Holidays finished and we all are back at job. I'm sure, somebody of us spent free days on romantic way or dream's islands (see up) with perfect person.
My holidays were different, but also nice. I spent holidays on way. But perfect way, I think. I spent it in adventure parks in Europe, especially in Germany and Belgium. (And I recommend you Europa park in Rust.) But I don't like to write about parks. This blog isn't about that, but about music, especially in country and folk music.
It isn't list what you've waited. These names are names of Czech bands and singers. Yes, they are my favourite. And also Bee Gees and ABBA, but it isn't Folk or Country, as you know.
And what about American singers. I prefer John Denver.
1975 – Calypso, Fly Away, I’m Sorry, Thank God I’m A Country Boy
1976 – Looking For Space
1977 – Baby You Look Good To Me Tonight
1978 – How can I Leave You Again
1981 – Take Me Home Country Roads (re-release)
Platinum Albums (1 Million Sold):
Back Home Again
Poems, Prayers and Promises
Rocky Mountain High
John Denver’s Greatest Hits
An Evening With John Denver
A Christmas Together (John Denver and the Muppets)
I Want To Live
Spirit
Platinum Singles:
Take Me Home Country Roads
Gold Albums (1/2 Million Sold):
Rocky Mountain High
Farewell Andromeda
Aerie
Windsong
Back Home Again
Rocky Mountain Christmas
Poems, prayers and Promises
John Denver’s Greatest Hits
An Evening with John Denver
I Want To Live
A Christmas Together
Spirit
Somedays Are Diamonds
Gold Singles:
Sunshine On My Shoulders
Back Home Again
I’m Sorry
Thank God I’m A Country Boy
Annie’s Song
Perhaps Love (with Placido Damingo)
Canadian Gold:
John Denver’s Greatest Hits
A Christmas Together
Australian Gold:
Rocky Mountain Christmas
An Evening With John Denver
Windsong
Rocky Mountain High
John Denver’s Greatest Hits
Poems, Prayers and Promises
Back Home Again
Higher Ground
German Gold:
The Best of John Denver
In 1981, John received a special RCA Award for his album “ John Denver’s Greatest Hits”, which sold in excess of 20 Million copies in the United States alone, and is still one of the largest selling albums in the history of RCA.
INTERNATIONAL RECORD SALES
AUSTRALIA
GOLD (Over 20,000 units sold):
Spirit
Rocky Mountain High
Author
John Denver Live
An Evening With John Denver
Greatest Hits Volume 2
Windsong
Poems, Prayers and Promises
Back Home Again
PLATINUM (Over 50,000 units sold):
Greatest hits Volume 2
Back Home Again
Some Days Are Like Diamonds
GERMANY
GOLD (Over 250,000 units sold):
Great Successes (a release of Greatest Hits Vols. 1&2)
Next years weren't so good for John's career. He started to embark upon humanitarian causes, also to help to save wild animal' life, made friendship with ecological organizations.
John Denver was married twice. The first his wife was Annie Martell. Annie was the subject of his song Annie's Song. Both adopted two children, boy Zachary and girl Anna Kate. Zachary was subject of song A Baby Just Like You and Merry Christmas, Little Zachary.
In 1982 John divorce with Annie and in 1988 he married Cassandra Delaney, Australian singer and actress. They had daughter Jesse Belle. This marrage wasn't so long, only 5 years. They divorced in 1993. John Denver reconciled to his first wife Annie. They became friends.
It was bad day for all country scene. October 12, 1997. In that day John Denver piloted his aircraft. This A Long-EZ aircraft was experimental aircraft, which was designed by Burt Rutan in 70's. John had many experiences with piloting. John died in aircraft accident near Pacific Grove, California.
John was cremated with his first guitar - Gibson guitar- which had been given to him by his grandmother and which accompanied him during his all life.
Unfortunately John is death, but his songs with gentle melodies, are still famous. He accompanied himself on 12-strings guitar. His look was immuntable - western shirt, blue eyes, blond hair. HE was typical outdoor person, who loved life in the nature. His favourite color was green, favourite flowers were wild flowers. He lived in Rocky Mountains, in Aspen, Colorado. About this place, he wrote famous song Rocky Mountains High. The other his song Take Me Home, Country Roads became the Country Anthem and became to Songwriters Hall of Fame. Song Leaving On A Jet Plane was used in movie Armagedon.
During life, John Denver acquired a lot of Awards (Grammy, American Music, Emmy, etc.).
List of Awards: 1974 - Album of the Year (Academy of Country Music Awards)-Back Home Again 1975 - Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Special (Emmy Awards)-An Evening With John Denver 1975 - Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist (American Music Awards) 1975 - Song of the Year (Country Music Association Awards)- Back Home Again 1975 - Entertainer of the Year (Country Music Association Awards) 1976 - Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist (American Music Awards) 1976 - Favorite Country Male Artist (American Music Awards) 1976 - Favorite Country Album (American Music Awards) - Back Home Again 1997 - Best Musical Album for Children (Grammy Awards)-All Aboard! 1998 - Grammy Hall of Fame Award (Grammy Awards)-Take Me Home, Country Roads
Other recognition: · Poet Laureate of Colorado, 1977 · People’s Choice Award, 1977 · Carl Sandburg’s People’s Poet Award, 1982 · NASA Public Service Medal, 1985 · Albert Schweitzer Music Award, 1993 · Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, 1996 · Rocky Mountain High declared state song of Colorado, 2007 · Ten Outstanding Young Men of America, 1979
In 1969 he started his solo career and recorded his first album named Rhymes and Reasons in RCA Records (recording studio). The album hasn't huge success, but one song from this album became a number one in the same year. It was song Leaving On A Jet Plane.
