============================================= *** R O C K Y M O U N T A I N H I G H *** ============================================= The John Denver Internet Fan Club Monthly Newsletter December 2008 Editor: Emily M. Parris ================================================ http://www.rockymtnhigh.org * emily@parris.net ================================================ Table of Contents December 2008 – Issue #176 John Denver Events - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 "Quintet Shows John Denver's Music is Loved Even Without Lyrics" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4 Concert Reviews: “Heading To The Mountains” Christopher Westfall In Concert Reviewed by Charles Paschal - - - - - - - - - - - 6 CD Reviews: "One Night" - Chris Cree Reviewed by Emily M. Parris - - - - - - - - - - - 6 John Denver Notes - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 7 Poetry Corner: "Frosty's Melt Down" by Carole Romanowski - - - - - - 8 John Denver Want Ads - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 8 John Denver was born at the sunset of one year and the blossoming of another. He died on our Canadian Thanksgiving weekend and that too had a Silver lining as I believe Our One World can well afford to be Grateful for the Life, Promise and Gifts of John Denver. …. Cathy Meadows ======================================= J O H N D E N V E R E V E N T S ======================================= December 6, 2008 - Annapolis, MD - Hard Travelers Christmas   Show - 8:00pm Ramshead Concert Hall (410) 268-4545 December 11, 2008 - Evergreen, CO - Christmas Dinner with John Adams - Keys on the Green / 29614 Upper Bear Creek / Join John while you are enjoying your special Christmas dinner. http://www.keysonthegreen.com (303) 674-4095 http://www.johnadamsmusic.com December 13, 2008 - Breckenridge, CO - A Rocky Mountain Christmas with John Adams / Riverwalk Center / 150 W. Adams Ave. 7:00pm $20 (970) 948 - 7032 or (970) 409-8325 http://www.johnadamsmusic.com December 14, 2008 - Doylestown, PA - "Sounds of the Season"   Salem United Church of Christ $10 - Christopher Westfall   & Charlie Zahm 3:00pm  pahough@aol.com   http://www.chriswestfall.com   December 19-23, 2008 - Aspen, CO - "A John Denver Holiday   Concert" - Wheeler Opera House 7:30pm Tickets $40 / $25   http://www.wheeleroperahouse.com   December 20, 2008 - West Collingswood, NJ - "Sounds of the   Season" - Christ Episcopal Church / Grant and Comley Avenues  $10  7:30pm   Christopher Westfall    http://www.chriswestfall.com   Info: Nick Watts 609-706-7012  nickwatts@comcast.net   December 23, 2008 - UK - "Country Roads: A Celebration of   John Denver" - Wayne Denton at Warners Gunton Hall,   Lowestoft, Nr Gt Yarmouth (Tel: 01502 730288)   (from the FOJD web page: www.fojd.org.uk)   December 26, 2008 - UK - "Country Roads: A Celebration of   John Denver" - Wayne Denton at Warners Cricket St. Thomas,   Chard, Somerset (Tel: 01460 30111)  (from the FOJD web   page: www.fojd.org.uk) December 31, 2008 – John Denver’s BIRTHDAY!  December 31, 2008 - Haddonfield, NJ - "First Night   Haddonfield" $10 http://www.firstnighthaddonfield.org   Christopher Westfall will play 3 separate one hour sets   Chris: eagleflight@chriswestfall.com   December 31, 2008 - Aspen, CO - New Year's Eve Party at the Pine Creek Cookhouse on Castle Creek Road - John Adams will perform with Timy Stroud and Keely Brown 7:00pm (970) 925-1044 for reservations http://www.johnadamsmusic.com March 21, 2009 – Frederick, MD – “Friends With You” band in Concert / Weinberg Center for the Arts / 20 W. Patrick St. 7:30pm (301) 788-7090 http://www.friendswithyouband.com March 21, 2009 – UK – John Adams Concert for Friends of John Denver will follow the spring Denver Day / Christine Moon fojdclub@fojd.org.uk  *  http://www.fojd.org.uk   April 3, 2009 - Netherlands - John Adams concert in Hendrik   Ido Ambacht (near Rotterdam) in Cascade theater. Tickets   go on sale 9-8-08.   April 17, 2009 - Kansas City, MO - "The Music of John Denver"   will be performed by the Kansas City Symphony at 8:00pm at   the Church of the Resurrection / 5001 W. 137th Street /   Leawood, KS 66224   http://www.kcsymphony.org   Jim Curry will be joined by his band as well as former John   Denver band members Alan Deremo, Ritchie Gajate Garcia and   Pete Huttlinger.  (816) 471-0400  / www.JimCurryMusic.com   Guest Conductor: Lee Holdridge April 18, 2009 – Austin, TX – “Friends With You” band in concert. (301) 788-7090 http://www.friendswithyouband.com April 24, 2009 – Independence, KY – John Denver Tribute Concert By Mark Cormican / Kenton County Library 7:00pm (859) 962-4030 http://www.markcormican.com May 2, 2009 – Atlanta, GA – “Friends With You” Band (678) 576-0269 http://www.friendswithyouband.com June 13, 2009 – Hamilton, OH – “Friends With You” Band (859) 567-2955 http://www.friendswithyouband.com July 14, 2009 - Estes Park, CO - "John Denver Tribute   Concert" - TropiCowboy Band / Brad & Kathy Fitch   October 9, 2009 - Aspen, CO - Pine Creek Cookhouse III event with new DVD premier. 10:30am - 3:00pm Jennifer windwalker@samsco.org Branson, MO - Monday through Saturday 10:00am   "A Tribute to John Denver & Country Music Legends"   James Garrett sings John Denver's best-loved hits.   IMAX Little Opry Theatre / 3562 Shepherd of the Hills   Expressway / Branson, MO 65616  (800) 419-4832          <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> “Quintet shows John Denver's music is loved even without lyrics” Thuringer Salonquintett, from Thuringia, Germany, plays classical music (Schubert, Mozart) and interpretations of John Denver's songs. Recordnet.com By Tony Sauro Record Staff Writer October 09, 2008 Peter Nelson admits he didn't exactly experience a "Rocky Mountain High" when the concept was proposed: A Kaffeehaus chamber music quintet from Germany playing John Denver songs? "At first, I thought it was a crazy idea," said Nelson, double bass player in the Thuringer Salonquintett. "But it really worked out very, very well. I was really excited." "They're hoping to bring in a few people who normally wouldn't come to our kind of concert." That'll be at least part of the plan when Nelson's group, from the Thuringia region of Germany, opens the 62nd Lodi Community Concert Series at Hutchins Street Square on Wednesday. “We've tried to get them for a long time," said Corinne Terry, president of the concert series' association. "They are in such demand." Terry said her group schedules accessible programs that range from classics to pop, bluegrass and jazz - similar to the "sheer, unadulterated listening pleasure" the 35-year-old Thuringer Salonquintett says its Kaffeehaus musical blend creates in Europe. The mellow and melodic music of the late John Denver translated naturally. A folk-pop singer-songwriter, film actor and TV host, Denver was hugely popular in the 1970s. He recorded 15 top 40 singles between 1971-82. "Funny thing is, in the past year and a half, we've found out that John Denver is loved all over the world," said Nelson, 46, a native of Greenville, S.C., who's lived in Germany since 1986. "I had no idea.” "We've discovered that, even in the former Eastern Bloc communist countries, practically everyone in the world knows his songs. Even in China. Mao was a big fan of John Denver." It was some Denver admirers at Live on Stage, a Nashville company that schedules concerts for Lodi and 149 other communities, who suggested the idea. Rainhard Leuscher, a bass player in Leipzig's Gewandhaus Orchestra, adapted Denver's tunes for classical piano, cello, violin, viola and double bass. Without lyrics. "It's a challenge," said Nelson, who lives in Gera, southwest of Leipzig. "Not only do the songs have beautiful melodies but the lyrics are so important. So, you have to make it texturally interesting enough for people just to listen, even if they don't necessarily sing along, which they mostly do. Nelson, a graduate of Boston's New England School of Music, said it "wasn't difficult at all" for him to play Denver's songs. Ditto for Rainer Eichhorn (piano), Georg Fritzsch (cello), Egbert Funda (violin, cello) and Andreas Hartmann (violin). "They're amazing instrumentalists," said Nelson, whose favorite Denver tune is "Annie's Song." "The thing about great players is that, in a way, the songs might be even more successful than the originals. It's kind of experimental." Before their current 12-concert, 20-day U.S. tour, Nelson and the quintet had performed their Denver program just six times. In addition to "Annie's Song," they play Denver classics such as "Thank God I'm a Country Boy," "Fly Away," "Sunshine on My Shoulder," "Rocky Mountain High" and "Take Me Home, Country Roads." They'll also perform selections by Schubert and Mozart in Lodi. Nelson said the quintet plans to