Coordinates	5°45′″N78°26′″N
logo
screenshot
name	Find a Grave
origin	Santa Monica, California
commercial	Yes
type	Online database
registration	Optional
owner	Jim Tipton
author	Jim Tipton
language	English
launch date
current status	Active
url	FindaGrave.com }}

Find a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1995.

History

According to the founder, Salt Lake City resident Jim Tipton, the website was developed in 1995 to address the lack of any existing site that catered to his hobby of visiting the graves of celebrities. After some time, an online forum was created on the site. As of July 9, 2011 the site states that it hosts over 64 million records.

Content and features

The website contains listings of cemeteries and graves from all around the world. American cemeteries are organized by state and county, and many cemetery records contain Google Maps (with GPS coordinates supplied by contributors and the U.S. Geological Survey) and photographs of the cemeteries. Individual grave records contain some or all of the following data fields: dates and places of birth and death, biographical information, cemetery and plot information, photographs (grave marker, the individual, etc.), and contributor information.

Interment listings are provided by individuals or genealogical societies, and listings with tombstone photographs are considered reliable. Major institutional contributors to Find A Grave include the US Veterans Department, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and American Battle Monuments Commission, and the International Wargraves Photography Project.

Contributors must register as members to submit listings, which are called "memorials" by the website. Upon submitting a listing, that member becomes the "manager" of the listing, but may transfer management. Only the current "manager" of a listing may edit the listing, although members and non-members may send correction requests regarding listings. Members and non-members can submit notations, which consist of images or pictures or flowers, flags, religious symbols, etc., which are posted on the individual listings. Managers of listings may post links to other listings of spouses and parents for genealogical purposes. Members may also request photos of graves which then other members can fulfill.

Business practices

Find A Grave, Inc., has a Better Business Bureau Rating of A, but it is not a "BBB Accredited Business".

See also

Poets' Graves

Tombstone tourist

Interment.net on-line database of transcriptions from grave markers

Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness volunteers photograph graves on request

Canadian Headstones

Notes

References

Colker, David, Web site answers grave concerns about stars, ''Los Angeles Times'', August 26, 1997

Johnstone, Nick, Why I love ... findagrave.com, ''The Guardian'', July 14, 2004

Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service, Web site attracts millions of grave-seekers, ''The Orlando Sentinel'', July 12, 2001

Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service, Find VIPs (and others) who R.I.P. through online cemetery, ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'', August 1, 2005

Dehler, Tamie, "Genealogy: ‘Find a Grave’ tremendous on many different levels", ''TribStar.com'' (''Tribune Star'', Terre Haute, Indiana), October 13, 2007

King, Peter, "Tip: Find a Grave has info you're dying to know", ''newsday.com'', (''Newday'', Melville, New York), October 2, 2009

Silverman, Lauren, "Tracking Down Relatives, Visiting Graves Virtually", ''NPR'', March 14, 2010

External links

Category:Genealogy websites Category:Internet properties established in 1995 Category:Online person databases

ca:Find A Grave cs:Find A Grave de:Find A Grave es:Find a Grave fr:Find a Grave it:Find a Grave he:Find a grave no:Find A Grave pl:Find A Grave pt:Find a Grave ru:Find a Grave simple:Find A Grave sl:Find a Grave sv:Find A Grave zh:Find A Grave

Coordinates	5°45′″N78°26′″N
Name	Ray LaMontagne
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Raymond Charles Jack LaMontagne
Born	June 18, 1973Nashua, New Hampshire
Instrument	Vocals, guitar, piano, harmonica
Genre	Folk, folk rock, folk blues
Label	RCA
Notable instruments	Martin D-35, Bourgeois Guitar Country Boy w/Sitka Top, D-150, Custom DS-260, Victoria Parlor models.}}

Raymond "Ray" Charles Jack LaMontagne () (born June 18, 1973) is a Grammy-award winning American singer-songwriter. He has released four studio albums, ''Trouble'', ''Till the Sun Turns Black'', ''Gossip in the Grain'' and ''God Willin' and the Creek Don't Rise''. In the UK, ''Trouble'' was a top 5 hit, and the title track of the album was a top 25 hit. ''Till the Sun Turns Black'' was a top 40 hit in the U.S. A soft-spoken person who is known for his raspy voice, LaMontagne has won a number of awards for his music and has performed at several charity events.

Early and personal life

Ray LaMontagne was born in Nashua, New Hampshire, in 1973 to a constantly traveling mother and a violent musician father who abandoned the family during Ray's childhood. Because of his father's background in music, LaMontagne refrained from most musical activity, instead spending much of his time reading fantasy novels in the forest. After graduation, LaMontagne moved away from his family, ending up in Lewiston, Maine, where he found a job working in a shoe factory.

One morning at 4 a.m., LaMontagne heard Stephen Stills' song "Treetop Flyer" on the radio as it awoke him for his job. After purchasing the ''Stills Alone'' album, he decided that he wanted to quit his job and start a career as a singer-songwriter. LaMontagne began touring in 1999, although he maintained a side job as a tutor. In the summer of 1999, LaMontagne amassed 10 songs for a demo that he sent to various local music venues. Mike Miclon, the owner of Buckfield, Maine's Oddfellow Theater, heard the demo and invited him to open for folk acts such as John Gorka and Jonathan Edwards. A friend and business executive heard LaMontagne's recordings and introduced him to Jamie Ceretta of Chrysalis Music Publishing. CMP recorded his first album, and sold it to RCA Records in the US and Echo Records in the UK.

In 2008, LaMontagne moved into a farmhouse in rural western Maine with his wife, Sarah, and two children, Tobias and Sebastian.

Musical career

''Trouble''

In a period of two weeks, LaMontagne re-recorded ''Trouble'' at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, California with producer Ethan Johns. RCA Records released the album on September 14, 2004. The album featured performances by Nickel Creek violinist Sara Watkins on two tracks, along with Alex Davids and Stephen Stills's daughter, Jennifer Stills, on another. In the US, the album reached a low peak of #189 on the ''Billboard'' 200, but sold over 250,000 copies. ''Trouble'' has sold over 500,000 copies worldwide. During a tour to promote the album, LaMontagne played six songs for an episode of ''Austin City Limits'', in Season 31, 2005–2006.

On the third week of finals in the fifth season of ''American Idol'', eventual winner Taylor Hicks performed "Trouble". Chris Sligh, an ''American Idol'' Season 6 Top-12 finalist, also performed the tune to rave reviews from the judges. During the ninth season of the show, contestant Adam Lambert also performed LaMontagne's "Trouble". An EP of LaMontagne's performance at the Bonnaroo Music Festival was released on December 6, 2005. "Trouble" and "Burn" have been used as background music for the TV. "All the Wild Horses" was used in the TV series ''Rescue Me'' and the 2009 film ''The Boys Are Back''."Trouble" was used in the TV series Alias, in season 4, 14º episode called 'Nightingale'. The song "Jolene" was used in the 2010 film "The Town."

