Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. was born December 31, 1943 in Roswell, New Mexico.
With his father in the Air Force, the family traveled throughout young Johnís childhood. His father, “a very modest man,” later taught his son to fly, which had been Johnís dream since childhood. In 1965, after studying architecture at Texas Tech, he headed west to pursue a career in folk music.
Denver’s rise to fame began when he was discovered in a Los Angeles night club. He initially joined the Back Porch Majority, a nursery group for the renowned New Christy Minstrels but, tiring of his role there, left for the Chad Mitchell Trio. There, he forged a reputation as a talented songwriter. After the departure of the last original member, the trio became known as Denver, Boise and Johnson, but their brief lifespan ended when John embarked on a solo career in 1969.
Denver wrote “Leaving On A Jet Plane,” which was an international hit for the folk group Peter, Paul, and Mary and which was the highlight of his own debut album, RHYMES AND REASONS.
Subsequent albums, TAKE ME TO TOMORROW and WHOSE GARDEN WAS THIS, garnered only mild attention. It was not until the release of POEMS, PRAYERS AND PROMISES that the singer enjoyed popular acclaim when “Take Me Home, Country Roads” reached number 3 in the U.S. (It also became a UK Top 20 hit for Olivia Newton-John in 1973.)