spoke of his delight. Rich had shot himself in the proverbial foot - he was blacklisted from future awards shows. In later life, Denver supported a multitude of conservation and humanitarian projects, setting up an environmental organisation, Plant It 2020. He also hosted a television documentary, in collaboration with the US Environmental Protection Agency, called In Partnership with Earth. After moving to Aspen, Denver was tragically killed on 12th October 1997. He was a trained pilot, who had more than 2,700 hours' flying time under his belt, but he died as he prepared to land his Rutan Long-EZ aircraft at Monterey Peninsula Airport, California, when the plane crashed into Monterey Bay. He has left a legacy of his wonderful music, which still sells well today and inspires generations of young musicians and singers.   Thank god we’re a country store! If you're a country dweller, we can supply the essential clothing you will need to enjoy an outdoor lifestyle, whatever the weather.  Check out our website for further information on our wide range of garments.