''Till the Sun Turns Black''

LaMontagne's second album, ''Till the Sun Turns Black'', was released August 29, 2006, in the US. Also produced by Ethan Johns, the album featured more instrumentation than ''Trouble'', including the use of a horn section and string section on several of the songs. Singer-songwriter Rachael Yamagata provided background vocals on the song "Barfly". The album peaked at #28 on the ''Billboard'' 200 album chart, selling 28,000 copies in its first week of release. The album also sold enough copies to be a top three heatseeker album in New Zealand.

According to his website, the first single from the album was "Three More Days". LaMontagne performed on ''The Tonight Show'' on October 6, 2006, to promote the album. His song "Till the Sun Turns Black" was featured on the television show "ER", and his songs "Lesson Learned" and "Within You" have been used on the CW drama "One Tree Hill". "Be Here Now" was also used in the official trailer for ''Away From Her'', and was featured in ''27 Dresses'' and an episode of ''Bones'' as well as in the first season's finale of ''Covert Affairs''. "Empty" was used in the last episode of ''Law & Order: Criminal Intent'''s 6th season, "Renewal." Ray LaMontagne recorded a live session at Abbey Road Studios for ''Live from Abbey Road'' in October 2006. He shared his episode with Shawn Colvin, Nerina Pallot and The Zutons.

''Gossip in the Grain''

LaMontagne released his third studio album, ''Gossip in the Grain'', on October 14, 2008 on RCA Records, and it achieved his highest-ever debut on the Billboard Charts at #3, with over 60,000 units sold. Working again with producer Ethan Johns, the album also featured LaMontagne's touring band: Jennifer Condos on bass, Eric Heywood on guitar, and Ethan Johns on drums. The opening act on much of his 2008 US Tour, fellow singer/songwriter Leona Naess, guests on three songs: "I Still Care for You", "A Falling Through", and "Gossip in the Grain". LaMontagne also announced a series of New England dates to start off his US tour in support of the album. The song "You Are the Best Thing" was featured in the movie ''I Love You, Man.'' He also performed the song live as musical guest on NBC's ''Saturday Night Live'' on March 7, 2009. San Diego Padres outfielder Will Venable uses this song during his walk-up. On October 12, 2009 the song "Sarah" appeared towards the end of an episode of House called "Instant Karma" (Season 6 Episode 4). "Let it be Me" was featured on the Parenthood TV series and included on the Parenthood soundtrack in 2010.

''God Willin' and the Creek Don't Rise''

LaMontagne's fourth studio album, ''God Willin' and the Creek Don't Rise'', was released on August 17, 2010. The record is credited to “Ray LaMontagne and the Pariah Dogs”. This is the first time that LaMontagne has released music in collaboration with other artists, within the context of a band, and is also his first venture into the role of producer. With this album, LaMontagne received his first three Grammy nominations on December 1, 2010, including Song of the Year for "Beg Steal or Borrow", Best Contemporary Folk Album, and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical. He won the award for Best Contemporary Folk Album.

Composition and performance

LaMontagne is particularly known for his raspy voice, which he says he learned by singing through his gut and not his nose. LaMontagne stated that he is highly influenced by Stephen Stills, Richard Manuel, and Rick Danko. Critics have compared LaMontagne's music to that of The Band, Van Morrison, Nick Drake, and Tim Buckley. LaMontagne refers to himself as a "very private person", and rarely gives interviews. He also usually does not interact much with the audience between songs during his live shows and has been known to perform in the dark to avoid distracting bright lights and to separate himself from the audience because of his shy nature. Much of this has changed as his music career has progressed and he has become more accustomed to doing interviews.

Charitable events

In 2005, he performed at "From the Big Apple to the Big Easy", a fundraiser for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The concert was held at the Radio City Music Hall on September 20, 2005, and also featured Dave Matthews, John Mayer, and Simon & Garfunkel among others. LaMontagne also played at the "Warren Haynes Christmas Jam" that year on December 17, 2005. The concert raised funds for Habitat for Humanity in Asheville, North Carolina. LaMontagne performed at KYSR's Lounge for Life charity concert on October 5, 2006 at the House of Blues in West Hollywood, California. He also auctioned off one of his guitars on eBay for its charity auction. Funds raised from the concert and auction went to breast cancer research. Recently in August 2010, he performed with David Gray and Samuel Ofosu in Nashville, TN, and giving a portion of the proceeds to the victims affected by the devastating flood that hit Nashville, TN in May. The money went to Habitat for Humanity in the aid of rebuilding homes destroyed by the flood.

Awards

Discography

Studio albums

''Trouble'' (September 14, 2004)

''Till the Sun Turns Black'' (August 29, 2006)

''Gossip in the Grain'' (October 14, 2008)

''God Willin' and the Creek Don't Rise'' (August 17, 2010)

References

External links

http://acreofland.suddenlaunch3.com/index.cgi Ray Lamontagne Forum

Official U.S. website, requires Adobe Flash plugin

Official UK website, requires Adobe Flash plugin

Ray LaMontagne Storytellers on VH1

Ray LaMontagne Gig Review 2009

Idiomag">Ray LaMontagne on Idiomag

Photos of Ray LaMontagne at the Boston Opera House on October 9th Exploit Boston!

Ray LaMontagne on PBS NewsHour's Art Beat, 8/17/10

Category:1973 births Category:American male singers Category:American folk singers Category:American singer-songwriters Category:People from Nashua, New Hampshire Category:Musicians from Maine Category:People from Franklin County, Maine Category:Songwriters from New Hampshire Category:American pianists Category:American guitarists Category:RCA Records artists Category:American harmonica players Category:Living people

da:Ray LaMontagne de:Ray LaMontagne fr:Ray LaMontagne it:Ray LaMontagne he:ריי למונטיין nl:Ray LaMontagne no:Ray LaMontagne pl:Ray Lamontagne pt:Ray LaMontagne

Coordinates	5°45′″N78°26′″N
name	Sonata Arctica
landscape	Yes
alias	Tricky Beans, Tricky Means,
background	group_or_band
origin	Kemi, Finland
genre	Power metal, progressive metal
years active	1996−present
label	Spinefarm, Nuclear Blast
website
current members	Tony KakkoElias ViljanenTommy PortimoMarko PaasikoskiHenrik Klingenberg
past members	Jani LiimatainenMikko HärkinJanne KivilahtiPentti Peura }}

Sonata Arctica are a Finnish power metal band from the town of Kemi, originally assembled in 1995. Their later works (most notably ''The Days of Grays'', ''Unia'' and a few tracks on ''Reckoning Night'') contain several elements typical of progressive metal.

