In October of 1997, the world lost a beloved singer, songwriter, actor and activist in a tragic plane crash at the age of 53. And one of the of the most popular performers when I was a kid.
The songs of John Denver had a way of capturing the heart and imagination. With songs that painted pictures of somewhere far away. The places he sang about seemed a world away from my tiny town of Marquette, Manitoba.
Maybe it was his music that instilled in me the love for travel that I have today. Because back then, his songs opened my mind to how vast our world was. So many places to be seen and celebrated.
The songs of John Denver
John Denver’s soul must have been moved by landscapes. So much so that he wanted to write songs about them. Like Country Roads, for example.
Everyone who has ever heard that song knows about West Virginia and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Part of the Appalachians, the Blue Ridge got its name because it appears blue from a distance.
The Shenandoah River, from the same song, flows through Shenandoah National Park – a popular US locale for backcountry camping and hiking. Shenandoah National Park is linked to another by the Blue Ridge Parkway, a 755-kilometer picturesque highway that is part of the much larger Appalachian Trail.
Celebrating the Rocky Mountains
John Denver, born Henry John Deutschendorf Jr., must have loved mountains. Because he also serenaded the range to the west. In Rocky Mountain High, he sings of a man who finds peace and solitude among Colorado’s majestic peaks. Was he singing about himself?
Anyone who has seen the Rockies can attest to their rugged beauty. And understand how an artist would be inspired by them. Apparently Denver was so enamoured by his favourite state that he changed his last name to that of its capital city.
Singing about Canada, too
North of Denver, Colorado is Jasper, Alberta, forever immortalized in the song Rocky Mountain Suite. Established in 1813, Jasper was a fur trade outpost on the York Factory trade route. The region was designated Jasper National Park in 1907, and has been a draw for tourists from around the world ever since.
John Denver also sang about other places in his songs, including the province of Alberta in Four Strong Winds, and its’ neighbouring US state in Wild Montana Skies.
Through the songs of John Denver, he shared his love of nature and the joy he found in adventure with anyone who would listen.
I’m glad I did.