record its Denver interpretations in 2009. He's also hoping to put a classical spin on singer-songwriter James Taylor's tunes. He was interested to learn that, while Denver is so well-known there, hardly anyone in Europe is as familiar with Taylor. Nelson said during a telephone interview that he's discovered something else on this visit home: "What I wasn't aware of, especially out West, is that there's been kind of a groundswell of appreciation for John Denver's music." He and the Thuringer Salonquintett are playing their parts. Thuringer Salonquintett The concert was at Hutchins Street Square, 125 S. Hutchins St., Lodi <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*>   "Heading To The Mountains", Christopher Westfall In Concert July 26, 2008 Raystown Lake, PA Review by Charles Paschal   On July 26, 2008, singer/songwriter and Nashville recording artist Christopher Westfall performed an outstanding three hour concert at the beautiful Seven Points Amphitheater at Raystown Lake, PA.  Seven Points proved to be the ideal setting for this troubadour to weave his magic, surrounded by the beautiful Allegheny Mountains and the scenic lake.  This was Westfall's fifth appearance at Seven Points.  He opened the show with his version of "Trail of Tears", and included some rarely heard gems such as "Shipmates and Cheyenne" and "Love Is The Master".  Westfall performed his versions of many songs, some of which he has recorded such as "Running River", an energetic country song that is currently enjoying nationwide airplay.  This master truly shines on the songs that he has written himself, such as "Heading To The Mountains", which is the title track of his latest CD.  Westfall is virtually a one-man band, playing a potpourri of six and twelve string guitars, as well as piano on-stage.  While performing "Run For The Roses" on piano, a gentle gust of wind blew his sheet music onto the stage floor - Westfall was unaffected and completed the song flawlessly.  Another high point in the show was "When You Love Someone", a song written by Westfall which entwines a beautiful melody with outstanding lyrics from the heart.  His songs mirror life, and take the listener along on a journey that is both thought provoking and enjoyable.  The balladeer shines on-stage, easily switching between his many instruments - although his finest instrument is certainly his voice.  Westfall is a virtuoso, and needs no accompaniment.  His stories between the songs are humorous, and touching - allowing a peek into his life and inspirations.  A rare treat was his performance of "The Waking Of The Day", a powerful instrumental tune on twelve string guitar that he wrote.    With so many wonderful original songs, such as "I'm Coming Home", "Alaska (The Last Frontier)", and "When You Love Someone", Westfall's gift is very apparent.  It makes one wonder...where are the great songwriters of today?  Who is writing the songs that will endure, and be memorable and relevant for years to come?  After seeing this tunesmith in concert, and enjoying the Westfall experience, there is no doubt in my mind - it is Christopher Westfall! <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> CD REVIEWS Chris Cree's cd "One Night" Chris Cree's songs on the album "One Night" are very personal stories of life and love. He has written all of the songs except for two of them - "Leader of the Band" and John's "A Song For All Lovers". "Leader of the Band" is a song by Dan Fogelberg that was written as a tribute to his father. Chris does a very nice rendition of the song. On the song "Walk Among the People" Chris sings 2 part harmony with himself. It lends a special touch to the song. "Can We Have Some Christmas" is a wonderful seasonal song written by Chris. He is joined by musicians Rauly Williams, David Williams, Carlyle McCullough and Rich Ellis. The songs on the album are: The Story Repeated Words It Started So Lovely Walk Among the People How I Miss You I Wish I Was A Magician The Little Prince The Five Senses Can We Have Some Christmas? A Song For All Lovers Country Boy From Dallas Leader of the Band These songs are easy going and relaxing. "The Little Prince" is in the key of F. It is always nice to have "A Song For All Lovers" included on an album because this is a beautiful John Denver song that is not heard often enough. You'll enjoy Chris' interpretation of this John Denver song. If you are