Biography

Formation and early years (1996–1999)

The band was founded by Marko Paasikoski, Jani Liimatainen and Tommy Portimo in Kemi at the end of 1995 (Tony Kakko and Pentti Peura joined in early 1996). Originally named ''Tricky Beans'', they played hard rock rather than the power metal with which they grew to fame. During their early career, they recorded three demos which were never sent to any recording label — ''Friend 'till the End'', ''Agre Pamppers'' and ''PeaceMaker''.

In 1997 the band changed their name to ''Tricky Means'', and from that point until 1999 their style was thoroughly worked upon and ultimately was drastically changed, acquiring strong emphasis on the keyboard melodies and relying on an easily distinguishable rhythm line maintained both by the bass and the guitar. Vocalist Tony Kakko developed a clean singing style which relies both on falsetto and tenor voices and second guitarist Marko Paasikoski left the band. Kakko has stated that the change of sound was influenced by fellow Finnish power metal band Stratovarius.

In 1999 (after they changed their name to ''Sonata Arctica''), the band recorded a demo entitled ''FullMoon'' in Kemi's Tico Tico Studios, which was their first real metal recording. The line-up consisted of vocalist and keyboardist Tony Kakko, guitarist Jani Liimatainen, bassist Janne Kivilahti and drummer Tommy Portimo. The demo was sent to Spinefarm Records by a friend of the band and a recording deal soon followed.

''Ecliptica'' and ''Silence'' (1999–2002)

Later that year, Sonata Arctica's first single, entitled ''UnOpened'' was released in Finland. It entered the Finnish Top 20 sales chart on the week of its release and, soon after, the band had closed deals with labels from around the world, prior to the release of their debut album. The debut ''Ecliptica'' arrived by the end of 1999 and had a worldwide release, obtaining rave critics from the specialized press.

Tony Kakko then decided to focus on singing and began seeking a new keyboard player for Sonata Arctica; Mikko Härkin (ex-Kenziner) was eventually invited to fill the position.

In the beginning of 2000, Sonata Arctica was chosen to support the well known power metal band Stratovarius throughout their European tour. Marko Paasikoski returned to the band to play bass in the wake of Janne Kivilahti's departure after the tour.

From late 2000 to late 2001, the band worked on composing and recording their next album — ''Silence'' — which was released in June 2001. An extensive tour followed, which included concerts throughout Europe (together with Gamma Ray) and Japan. In 2002 Sonata Arctica made its first incursion to America, putting on shows in Brazil and Chile. According to some of the musicians from the band, it was one of their best tours to date — the other being the Japanese tour from 2003. A live album entitled ''Songs of Silence'' was also released that year, consisting of gigs from their tour in Japan. By the end of 2002, Mikko Härkin left the band due to personal reasons.

''Winterheart's Guild'' (2003)

Their third album — ''Winterheart's Guild'' — was recorded with the help of the seasoned keyboard player Jens Johansson from Stratovarius who recorded the keyboard solos, while Kakko took care of the basics. The album was released in 2003.

In the search for another keyboardist, the band received many applications and two of them were invited for auditions. Since they were well aware of the candidates' ability, the band decided to pick the new member based on personality. To this end they spent a night drinking with each of the potentials in order to find out which one would fit best into the band's personality and mentality. Henrik Klingenberg was eventually chosen and joined the band in time to take part in the tour that followed the release of ''Winterheart's Guild''. Most of the concerts on the tour were sold out.

With the end of their contract with Spinefarm Records, the band received invitations from most European recording labels, and eventually opted for Nuclear Blast.

''Reckoning Night'' (2004–2005)

In early 2004, the band was chosen as the opener for Iron Maiden's Japanese tour. Additionally, Tommy Portimo became a father; his wife gave birth to a baby girl in March. ''Reckoning Night'' was recorded in three months and released in October. Both the single and the EP of this release remained on the top of the Finnish charts simultaneously for over six weeks. A promotional tour was to follow, but Sonata Arctica was invited by the popular Nightwish to join their European tour, and thus made a change of plans. The concerts that followed were played for audiences of over ten thousand people. Fans took notice that Reckoning Night was more progressive than previous Sonata Arctica albums. At that time in interviews, Tony Kakko and Henrik Klingenberg began to claim that they saw themselves as more so just a rock band than Power Metal. Another notable feature about this album was that Henrik Klingenberg introduced use of the organ (music) to the band.

In early 2005, Nightwish invited the band to open the concerts of their North American tour. This tour eventually got cancelled, but the members of Sonata Arctica opted to still make a short tour, playing concerts in Canada and the USA. On October 21, 2005, Sonata Arctica opened for Nightwish at the Hartwall Areena, Helsinki.

''For the Sake of Revenge'' and Winterheart's Guild video game (2006)

In 2006, the band released a live CD and DVD entitled ''For the Sake of Revenge'', which was recorded in Tokyo in February 2005. Then, Spinefarm Records released a compilation album in order to get the most out of their contract with the band, since Sonata Arctica changed their recording label. The compilation is entitled ''The End of This Chapter'' and was released in Japan in August 2005 and in Europe on May 2006.

A computer video game was also planned, based on Sonata Arctica characters and music. The name of the game was going to be ''Winterheart's Guild'', like their album. The game was to be developed by Zelian Games, and was to be an Action-RPG in a style between Fallout and Diablo. The game was cancelled for unannounced reasons but a demo was shown at the ''Leipzig video game conference'' in 2006, featuring Henrik Klingenberg as the playable character. As of December 2006, the band began recording their fifth studio album.

''Unia'' (2007–2008)

On May 25, 2007, ''Unia'' was released. The album's first single, "Paid In Full", was released on April 27, 2007. Interestingly, the cover for ''Unia'' features a barely perceptible image of a person's hair and eyes looking out through a crack in the background in the lower right-hand corner. It is likely an allusion to the person in the song "Caleb" on ''Unia''.

On August 6, 2007, the band announced on their website that guitarist Jani Liimatainen had been asked to leave the band due to problems related to his conscription. He was replaced by Elias Viljanen who had already filled in for him in the band's Finnish and Japanese shows during the spring and summer.

In October 2007 Sonata Arctica headlined the ProgPower USA VIII. Later the band supported Nightwish across their 2008 tour of United States and Canada and headlined at the shows that Nightwish cancelled due to Anette Olzon's sudden severe sickness.

In 2008 Tony Kakko collaborated with English Singer/Songwriter and arranger Mark Deeks to perform choral arrangements of some of the band's works at a special one off concert at The Sage Centre in Gateshead.

It was announced on September 4, 2008 that the band's first two albums would be re-released by Spinefarm UK on October 6.

