waauw wrote:I don't know who John Denver was
You know who Elton John was (is?) right?
John Denver redefined American folk music. He was one of the greatest men of the 20th century.
Born on New Year's Eve in Roswell, New Mexico as John Deutschendorf, he later settled in Aspen, Colorado and legally changed his named to John Denver. He entered immortality in 1997. Thirty days of mourning were declared in Colorado and all flags were lowered to half-mast, the only time such an honor has been given to a musician.
He was named the Poet Laureate for Life of Colorado and, in 1985, President Reagan decorated him with the National Space Medal in recognition of his support of space exploration. In 1993 he was decorated with the Albert Schweitzer Award in a ceremony in Strasbourg in appreciation of his work for world peace.
His song Country Roads has been performed by the West Virginia University Marching Band before every football game since 1972. It's apparently even the school song of Nelson College, New Zealand.
