John denver autobiography

While the frontiers of the American West satisfied his spirit, less-traveled frontiers appealed to his imagination. Denver was an experienced airplane pilot and collected vintage biplanes. Denver planned to write a song in space, but circumstances kept him from joining the ill-fated expedition, which saddened the world when it exploded during take-off in Among his many gifts, Denver was also a talented photographer.

He photographed images of the people and places he experienced in his travels and showed his work professionally, often in connection with speeches made at colleges and universities as well as government and business johns denver autobiography across the country. He spent as much time as possible backpacking, hiking, climbing and fishing.

He was an avid golfer and skier, regularly participating in celebrity charity events for both sports. Even relationships with managers, promoters, band members, and others were important to him. For example, he took on the responsibility of paying off all the debt incurred by the Mitchell Trio even after the group broke up and he went on to a successful separate career.

On a personal note, I first saw him perform as the lead singer of the above mentioned Mitchell Trio when they played a show at the college I was attending. Obviously, I had no idea at the time just how far his career would take him. The only other time that I saw him perform in person was in the early s at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center.

It was a surprise to me that John Denver had written an autobiography not too many years before his death. If you like his songs, it will be interesting to read about his personality. I don't think I would have liked him. Whenever he discussed a mistake he made, he always insinuated that others were at fault, too, which mitigated his error - at least in his own mind.

His ego shows through at these times. It was always interesting to read about the many people he knew and played with. In the end, it got too much and he was just dropping names - almost like he wanted to please those he knew by including them in his book. Some of the stories he tells are a surprise. He should have omitted them or at least be embarrassed to write them.

After he and Annie were divorced, he went to their home in Aspen and rang the doorbell. Annie answered and he put his hands around her throat as if to kill her, but pulled back at the last instant. He then took a chainsaw to the kitchen table and dining room table. A very immature action. At the end of the book, he gets more into his spiritualism which is New Age-ish.

He was very emotionally driven and not very much into deep analysis and understanding of life. Randy Daugherty. This gets a five star rating partly to my affinity for the artist and the openness he shares of his life. He takes us inside both of his Marriages the first to Annie Martel who we all know from Annie's song and the other to Cassandra Delaney.

He discusses his good and bad business partnerships and those agreements that though often feeling like he was used may have helped further a cause he believed in. We get a full coverage of Johns singing career, his family history and most of his love of life and that of the land. He describes his first encounter with Alaska, the resentment many native Alaskans felt and his falling in love with what he considered our last chance to do something right in the beginning with a wilderness and he was instrumental in helping get passed the Alaskan Land bill, something of which he was very proud of, we learn of Windstar a project though not named he had thought of since he was a youth.

Most of all we learn of a man making mistakes, finding love success, losing one or the other, the trials he goes through as he grows. It is a story of finding one's self and the process that may take. This is a great read whether you are a fan of his music or not, I would highly recommend giving this a chance. Is he a good person? Probably not. Throughout the book, it is clear that Denver would rather blame others than take accountability for any of his actions.

I have been a John Denver fan forever. I have to say that while I "liked" this book I was disappointed in him as a person. He even mentions how he was worried at one point that people would be disappointed in him but decided to come clean so to speak. It makes me sad that he cheated on his wife over and over like it was nothing. It makes me sad that he had a few DUI's.

It makes me sad that he was above the law and flew when his license was revoked and dies. This wasn't in the book obviously, I looked it up. What a loss of a great talent. Not sure why I continue to read autobiographies. They always irritate me with the glossy version that the subject wants you know. But I love John Denver's music, so I was drawn in once again.

And, once again annoyed with an endless list of peoples and gripes and slights. Don't get me wrong, he led an interesting life, filled with highs and lows. And I do john denver autobiography he was a brilliant song writer with a calming, melodic voice that was silenced much too soon plane crash in - but, in this instance, prose was not his forte.

Lovely insight into a difficult journey Well written and articulate story of a man with many sides, many joys, and many daemons, I had no idea. I wish I could have met him. Karla Martinsen. Oh, what we lost. This was hard for me to read, I had him on such a high pedestal and his own words made me accept he was a "mere mortal" as all men.