''The Days of Grays'' (Since 2009)

::''Main Article: The Days of Grays'' Sonata Arctica's latest album was released on September 16, 2009 in Finland and September 22 in the USA. Henrik stated that the new album will be in the same vein as ''Unia'', but not as complex and darker. Singles from this album include "Flag in the Ground" and "The Last Amazing Grays". On August 28, 2009, the music video of "Flag In The Ground" was released to the web. The limited 2CD European edition of the album featured many of the album tracks with all instruments performed by a symphony orchestra.

The band also recently toured with DragonForce for the third U.S. leg of the Ultra Beatdown tour, and will be touring the US "two or three times," as well as doing a European tour and Asian tour covering Indonesia, Taiwan, China, and Japan. In early 2010 they engaged on an Australian tour with Ensiferum and Melbourne band Vanishing Point.

In April 2010, Sonata Arctica embarked on their USA and Canada Headlining tour for The Days of Grays. In October they headlined in Chile in support of the same album.

Future plans

In January 2011, the band hinted in an online interview for Metaleater magazine that they are currently writing songs for a new album while on their current tour. Elias is quoted as saying, "I've been working on some new riffs, quite dark. Tony's been stuck in his bed scratching notes about some girl and her 'Luna Lust'." Tommy states later, "We've just got back from Cozumel, we had a good time, had lots of beers, loads more sun and thought about putting a bit more Queen stuff back into the music again."

While playing in Sheffield (UK) Tony stated to the audience that they were in fact hoping to start recording the new album this autumn and have it available for purchase before summer 2012.

In April, the band recorded a live DVD in Oulu, Finland, due for release in late 2011.

Influences

In a 2007 interview with C.B.Liddell, Tony Kakko cited the English rock band Queen as his biggest musical influence. "A lot of people seem to mention a Queen influence in our music," he said. "Queen have always been the biggest band for me."

Members

Current

Tony Kakko

*Vocals (1996−present)

*Keyboards (1996–2001, 2003, 2007–present)

Elias Viljanen

*Guitars (2007−present)

*Backing vocals (2007−present)

Marko Paasikoski

*Bass guitar (2000−present)

*Backing vocals (2000−present)

*Guitars (1996–1997)

Tommy Portimo

*Drums (1996−present)

Henrik Klingenberg

*Keyboards/keytar (2002−present)

*Backing vocals (2002−present)

Former

Pentti Peura

*Bass guitar (1996−1998)

*Backing vocals (1996−1998)

Janne Kivilahti

*Bass guitar (1998−2000)

*Backing vocals (1998−2000)

Mikko Härkin

*Keyboards (2000−2002)

*Backing vocals (2000−2002)

Jani Liimatainen

*Guitars (1996−2007)

*Backing vocals (1996−2007)

Guest musicians

Raisa Aine − flute (on "Letter to Dana")

Nik Van-Eckmann − spoken passages (on "...of Silence", "The End of This Chapter", "Last Drop Falls" and "The Power of One" from ''Silence'' and "Don't Say a Word", "White Pearl, Black Oceans..." and "Wildfire" from ''Reckoning Night'')

Timo Kotipelto − vocals (on "False News Travel Fast")

Renay Gonzalez − spoken female passage (on "The End of This Chapter")

Jens Johansson − keyboard solos (on "The Cage", "Silver Tongue", "Victoria's Secret" and "Champagne Bath")

Peter Engberg − acoustic guitars, bouzouki, chromaharp, cavaquinho and Q-chord (on "They Follow", "Under Your Tree", "The Harvest", "It Won't Fade" and "Fly With the Black Swan")

Johanna Kurkela − female vocals (on "Deathaura" and "No Dream Can Heal a Broken Heart")

Discography

Studio albums:

''Ecliptica'' (1999)

''Silence'' (2001)

''Winterheart's Guild'' (2003)

''Reckoning Night'' (2004)

''Unia'' (2007)

''The Days of Grays'' (2009)

Cover songs

"Black Diamond" − Stratovarius (live, short clip in ''Stratovarius - Infinite Visions VHS/DVD'')

"Speed of Light" − Stratovarius (in the end of "False News Travel Fast" in ''Songs of Silence'')

"Fade to Black" − Metallica (''Victoria's Secret'', ''Takatalvi'')

"Wind Beneath My Wings" − Bette Midler (''Orientation'')

"Die With Your Boots On" − Iron Maiden (''Last Drop Falls'', ''Orientation'')

"World in My Eyes" − Depeche Mode (''Don't Say a Word'')

"Two Minds, One Soul" − Vanishing Point (''Don't Say a Word'')

"Still Loving You" − Scorpions (''Takatalvi'')

"I Want Out" − Helloween (''Takatalvi'')

"Out in the Fields" − Gary Moore (''Paid in Full'', ''Unia'')

"Silent Jealousy" − X Japan (live)

"Crash & Burn" − Yngwie Malmsteen (live)

"Excuse Me While I Kill Myself" − Sentenced (live)

"I Was Made for Lovin' You" − KISS (live)

"Smoke on the Water" − Deep Purple (live)

"Child in Time" - Deep Purple (live)

"Gaston y'a l'téléfon qui son" − Nino Ferrer (live)

"One" − Metallica (live)

"We Will Rock You" − Queen (live)

"No More Tears" − Ozzy Osbourne (live)

"Hava Nagila" ("The Cage"/"Vodka", "For the Sake of Revenge")

"Master of Puppets" − Metallica (live)

"The Trooper" − Iron Maiden (live)

"Cowboys From Hell" - Pantera (live, Jani Liimatainen's Young Guitar DVD and Into The Storm bootleg DVD)

"Metropolis" - Dream Theater" (live)

"Total Eclipse Of The Heart" - Bonnie Tyler" (live)

"Runaway" - Del Shannon (live)

"Hell Is Living Without You" - Alice Cooper (One For All, All For One)

References

External links

Sonata Arctica's official website

Sonata Arctica's official fanclub

Winterheart's Guild video game

Category:Finnish power metal musical groups Category:Finnish progressive metal musical groups Category:Finnish heavy metal musical groups Category:Musical groups established in 1996 Category:Musical quintets

an:Sonata Arctica bg:Соната Арктика ca:Sonata Arctica cs:Sonata Arctica da:Sonata Arctica de:Sonata Arctica es:Sonata Arctica eo:Sonata Arctica fa:سناتا آرتیکا fr:Sonata Arctica gl:Sonata Arctica ko:소나타 아티카 hr:Sonata Arctica id:Sonata Arctica it:Sonata Arctica he:סונטה ארקטיקה ka:სონატა არქტიკა lb:Sonata Arctica lt:Sonata Arctica hu:Sonata Arctica nl:Sonata Arctica ja:ソナタ・アークティカ no:Sonata Arctica pl:Sonata Arctica pt:Sonata Arctica ru:Sonata Arctica sco:Sonata Arctica simple:Sonata Arctica sk:Sonata Arctica sl:Sonata Arctica fi:Sonata Arctica sv:Sonata Arctica tr:Sonata Arctica uk:Sonata Arctica fiu-vro:Sonata Arctica wa:Sonata Arctica zh:極光奏鳴曲樂團