In the next year he realised two albums, named Whose Garden Was This? and Take Me To Tomorrow. Although these albums were not as successful as those that followed, they would all be certified gold by the RIAA, and would later be considered some of his best work.
Next year and new album. It was Poem, Prayers and Promised. There was the famous hit and country anthem Take Me Home, Country Roads. From that time, Johny's career grew up and brought hit by hit.
In year 1972 was recorded his first Top Ten Album. Very famous song fromthat was Rocky Mountain High. It could say, this period was very rich of hits.There were Sunshine On My Shoulders, Annie's Song, Back Home Again, Thank God I'm Country Boy, Calypso, Sweet Surrender.
Why was he so succesful? What was the key of his popularity? They were many appearances on TV shows. His look with long blond hairs, western shirts with ornaments, etc, it was new image and made him very photogenic person - pop star. Denver made his own show, music special named Rocky Mountain Christmas. This show was watched by many millions people. Live concert An Evening With John Denver won the Emmy. From Muppet Show where John was many times visitor, there began the friendship with Jim Henson.
In 1977 John tried his historionic career in the movie Oh, God!. Year 1975 brought award to him (Country Music Associoation).
John Denver developed not only his singer's career, but started also wiht charity. In 1977 he co-founded The Hunger Project ("It is non-profit charitable organization incorporated in the state of California. The Hunger Project describes itself as committed to the sustainable end of world hunger. In thirteen countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, the organization claims it implements programs that mobilize rural grassroots communities to achieve sustainable progress in health, education, nutrition and family income." More information - Wikipedia) and cooperated with this organization until his death. He made song with this theme, named I Want To Live. John Denver also cooperated with UNICEF ("United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, which was created on December 11, 1946 to provide emergency food and healthcare to children in countries that had been devastated by World War II. Its programs emphasize developing community-level services to promote the health and well-being of children." More information - Wikipedia).
In 1982 John changed his image - he cut his long hair, he left the glassed and chose contact lenses, he started to work to promote political ideas. He promoted campain of Jimmy Carter. He symphatized with Democratic Party. During 1980's he critized Reagan Administration and also American Conservatism and Congress. From this period became folk rock ballad Let Us Begin (What Are We Making Weapons For), The Ballad of Richard Nixon, The Ballad of Spiro Agnew.
I remember that time, when I heard John Denver's songs the first time. It was in the night on Saturday, by radio in my room on school hostel. I was in bed and listened program of regional radio. Every Saturday was devoted to some country or folk singer. That day it was John Denver. I know the song Take me ome, Country roads, in Czech (by Michal Tučný) and English version, but I didn't know, who sang it in original or who is author of that. I should tell you, ussually it doesn't matter for me, who sang or composed or wrote the songs. For me, it's important if I like it or don't. The song Take me home, Country roads was only one songs by John what I knew in that time. On that Saturday, I listen about 20 songs and I liked it so much.
John Denver was the most popular folk singer and songwriter of the 1970s. He was born on December 31, 1943 in Roswell, New Mexico as Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr..
His father was Henry John Deutschendorf, Sr., the Air Force officer and flight instructor. John grew up near airport and airplanes. Maybe that's why he liked flying so much. But it's important to tell he had had some troubles with his father.
When John was years old boy, he received accoustic guitar. It was present by his grand mother. He started to learn during the time on college at local pubs. In the same time he adopted this next famous surname "Denver" (from the capital city of his favourite state).
In 1964 he leaved the University (Architecture at Texas Tech University) and went to Los Angeles, California, where he sang in folk pubs. One year later, he started with music folk group The Chad Mitchell Trio. Later band renamed to The Mitchell Trio and then Denver, Boise, and Johnson (the names of band members: John Denver, David Boise and Michael Johnson).
I think nobody is her who have never heard this legendary song, which became the Country Anthem. I know, everybody knows the name of it. Yes, you're true. It's Take Me Home Country Roads by John Denver.
I don't know how many translation this song has, but in our language it's known as Veď mě dál cesto má and this song is sung by many singers and also near every campfire and country festivals.
That's why, here it is: TAKE ME HOME, COUNTRY ROADS Written By John Denver, Bill Danoff, and Taffy Nivert
Almost Heaven, West Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River Life is old there, older than the trees Younger than the mountains, growin' like a breeze
Country Roads, take me home, to the place I belong West Virginia mountain mama Take me home, Country Roads
All my memories gather 'round her Miner's lady, stranger to blue water Dark and dusty, painted on the sky Misty taste of moonshine teardrop in my eye
Country Roads, take me home, to the place I belong West Virginia mountain mama Take me home, Country Roads
I hear her voice, in the mornin' hour as she calls me The radio reminds me of my home far away And drivin' down the road I get a feelin' That I should have been home yesterday, yesterday
Country Roads, take me home, to the place I belong West Virginia mountain mama Take me home, Country Roads
Country Roads, take me home, to the place I belong West Virginia mountain mama Take me home, Country Roads
Take me home, Country Roads Take me home, Country Roads
Take me home, Country Roads
Take me home, Country Roads
Take me home, Country Roads
Take me home, Country Roads (1983 - in Japan)
Take me home, Country Roads (by Pavel Bobek - legend of Czechoslovakia music scene)