This is John Denver's own story. I always thought he was a happy go lucky man. He had his own troubles and found his story sad. Some insights into his character. Very much a man of his times except for his commitment to the planet. Carol Alaniz. I had seen John in concert three times in the 70s, and the concerts were great. John was very warm and open with his fans.

I was very sad when he died. I had hopes this book would be much like John as he was during his concerts and on TV. But, when I got past the chapters about his family and his upbringing, I began to wonder what the heck was the point of the book. I could give many examples…for instance, John mentions frequently that he and his first wife, Annie, grew apart after they moved to Aspen, Colorado.

So, what was going on? Did they sit down and talk at all? What, specifically did they talk about? And, later in the book, discussing his divorce from his second wife, Cassandra, John wrote "She made a fool of me from one end of the valley to the other. What happened to make John say that? Again, no explanation of his ex-wife's behavior. John also mentions his infidelity, but then also wrote that to him, sex with women other than Annie was not that big of a "john denver autobiography." So then, why cheat?

There's no explanation. John teased about personal subjects, then gave little clarity, but wrote a chapter or more to his views on ecology and what he felt needed to be done, as well as his views on world hunger. John wrote that John Summers threw musical instruments around in a room one day, in a sudden fit of anger; and the men had words. What exactly happened?

Then John wrote that everything that John Summer did was quickly forgiven. John devoted maybe a half of a paragraph to this fight. John Denver had a perfect opportunity to explain to readers exactly what life on the road is like. He didn't say much about missing Annie and wanting to be with her — BUT, he missed Aspen and the mountains!

They seemed more important. While I was reading the book, I felt that John perhaps wanted to discuss many things more in depth, but then pulled back, fearing he was divulging information that his bandmates, family, friends, etc.

John denver autobiography: The son of a U.S. Air

I put it john denver autobiography in disgust when I came to the unnecessary chapter toward the end of the book, on his views on ecology. Two years earlier, he had made a self-produced demo recording of some of the songs he played at his concerts. He made several copies and gave them out as presents for Christmas. Their rendition hit number one on the Billboard Hot When he was successful in persuading a school, college, American Legion hall, or coffeehouse to let him play, Denver distributed posters in the town and usually showed up at the local radio station, guitar in hand, offering himself for an interview.

Some venues let him play for the 'door'; others restricted him to selling copies of the album at intermission and after the show. After several months of this, Denver had built a solid fan base, many of whom remained loyal throughout his career. Denver recorded two more albums inTake Me to Tomorrow and Whose Garden Was Thisincluding a mix of songs he had written and covers.

Its success was due in part to the efforts of his new manager, future Hollywood producer Jerry Weintraubwho signed Denver in Weintraub insisted on a reissue of the track and began a radio airplay campaign that started in Denver, Colorado. Denver's career flourished thereafter, and he had a series of hits over the next four years. In the s, Denver's onstage appearance included long blond hair and wire-rimmed "granny" glasses.

Weintraub insisted on a significant number of television appearances, including a series of half-hour shows in the United Kingdom, despite Denver's protests at the time, "I've had no success in Britain I mean none ". I had to get him to the people. After appearing as a guest on many shows, Denver hosted his own variety and music specials, including several concerts from Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

His seasonal special, Rocky Mountain Christmaswas watched by more than 60 million people and was the highest-rated show for the ABC network at that time. Denver later told Arthur Tobier, when the latter transcribed his autobiography, [ 14 ] "I'd bend my principles to support something he wanted of me. And of course, every time you bend your principles — whether because you don't want to worry about it, or because you're afraid to stand up for fear of what you might lose — you sell your soul to the devil".

InDenver starred in the hit comedy film Oh, God! He also hosted the Grammy Awards five times in the s and s, and guest-hosted The Tonight Show on several occasions. At the ceremony, the outgoing Entertainer of the Year, Charlie Richpresented the award to his successor after he set fire to the slip of paper containing the official notification of the award.

Denver's music was defended by country singer Kathy Matteawho told Alanna Nash of Entertainment Weekly : "A lot of people write him off as lightweight, but he articulated a kind of optimism, and he brought acoustic music to the forefront, bridging folk, pop, and country in a fresh way People forget how huge he was worldwide. He served for many years and supported the organization until his death.