Coordinates	5°45′″N78°26′″N
name	John Denver
background	solo_singer
birth name	Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr.
born	December 31, 1943Roswell, New Mexico, U.S.
died	October 12, 1997Pacific Grove, California, U.S.
instrument	Vocals, guitar, keyboards, fiddle
genre	Country, folk, pop
occupation	Singer-songwriter, instrumentalist, record producer, actor, writer, poet, activist
years active	1962–1997
first album	''Rhymes & Reasons''
latest album	''Essential''
notable songs	"Take Me Home, Country Roads", "Sunshine On My Shoulders", "Rocky Mountain High" (Colorado State Song since 2007), "Thank God I'm a Country Boy", "Annie's Song", "Perhaps Love", "Calypso"
label	Mercury, RCA, BMG, Windstar, Sony Wonder
associated acts	The John Denver Band, The Back Porch Majority, The New Christy Minstrels, Chad Mitchell Trio, The Muppets, Olivia Newton-John, Plácido Domingo, Emmylou Harris, Johnny Cash Tina TurnerGlen Campbell
website	http://www.johndenver.com/}}

Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. (December 31, 1943 – October 12, 1997), known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer/songwriter, activist, and humanitarian. After growing up in numerous locations with his military family, Denver began his music career in folk music groups in the late 1960s. His greatest commercial success was as a solo singer. Throughout his life Denver recorded and released approximately 300 songs, about 200 of which he composed. He performed primarily with an acoustic guitar and sang about his joy in nature, his enthusiasm for music, and relationship trials. Denver's music appeared on a variety of charts including country & western, the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and adult contemporary, in all earning him 12 gold and 4 platinum albums with his signature songs "Take Me Home, Country Roads", "Leaving on a Jet Plane", "Rocky Mountain High", "Annie's Song" and "Calypso".

Denver further starred in films and several notable television specials in the 1970s and 1980s. In the following decades he continued to record, but also focused on calling attention to environmental issues, lent his vocal support to space exploration, and testified in front of Congress to protest censorship in music. His renown in the state of Colorado, which he sang about numerous times and where he lived in Aspen, influenced the governor to name him Poet Laureate of the state in 1974, and for the state legislature to adopt "Rocky Mountain High" as one of its state songs in 2007. He was an avid pilot, and died while flying his personal aircraft at the age of 53. Denver was one of the most popular acoustic artists of the 1970s.

Biography

Early years

Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr., was born in Roswell, New Mexico, to Erma Louise Swope and Lt. Col. Henry John Deutschendorf, Sr., an Air Force Lieutenant Colonel (who set three speed records in the B-58 Hustler bomber and earned a place in the Air Force Hall of Fame), was of German ancestry, and met and married his "Oklahoma Sweetheart". Denver's Irish Catholic and German mother's mother, his beloved Grandmother, was the one who imbued Denver with his love of music. In his autobiography, ''Take Me Home'', Denver described his life as the eldest son of a family shaped by a stern father who couldn't show his love for his children.

Because Denver's father was in the military, the family moved often, making it difficult for young John to make friends and fit in with people of his own age. Constantly being the new kid was agony for the introverted child, and he grew up always feeling as if he should be somewhere else, but never knowing where that "right" place was. While living in Tucson, Arizona, Denver was a member of the Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus for two years. Denver was happy living in Tucson, but his father was transferred to Montgomery, Alabama, then in the midst of the Montgomery boycotts. The family later moved to Fort Worth, Texas, where Denver graduated from Arlington Heights High School. Attending high school in Fort Worth was a distressing experience for the disenfranchised Denver. In his third year of high school, he borrowed his father's car and ran away to California to visit family friends and begin his music career. His father flew to California to bring him back, and Denver unhappily returned to finish high school.

At the age of 11, Denver received an acoustic guitar from his grandmother. He learned to play well enough to perform at local clubs by the time he was in college. He adopted the surname "Denver" after the capital of his favorite state, Colorado, when Randy Sparks, founder of The New Christy Minstrels, suggested that "Deutschendorf" wouldn't fit comfortably on a marquee. Denver attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock and sang in a folk-music group called "The Alpine Trio" while pursuing architecture studies.. He was also a member of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity. Denver dropped out of the Texas Tech School of Engineering in 1963, and moved to Los Angeles, California, where he sang in the smoky underground folk clubs. In 1965, Denver joined the Chad Mitchell Trio, a folk group that had been renamed "The Mitchell Trio" prior to Chad Mitchell's departure and before Denver's arrival, and then "Denver, Boise, and Johnson" (John Denver, David Boise, and Michael Johnson).

Solo career

In 1969, John Denver abandoned the band life to pursue a solo career and John released his first album for RCA Records: ''Rhymes & Reasons''. Two years prior Denver had made a self-produced demo recording of some of the songs he played at his concerts. He included in the demo a song called "Babe I Hate to Go," later renamed "Leaving on A Jet Plane." Denver made several copies and gave them out as presents for Christmas. Mitchell Trio manager Milt Okun brought the unreleased "Jet Plane" song to the high-profile folk group Peter, Paul and Mary. Their version of the song hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

Although RCA did not actively promote ''Rhymes & Reasons'' with a tour, Denver himself embarked on an impromptu supporting tour throughout the Midwest, stopping at towns and cities as the fashion took him, offering to play free concerts at local venues. When he was successful in convincing a school, college, American Legion Hall, or local coffee-house to let him play, he would spend a day or so postering the town and could usually be counted upon to show up at the local radio station, guitar in hand, offering himself for an interview. With his foot-in-the-door of having authored "Leaving on a Jet Plane", he was often successful in gaining some valuable promotional airtime, usually featuring one or two songs performed live. Some venues would 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 constant low-key touring schedule, however, he had sold enough albums to convince RCA to take a chance on extending his recording contract. He had also built a sizable and solid fan base, many of whom remained loyal throughout his career.

Denver recorded two more albums in 1970, ''Take Me to Tomorrow'' and ''Whose Garden Was This?'', featuring songs he had composed while driving the roads of the American Midwest. Although these albums were not as successful as those that followed, they would all be certified gold by the RIAA and would generally be considered some of his best work.

