John Denver Rocks!

For pretty much all of my life I have been made fun of for my tastes (or lack thereof) in music. Particularly for my adoration of the music of John Denver. People that have made fun of me include but are not limited to my mom, both sisters, (not dad, he likes him too), and of course my lovely wife.

Jaci being at work today afforded me the opportunity to re-watch John Denver's Wildlife Concert. Being home alone gives me the chance to sing at the top of my lungs to the music that I love. Don't be fooled though, the presence of others is by no means a deterrent to my vocal expressions of JD joy.

My mother, with only the slightest of prompting, delights in regaling with stories of how I would sing JD's music when I was younger. I would put the album on the record player (remember those?), crank the volume and try to sing louder than the speakers. Mom first thought to just put ear phones on me but she soon learned to her dismay that earphones don't stop my singing to John Denver. Ever. When I hear his music, I must sing. It's almost a Pavlovian response.

Most people that are my age and younger have never really listened JD's music. They may have heard it but I doubt they listened it; at least not the way that I do.

I would never say that John Denver is a country singer. Not in a million years even though he has done some country songs. John Denver is a western singer. How many actually believe there's a difference? I know I do.

If you really listen to JD's songs, they are filled with images and experiences that many have had and are available to most people regardless of sociology or geography. For example, you may not have been to West Virginia but chances are you know what it's like to drive down Country Roads.

Another of his tunes, called "Annie's Song" starts with "You fill up my senses, like a night in the forest. Like a mountain in springtime, like a walk in the rain. Like a storm in the desert, like a sleepy blue ocean. You fill up my senses, come fill me again." The images in that passage alone are breathtaking.

It's clear that his inspiration comes from first the outdoors and the beauty that can be found in nature, and second from a deep seeded love that he has for the woman in his life. Can anything get more simplistic or beautiful than that? I doubt it.

I find that music today doesn't often seem real. A song sung by one person, was written by someone else, music by a third person and produced by a fourth. Whose song is it? John Denver wrote most of his material (music and lyrics) and to my mind his music has a timeless quality that artists today just don't have.

In his career which spanned more than three decades, he earned fourteen platinum and eight gold albums. In 1985, and by invitation he toured the U.S.S.R. and in 1992 also by invitation he toured mainland China. How many of today's popular artist can say the same?

One day I will have children and I hope that I can pass along to them the joy that I experience with JD's music. I'm quite confident that many years from today, I will be annoying the nurses in my nursing home with a rendition of "Sunshine On My Shoulders" and woe to any who try to get me to stop!

Cheers!