Denver wrote the song "I Want to Live" as the commission's theme song. Denver's father taught him to fly in the mids, which led to their reconciliation. In the mids, Denver became outspoken in politics. He expressed his ecological interests in the epic song " Calypso ", an ode to the eponymous exploration ship RV Calypso used by Jacques Cousteau.

InDenver campaigned for Jimmy Carterwho became a close friend and ally. Denver was a supporter of the Democratic Party and of a number of charitable causes for the environmental movement, the homeless, the poor, the hungry, and the African AIDS crisis. He founded the charitable Windstar Foundation in to promote sustainable living. Denver's dismay at the Chernobyl disaster led to precedent-setting concerts in parts of communist Asia and Europe.

During the s, Denver was critical of Ronald Reagan's john denver autobiography and remained active in his campaign against hunger, for which Reagan awarded Denver the Presidential World Without Hunger Award in In an open letter to the media, Denver wrote that he opposed oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

He had battled to expand the refuge in the s, and he praised President Bill Clinton for his opposition to the proposed drilling. The letter, which Denver wrote in the midst of the United States presidential electionwas one of the last he ever wrote. Denver had a few more US Top 30 hits as the s ended, but nothing to match his earlier success.

Denver began to focus more on humanitarian and sustainability causes, focusing extensively on nature conservation projects. He made public expression of his acquaintances and friendships with ecological design researchers such as Richard Buckminster Fuller about whom he wrote and composed "What One Man Can Do" and Amory Lovinsfrom whom he said he learned much.

Denver also founded the environmental group Plant-It originally Plant-It He also had a keen interest in solutions to world hunger and visited Africa during the s to witness firsthand the suffering caused by starvation and work with African leaders toward solutions. From to at leastDenver annually performed at the fundraising picnic for the Aspen Camp School for the Deaf, raising half of the camp's annual operating budget.

In andDenver hosted the annual Grammy Awards, which he had previously done in, and In the finale, he was joined on stage by folk music legend Joan Baezwith whom Denver led an all-star version of " Blowin' in the Wind " and " Let the Sunshine In ", joined by such diverse musical icons as Jennifer WarnesDonna Summerand Rick James. Denver worked as both a performer and a skiing commentator, as skiing was another of his enthusiasms.

Denver composed "The Gold and Beyond", and sang it for the Olympic Games athletes, as well as local venues including many schools. InDenver asked to participate in the singing of " We Are the World " but was rejected, despite his obvious genuine john denver autobiography to charity work and his musical talent. According to Ken Kragen who helped produce the songDenver was snubbed because many people felt his image would hurt the credibility of the song as a pop-rock anthem.

He conscientiously worked to help bring into being the "Citizens in Space" program. InDenver received the NASA Exceptional Public Service Medal for "helping to increase awareness of space exploration by the peoples of the world", an award usually restricted to spaceflight engineers and designers. That same year, he passed NASA's rigorous physical exam and was in line for a space flight, a finalist for the first citizen's trip on the Space Shuttle in For instance, Denver described how he was censored for " Rocky Mountain High ", which was misconstrued as a drug song.

Denver also toured Russia in Inhe published his autobiography, Take Me Homein which he candidly spoke of his cannabisLSDand cocaine use, marital infidelities, and history of domestic violence. InDenver filmed an episode for the television series Naturecentering on the natural wonders that inspired many of his best-loved songs. His last song, "Yellowstone, Coming Home", composed while rafting along the Colorado River with his son and young daughter, is included.

Denver's first marriage, inwas to Annie Martell of St. Peter, Minnesota. He lived in Aspen until his death. I'm some guy's dad; I'm some little gal's dad. That's more than enough. Denver and Martell divorced in In a interview shown in the documentary John Denver: Country BoyDenver said that career demands drove them apart; Martell said they were too young and immature to deal with Denver's sudden success.

To drive home the point that their assets were being split in the divorce, he cut their marital bed in half with a chainsaw. Denver married Australian actress Cassandra Delaney in after a two-year courtship. Settling at Denver's home in Aspen, the couple had a daughter, Jesse Belle. Denver and Delaney separated in and divorced in InDenver pleaded guilty to a drunken driving charge and was placed on probation.

Beyond music, Denver's artistic interests included painting, but because of his limiting schedule, Denver pursued photography, saying once, "photography is a way to communicate a feeling. Denver was also an avid skier and golfer, but his principal interest was in flying. Denver's love of flying was second only to his love of music.