Career peak

His next album, ''Poems, Prayers, and Promises'' (released in 1971), was a breakthrough for him in the U.S., thanks in part to the single "Take Me Home, Country Roads", which went to No.2 on the ''Billboard'' charts despite the first pressings of the track being distorted. Its success was due in part to the efforts of his new manager, future Hollywood producer Jerry Weintraub, who signed Denver in 1970. Weintraub insisted on a re-issue of the track and began a radio-airplay campaign that started in Denver, Colorado. Denver's career flourished from then on, and he had a series of hits over the next four years. In 1972, Denver scored his first Top Ten album with ''Rocky Mountain High'', with its title track reaching the Top Ten in 1973. Between 1974 and 1975, Denver experienced an impressive chart dominance, with a string of four No.1 songs ("Sunshine on My Shoulders", "Annie's Song", "Thank God I'm a Country Boy", and "I'm Sorry") and three No.1 albums (''John Denver's Greatest Hits'', ''Back Home Again'', and ''Windsong'').

In the 1970s, Denver's onstage appearance included long blond hair, embroidered shirts emblazoned with images commonly associated with the American West (created by designer & appliqué artist Anna Zapp), and "granny" glasses. His manager, Jerry Weintraub, insisted on a significant number of television appearances, including a series of half-hour shows in England, despite Denver's protests at the time, "I've had no success in Britain...I mean ''none''." Weintraub explained to Maureen Orth of ''Newsweek'' in December 1976, "I knew the critics would never go for John. I had to get him to the people."

After appearing as a guest on many shows, Denver went on to host his own variety/music specials, including several concerts from Red Rocks Amphitheatre near Denver. His seasonal special, ''Rocky Mountain Christmas,'' was watched by more than 60 million people and was the highest-rated show for the ABC network at that time. His live concert special, ''An Evening with John Denver,'' won the 1974–1975 Emmy for Outstanding Special, Comedy-Variety or Music. When Denver ended his business relationship because of Weintraub's focus on other projects, Weintraub threw Denver out of his office and called him a Nazi. Denver would later tell Arthur Tobier, when the latter transcribed his autobiography, "...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."

Denver was also a guest star on ''The Muppet Show,'' the beginning of the lifelong friendship between Denver and Jim Henson that spawned two television specials with The Muppets. He also tried his hand at acting, appearing in the ''The Colorado Cattle Caper'' episode of the ''McCloud'' television movie on February 24, 1974, and starring in the 1977 film ''Oh, God!'' opposite George Burns. Denver hosted the Grammy Awards five times in the 1970s and 1980s and guest-hosted ''The Tonight Show'' on multiple occasions. In 1975, Denver was awarded the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year award. At the ceremony, the outgoing Entertainer of the Year Charlie Rich presented the award to his successor, but in protest of what he considered the inappropriateness of Denver's selection, Rich set fire to the envelope containing the official notification of the award. However, Denver's music was defended by country singer Kathy Mattea, who 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."

In 1977, Denver cofounded The Hunger Project with Werner Erhard and Robert W. Fuller. He served for many years and supported the organization until his death. Denver was also appointed by President Jimmy Carter to serve on the President's Commission on World Hunger, writing the song "I Want to Live" as its theme song. In 1979, Denver performed "Rhymes & Reasons" at the Music for UNICEF Concert. Royalties from the concert performances were donated to UNICEF. His father taught him to fly in the mid-1970s, which led to a reconciliation between father and son. In 1980, Denver and his father, Lt. Col. “Dutch” Deutschendorf, co-hosted an award winning television special, "The Higher We Fly: the History of Flight." It won the Osborn Award from the Aviation/Space Writers’ Association, and was honored by the Houston Film Festival.

Political activism

Denver became outspoken in politics in the mid-1970s. In 1976, he campaigned for Jimmy Carter, who 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 1976, to promote sustainable living. His dismay at the Chernobyl disaster led to precedent-setting concerts in parts of communist Asia and Europe.

During the 1980s, Denver was critical of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Administration, but he remained active in his campaign against hunger, for which Reagan awarded Denver the Presidential World Without Hunger Award in 1985. Denver's criticism of the conservative politics of the 1980s was expressed in his autobiographical folk-rock ballad "Let Us Begin (What Are We Making Weapons For)." Denver was also critical of the Republican-dominated Congress and American Conservatism of the 1990s. He denounced the National Rifle Association (NRA) as a corrupt political machine that could buy off politicians, and in an open letter to the media, he wrote that he opposed oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Denver had battled to expand the refuge in the 1980s, and he praised President Bill Clinton for his opposition to the proposed drilling. The letter, which he wrote in the midst of the 1996 presidential election, was one of the last he ever wrote. Denver was also on the Board of Governors of the National Space Society for many years.

Later years and humanitarian work

He had a few more U.S. Top 30 hits as the 1970s ended, but nothing to match his earlier success. He began to focus more on humanitarian and sustainability causes, focusing extensively on conservation projects. He made public expression of his acquaintances and friendships with ecological-design researchers such as Richard Buckminster Fuller and Amory Lovins, from whom he said he learned much. He also founded two environmental groups; the Windstar Foundation and Plant-It 2020 (originally Plant-It 2000). Denver had a keen interest in solutions to world hunger. He visited Africa during the 1980s to witness first-hand the suffering caused by starvation and to work with African leaders toward solutions. In 1983 and 1984, Denver hosted the annual Grammy Awards. In the 1983 finale, Denver was joined on stage by folk-music legend Joan Baez with whom he led an all-star version of "Blowin' in the Wind" and Let The Sunshine In, joined by such diverse musical icons as Jennifer Warnes, Donna Summer, and Rick James. In 1984, Roone Arlidge, president of ABC Sports, asked Denver to compose and sing the theme song for the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarejevo. Denver worked as both a performer and a skiing commentator (skiing was another avocation of Denver's). He had written "The Gold and Beyond", and sang it for the Olympic Games athletes, as well as local venues including many schools. In 1985, Denver asked to participate in the singing of "We Are the World" but was turned down. According to Ken Kragen (who helped to produce the song), the reason that John Denver was turned down was that many people felt his image would hurt the credibility of the song as a pop-rock anthem. "I didn't agree" with this assessment, Kragen said, but reluctantly turned Denver down anyway. For Earth Day 1990, Denver was the on-camera narrator of a well-received environmental TV program, "In Partnership With Earth," with then–EPA Administrator William K. Reilly.

With Denver's innate love of flying he was naturally attracted to NASA and became dedicated to America’s work in outer space. He conscientiously worked to help bring into being the “Citizens in Space” program. Denver received the NASA Public Service Medal, in 1985 for “helping to increase awareness of space exploration by the peoples of the world,” an award usually restricted to spaceflight engineers and designers. Also in 1985, Denver 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 1986. He was not chosen. After the Challenger disaster with teacher Christa McAuliffe aboard, John dedicated his song “Flying for Me”, to all astronauts, and he continued to support NASA.

