h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: John Denver - singer, songwriter, environmentalist. - A603172
Author: Galaxy Babe - U128652

It's taken me a long time to research this, and I think I've finally done the man justice.



I'm a great fan, but I tried not to let it show!

Very nice. ( I'm a fan, too! Shh! )

Perhaps the sentence about the fate of the Challenger would be better as a footnote, and you could possibly leave out the first 'guitar' in, 'He taught himself to play the guitar on his grandmother's old guitar.' Eg: 'He taught himself to play using his grandmother's old guitar.'

John was also a master of the 12-string flat-top.

Now I'll be humming 'Rocky Mountain High' for the rest of the day!

Done.

Thanks Tal.

Pardon my ignorance, but I have no idea what a 12-string flat-top is.

Great entry!

All I can say is "BRAVO BRAVO" Hands still stinging from Thunderous Ovacion OK don't know these words.
The KID s for the Lady

Thank you!

That is a vey nice article. Thank you for keeping it simple. Now to live with the dragons of his songs in my head for days....

MD

'Flat top' guitars have, well, flat tops to their sound chambers. Usually, but not always, they have a single, round sound hole centrally located. 'Arched top' guitars have a top that resembles a violin, or cello, usually with two f-shaped sound holes at either side.

For some reason, the name 'flat top' has become synonymous with steel stringed instruments, although classic guitars such as the flamenco also share this characteristic.

John Denver was fond of the very fine 12-stringed instrument manufactured by Guild.

I'm still humming 'Rocky Mountain High'

Did you know that the song 'Leaven on a jet plane" was wrote by John. yea it would seem he wrote about going to Vietnam Green Beret. No need to tell you the unless you would want to here.
Lets leavin on a jet plane don't know if l'll be home again. Never knew He LIved in Al Iwas born ther my Dad was in the Air fource too. If you could find out where in the arm Pit of the world (AL) he lived and let me know. I'd Dance at your weddin unless you are already married then we'd be even. but I would be gratful.
The KID

Thank you Tal.

The KID - I'm divorced, and not planning to remarry.
In John's own words, just for you:

"My greatest inspiration has always been the out of doors. The out of doors was my first and truest best friend. It was the desert in Arizona when I was in grade school. And, later on it was the woods around Montgomery, Alabama. Later on it was the plains or the wheat fields when I worked on wheat harvest. It was the forest and the lumber camp that I worked in when I was in college. Nature has always been my best friend. And, my songs are full of images from nature"

I can hear his voice when I read his words...such a unique man and very sorely missed by me. One of my life's regrets, I never met him.

Just to let you know, the song that keeps playing over in my head, is "Annie's Song", which was number one in our charts when I got married, way back in 1974.

Almost Heaven West Virginia. Blue Ridge Mnts Shanedoa river.
Thank you G'Babe. I was born about 50 miles east in Selma.
Never knew we were that close. To be honest we look remarketly simular. Same Hair colour, facial features. I'm not near sighted though. Rocky mountain High. Thank God I'm A country boy.
Ah Calypso the places you've been to. that 1 was wrote about Juack Coustea. Famous sea explorer
Thanks Again
The KID

Oh, I know.
It's a pleasure to meet you....can you sing like him too?


Some days are diamonds....some days are stone....

I'm sorry for the way things are in China....more than anything else, I'm sorry for myself, for living without you....

How can I leave you again?

My sweet lady....

I want to live....
Perhaps love...
Love again....

duhhhhhh

G'babe I was just Remenisin. One of the song I realy love is "Rocky Mountain High" He probaly about when he came home.
Born in the summer of his 27th year comin home to a place he's never been before. I sometimes I can relate to that song. In Vietnam He was one of the highest decorate Green Beret's there
I'm sure he would'nt want that to be dicussed. But it would seem that he always had a pure heart. and to beable to come home from hell. To write such beautiful songs speaks to the fact he was a great and kind Man. I too fell regret that he's no longer around. But as soon as I can I going to buy a greatest hits cd.
The Kid
PS thanks for helping me remember him.

It was my pleasure.
I wrote this entry so future generations would know of him.

Great work, Galaxy Babe! I was never a fan, but I found it an interesting read, which must be a good sign. I didn't know about all his work for good causes. What a guy he was!

One small correction: Pete Townshend spells his surname with a 'h'. Some readers probably won't know who he is, so it might be an idea to put something like: 'Pete Townshend of The Who once commented...'

Wow, I didn't know that, Ormy.
Thanks a lot.

I found an excellent site for a link to the Challenger disaster.
http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/51-l/mission-51-l.html
I've added the link, should I keep the footnote in with the simple explanation, as the nasa link is extremely technical?

Nice article, but he died a while ago and the article doesn't say this, let alone how. I can't remember much about it either, other than that the circumstances were tragic.

FM

Plane crash