He was a collector of vintage biplanes and owned a Christen Eagle aerobatic plane, two Cessna Centurion airplanes, and a amateur-built Rutan Long-EZ. On April 21,Denver was in a plane accident while taxiing down the runway at Holbrook Municipal Airport in his vintage biplane. Reports stated wind gusts caught the plane, causing it to spin around and sustain extensive damage.

Denver was not harmed in the incident. Denver was a pilot with over 2, hours of experience. He had pilot ratings for single-engine land and sea, multi-engine land, glider and instrument.

John denver autobiography: In Take Me Home, John

Denver also held a type rating in his Learjet. He had recently purchased the Long-EZ aircraft, made by someone else from a kit, [ 62 ] and had taken a half-hour checkout flight with the aircraft the day before the crash. Denver was not legally permitted to fly at the time of the crash. In previous years, he had been arrested several times for drunk driving.

The post-crash investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board NTSB showed that the leading cause of the crash was Denver's inability to switch fuel tanks during flight. The quantity of fuel had been depleted during the plane's flight to Monterey and in several brief practice takeoffs and landings Denver performed at the airport immediately before the final flight.

His newly purchased amateur-built Rutan aircraft had an unusual fuel tank selector valve handle configuration. The handle had originally been intended by the plane's designer to be between the pilot's legs. The builder instead put it behind the pilot's left shoulder. The fuel gauge was also placed behind the pilot's seat and was not visible to the "john denver autobiography" at the controls.

I don't know if his plane accident was suicide One time he wanted to jump out a window when his relationship with his wife was not working. He wanted to soar like Eagles. He was starting to not run and face his inner self. He gives information about how he did this and his health. I don't think bad about him at all. I just wish he could have found the love he always wanted on this john denver autobiography.

I loved his adventures around the world that helped him. He always wanted to be acceptable and make others happy. He was happiest playing his guitar. Maybe playing kept him busy so he didn't think about his feeling alone. To me he maybe Celiac due to Irish heritage which may have caused his depression and family tree relationships issues.

At one time he got special cooking. As an aspiring singer-songwriter I was looking forward to reading "Take Me Home. The book got off to a good start, recounting his childhood through his college years and start in the music biz. But then it seemed to drag about halfway through when he began to dwell on his activism. Certainly world hunger and the environment are important issues, but I was more interested in reading about his music and his craft as a songwriter.

Not that he doesn't talk about the music, he does, but far less than I'd hoped. The one thing I did like was that when he did talk about a song he included a full lyrical transcription. He just didn't do it enough. There's plenty in the book about his home life, his marriages, his world view and relationships with his parents which was insightful and interesting.

He admits to being a very serious person, and that definitely comes through. I was a bit disheartened by reading the book though, as I realized that someone who could be so charming and witty on stage, seems almost humorless off. There were also certain events he made no mention of. I was interested in hearing why he turned down the role which subsequently went to Richard Gere he was offered in "An Officer and a Gentlemen.

I couldn't wait to read about the senate hearings on censorship with Dee Snyder in the mid '80's. This book spent much more time on the tortured soul rather than the music. I'm 96 years old now. So John Denver has been in my life for a long while. I met John in Hawaii about My husband and I were visiting our son who was stationed at Pearl Harbor and John did a concert there.

I was working for Concerts West mentioned in book in Bellevue WA so I knew all the guys who were producing the concert. John would always greet a select group back stage after his concerts. Local officials, etc. So my husband and I, son and his wife were in the group. He greeted each person with full attention, asked some personal question, shook hands.

Then he came around again and remembered everyone s name.

John denver autobiography: This book validates it all.

Made it special for my son as he commended him for his service on a submarine. I also had contact with Jerry Weintraub. Only on the phone about a financial matter but found him arrogant. Danny Kaye was majority owner of the company which owned 7 major radio stations as well as Concerts West. In contrast he was friendly and funny when he stopped by my office.

I cried for days when John died in plane crash. Just started reading this autobiography about the most prolific singer songwriter of our time. See more reviews. Top reviews from other countries. Translate all reviews to English. You will enjoy this telling of John Denver's life. It is filled with anecdotes and does make you wish he had lived to give us more of his music.