Denver testified on the topic of censorship during a Parents Music Resource Center hearing in 1985. Denver also toured Russia in 1985. His 11 Soviet Union concerts were the first by any American artist in more than 10 years, and they marked a very important cultural exchange that culminated in an agreement to allow other western artists to perform there. He returned two years later to perform at a benefit concert for the victims of the Chernobyl disaster. In October 1992, John undertook a multiple-city tour of the People's Republic of China. He also released a greatest-hits CD, "Homegrown," to raise money for homeless charities. In 1994, he published his autobiography, ''Take Me Home''. In 1996, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

In early 1997, Denver filmed an episode for the ''Nature'' series, centering on the natural wonders that inspired many of his best-loved songs. The episode contains his last song, "Yellowstone, Coming Home," which he composed while rafting along the Colorado River with his son and young daughter.

In the summer of 1997, Denver recorded a children's train album for Sony Wonder, entitled ''All Aboard!'', produced by long-time friend Roger Nichols. The album consisted of old-fashioned swing, big band, folk, bluegrass, and gospel styles of music woven into a theme of railroad songs. This album won a posthumous Best Musical Album For Children Grammy for Denver, which was his only Grammy.

Personal life

Denver's first marriage was to Annie Martell of St. Peter, Minnesota. Their wedding was held at the Christ Chapel at Gustavus Adolphus College. Annie was the subject of his hit ''Annie's Song'', which he composed in only ten minutes while on a ski lift in 1974. The couple lived in Edina, Minnesota from 1968 to 1971. Following the success of "Rocky Mountain High," Denver purchased a residence in Colorado and owned one home in Colorado continuously until his death. He and Annie adopted a son, Zachary, and daughter, Anna Kate, who John would say were “meant to be” theirs. John once said, "I'll tell you the best thing about me. I'm some guy's dad; I'm some little gal's dad. When I die, Zachary John and Anna Kate's father, boy, that's enough for me to be remembered by. That's more than enough." Zachary was the subject of "A Baby Just Like You," a song that included the line "Merry Christmas, little Zachary" and which he wrote for Frank Sinatra. Denver and Martell divorced in 1982. She continues to live in Aspen, Colorado.

John Denver married Australian actress Cassandra Delaney in 1988. They had a daughter, Jesse Belle. They separated in 1991 and divorced in 1993.

Denver's talent extended beyond music. He was a painter as well but because of his limiting schedule, he pursued photography. He once said that "photography is a way to communicate a feeling." Denver was an avid skier and golfer. His love of flying was secondary only to his love for music. He collected vintage biplanes and in 1974, he bought a Learjet, which he used to fly himself to concerts. He also bought a Christen Eagle aerobatic plane, two Cessna 210s, gliders and in 1997, the ill-fated Rutan Long-EZ.

Death

On October 12, 1997, Denver was killed at the age of 53 when his Experimental Rutan Long-EZ plane, aircraft registration number N555JD, crashed into the Pacific Ocean near Pacific Grove, California. The NTSB accident ID is LAX98FA008

A pilot with over 2,700 hours of experience, Denver had single-engine land and sea, multi-engine land, glider, and instrument ratings. He also held a type rating in his Learjet. He had recently purchased the Long-EZ aircraft, and had taken a half-hour checkout flight with the aircraft the day before the accident. The NTSB cited Denver's unfamiliarity with the aircraft and his failure to have the aircraft refueled as causal factors in the accident. Denver was the sole occupant of the aircraft. Before the accident, the FAA had learned of his failure to abstain entirely from alcohol subsequent to drunk driving arrests, and since his medical certification was conditional on this, a determination was made that due to his drinking problem, he was not qualified for any class of medical certification at the time. At least a third-class medical certification was required to exercise the privileges of his pilot certificate. However, there was no trace of alcohol or any other drug in Denver's body at autopsy.

Human-interface designer and pilot Bruce Tognazzini analyzed Denver's fatal crash on his webzine, AskTog, in June 1999.

This particular aircraft had an unusual reconfiguration of the fuel selector valve handle, which had been moved from the instrument panel to behind the left shoulder of the pilot. Apparently it also had a sticky O-ring and was hard to move. Both factors may have led to Denver pushing the right rudder pedal when he turned to switch fuel tanks by moving the handle. The aircraft then entered an uncontrolled turning descent: a spiral dive or a spin. Flying at an estimated altitude of , he did not have time to recover. As the wreck badly disfigured Denver's head and body, making identification by dental records impossible, records of his fingerprints taken from his arrests for intoxicated driving were used to confirm that the fallen pilot was indeed the singer.

Upon announcement of Denver's death, Colorado governor Roy Romer ordered all state flags to be lowered to half staff in his honor. Denver was cremated with the 1910 Gibson guitar given to him by his grandmother which had inspired much of his career. Funeral services were held at Faith Presbyterian Church in Aurora, Colorado, on October 17, 1997, being officiated by Pastor Les Felker, a retired Air Force chaplain. Later, Denver's ashes were scattered in the Rocky Mountains. Further tributes were made at the following Grammys and Country Music Association Awards. Nearly ten years after his death on September 23, 2007, his brother Ron witnessed the dedication of a plaque placed near the crash-site in Pacific Grove, California, commemorating the singer.

Posthumous recognition

In 2000, CBS presented the television movie ''Take Me Home: The John Denver Story'' loosely based on his memoirs, starring Chad Lowe. Denver's brother, Ron Deutschendorf, voiced the feelings of many of the singer's fans when he wrote a letter to the ''Los Angeles Times'' criticizing the film's many inaccuracies: multiple chronological errors, exaggerated difficulties in his relationship with his father, and a completely superficial treatment of Denver's commitment to his various causes. As the ''New York Post'' observed, "An overachiever like John Denver couldn't have been this boring."

Denver's music remains extremely popular around the world. Previously unreleased and unnoticed recordings are now sought-after collectibles in pop, folk and country genres. Also in demand are copies of Denver's many television appearances, especially his one-hour specials from the 1970s and his six-part series for Britain's BBC, ''The John Denver Show''. Despite strong interest in these programs, no sign of "official" release is evident for the vast majority of this material. An anthology musical featuring John Denver's music, ''Back Home Again: A John Denver Holiday'', premiered at the Rubicon Theatre Company in November 2006.

On March 12, 2007, Colorado's Senate passed a resolution to make Denver's trademark 1972 hit "Rocky Mountain High" one of the state's two official state songs, sharing duties with its predecessor, "Where the Columbines Grow." The resolution passed 50–11 in the House, defeating an objection by Rep. Debbie Stafford (R-Aurora) that the song reflected drug use, most specifically the line, "Friends around the campfire and everybody's high." Sen. Bob Hagedorn, the Aurora Democrat who sponsored the proposal, defended the song as nothing to do with drugs, but everything to do with sharing with friends the euphoria of experiencing the beauty of Colorado's mountain vistas. Nancy Todd (D-Aurora) said that "John Denver to me is an icon of what Colorado is." Similar proposals have also been made to the West Virginia House of Delegates to make "Take Me Home Country Roads" the official song of that particular state, so far without success. On September 24, 2007, the California Friends of John Denver and The Windstar Foundation unveiled a bronze plaque near the spot where his plane went down near Pacific Grove. The site had been marked by a driftwood log carved (by Jeffrey Pine of Colorado) with the singer's name, but fears that the memorial could be washed out to sea sparked the campaign for a more permanent memorial. Initially the Pacific Grove Council denied permission for the memorial, fearing the place would attract ghoulish curiosity from extreme fans. Permission was finally granted in 1999, but the project was put on hold at the request of the singer's family. Eventually, over 100 friends and family attended the dedication of the plaque, which features a bas-relief of the singer's face and lines from his song "Windsong": "So welcome the wind and the wisdom she offers. Follow her summons when she calls again."

To mark the 10th anniversary of Denver's death, his family released a set of previously unreleased recordings of Denver's 1985 concert performances in the Soviet Union. This two-CD set, ''John Denver – Live in the USSR'', was produced by Denver's friend Roger Nichols, and released by AAO Music. These digital recordings were made during 11 concerts, and then rediscovered in 2002. Included in this set is a previously unpublished rendition of "Annie's Song" in Russian. The collection was released November 6, 2007.

On October 13, 2009, a DVD box set of previously unreleased concerts recorded throughout Denver's career was released by Eagle Rock Entertainment. "Around the World Live" is a 5-disc DVD set featuring three complete live performances with full band from Australia in 1977, Japan in 1981, and England in 1986. These are complemented by a solo acoustic performance from Japan in 1984, and performances at Farm Aid from 1985, 1987 and 1990. The final disc has two hour-long documentaries made by Denver.

On April 21, 2011, John Denver became the first inductee into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame. A benefit concert was held at Broomfield's 1STBANK Center and hosted by Olivia Newton-John. Other performers participating in the event included Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Lee Ann Womack and John Oates. Both of his ex-wives were in attendance, and the award was presented to his three children.

Related artists

Denver began his recording career with a group that had started as the Chad Mitchell Trio; his distinctive voice can be heard where he sings solo on ''Violets of Dawn'', among other songs. He recorded three albums with the Mitchell Trio, replacing Chad Mitchell himself as high tenor. The group Denver, Boise and Johnson, which had evolved from the Mitchell Trio, released a single before he moved on to a solo career.

Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert, credited as co-writers of Denver's song "Take Me Home, Country Roads", were close friends of Denver and his family, appearing as singers and songwriters on many of Denver's albums until they formed the Starland Vocal Band in 1976. The band's albums were released on Denver's Windsong Records (later known as Windstar Records) label. Denver's solo recording contract resulted in part from the recording by Peter, Paul and Mary of his song "Leaving on a Jet Plane", which became the sole number 1 hit single for the group. Denver recorded songs by Tom Paxton, Eric Andersen, John Prine, David Mallett, and many others in the folk scene. His record company, Windstar, is still an active record label today. Country singer John Berry considers Denver the greatest influence on his own music and has recorded Denver's hit "Annie's Song" with the original arrangement.

Olivia Newton-John, an Australian singer whose across-the-board appeal to pop, MOR, and country audiences in the mid-1970s was similar to Denver's, lent her distinctive backup vocals to Denver's 1975 single "Fly Away"; she performed the song with Denver on his 1975 ''Rocky Mountain Christmas'' special. She also covered his "Take Me Home, Country Roads", and had a hit in the United Kingdom (#15 in 1973) and Japan (#6 in a belated 1976 release) with it. In 1976, John Denver appeared as a guest star, along with Olivia Newton-John, who made a cameo appearance, on The Carpenters Very First Special, a one-hour TV special broadcast on the ABC television network. A highlight of the program was John singing a duet with Karen Carpenter of a medley of "Through the Rye" and "Good Vibrations", although the medley was never released commercially as a single or on an album.

September 2008 saw the premiere of the musical ''Whisper the Wind'' in New Zealand, a tribute presentation covering highlights of Denver's life and career, with the younger Denver played by 21-year-old Dunedin musician Bevan Gardiner, whose vocal impersonation of the late singer was considered so accurate Denver's business manager Harold Thau could not tell them apart.

Awards and recognition

Academy of Country Music

1974 Album of the Year for "Back Home Again"

American Music Awards

1975 Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist

1976 Favorite Country Album for "Back Home Again"

1976 Favorite Country Male Artist

Country Music Association

1975 Entertainer of the Year

1975 Song of the Year for "Back Home Again"

Emmy Awards 1975 Emmy for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special for "An Evening With John Denver"

Grammy Awards

1997 Best Musical Album For Children for "All Aboard!"

1998 Grammy Hall of Fame Award for "Take Me Home, Country Roads"

Songwriters Hall of Fame

Inducted in 1996

Other recognition

Poet Laureate of Colorado, 1977 People's Choice Awards, 1977 Ten Outstanding Young Men of America, 1979

Carl Sandburg’s People’s Poet Award, 1982

NASA Public Service Medal, 1985

Albert Schweitzer Music Award, 1993

"Rocky Mountain High" declared state song of Colorado, 2007

Discography

Filmography

Selected writings

''Alfie the Christmas Tree'' (1990) ISBN 0-945051-25-5

''Take Me Home: An Autobiography'' (1994) ISBN 0-517-59537-0

''Poems, Prayers and Promises: The Art and Soul of John Denver'' (2004) ISBN 1-57560-617-8

References

Sources

Flippo, Chet (1998) "John Denver," ''The Encyclopedia of Country Music,'' Paul Kingsbury, Editor, New York: Oxford University Press. p. 143.

Martin, James M. (1977) "John Denver: Rocky Mountain Wonderboy," Pinnacle Books. (Out of print) Biography of Denver with insight into Denver's impact of the 1970s music industry.

Orth, Maureen, "Voice of America," ''Newsweek,'' December 1976. Includes information on the role of Weintraub in shaping Denver's career, which has since been edited out of later versions of his biography.

External links

Official website

Windstar Foundation, cofounded by Denver

Clips of his songs from the Songwriters Hall of Fame website

Category:American country singers Category:American folk singers Category:American male singers Category:Songwriters from New Mexico Category:Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees Category:American environmentalists Category:The Hunger Project Category:People from Roswell, New Mexico Category:Musicians from New Mexico Category:People from Denver, Colorado Category:Musicians from Colorado Category:Roaring Fork Valley Category:Texas Tech University alumni Category:Military brats Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in the United States Category:Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in the United States Category:Grammy Award winners Category:People associated with the Human Potential Movement Category:Accidental deaths in California Category:1943 births Category:1997 deaths Category:American musicians of German descent Category:American musicians of Irish descent

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