a John Denver fan, I think you will appreciate this album that Chris Cree has put together. ======================================= J O H N D E N V E R N O T E S ======================================= Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will release the movie "Higher Ground" on dvd on January 27, 2009. The 1988 film stars John Denver as disillusioned FBI agent Jim Clayton who decides to end his career and fulfill a lifelong dream of becoming a bush pilot in Alaska. Clayton joins his air force buddy Rick Loden (Martin Kove) to help him run his air freight business. But when Loden is murdered and unjustly branded a bootlegger, Clayton is determined to find the murderer and clear Loden's name. With suspicions about the involvement of the town's wealthiest man (Richard Masur), Clayton uses all the investigative skills he can muster and the assistance of a local young Indian man to help the no-nonsense state trooper (John Rhys-Davies) assigned to solve the case. It will contain bonus materials and extra features. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -= - - - ======================================= J O H N D E N V E R P O E T R Y ======================================= Frosty’s Melt Down By Carole Romanowski   With New Year's Eve just dawning And John's birthday that same day Frosty the Snowman "welcomed the wind" For he was melting fast away!   "With temperatures still rising.." Oh, Frosty really was in trouble! "How can I wish John Happy Birthday While I slush into a puddle?"   So the snowman summoned the North Wind And quickly dear Frosty froze From underneath his snowball bottom Up to his head and carrot nose!   Now Frosty knew John was the wind's friend So he cried out "Auld Lang Syne!" Shouting "Happy Birthday,John!" And "Happy New Year 2009!"   (copyright by Carole Romanowski) Whispjesse@aol.com ================================================ JOHN DENVER W A N T A D S / F O R S A L E ================================================= Pete Huttlinger's cd "Two Friends, Two Guitars" is on sale For $9.95 while supplies last. The cd was recorded with his Friend, Jim Salestrom. http://www.petehuttlinger.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "Rocky Mountain Christmas" Songbook... looking for a like-new or mint copy of the 1975 songbook for a musician friend who has worn his out! Email Donna at lemurlady@comcast.net - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - New Christmas CD: "My Christmas List" includes "Aspenglow", "Christmas For Cowboys" and "A Baby Just Like You" as well as traditional Christmas favorites. It also includes "My Grown-Up Christmas List" http://www.JohnAdamsMusic.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Susan Leaver < susanleaver19@yahoo.com > Margaret has lost her video of John Denver singing with the Boston Pops. Can anyone help with a video or DVD copy? She would be happy to cover all necessary expenses. Maureen has been in pursuit for some time of a Wildlife Concert T-shirt size 12-14. Can anyone help? Likewise, she would be happy to cover expenses. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "Whisper the wind"  soundtrack album presenting the life and music of John Denver , featuring Bevan Gardiner and a cast of international musicians. Double album.- New Zealand $35 plus $10 for postage and packing. I do accept all major currencies if you wish to order.  Address for payment and order is -  Susan Leaver / P O Box 11-0114 / Grafton / Auckland / New Zealand Susan Leaver < susanleaver19@yahoo.com > More information about the show can be gained by visiting www.showinfo.co.nz - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "Merry Christmas Aspen" - 1984 Christmas album features John Denver, the Aspen Community Choir and the Aspen Dickens Carolers. John appears on the last four tracks of the album. http://www.johndenverspecials.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dawn Publications has Holiday Specials on the John Denver Children's Books. http://www.dawnpub.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Italian John Denver Site http://www.john-denver.eu Peaceful Blue Planet http://www.peacefulblueplanet.org Vote for John http://www.lovesongs.com/alltimefavartist.htm John in Russia http://www.aaomusic.com/index.html (scroll down to see video) Aspen Photos on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/gp/25505015@N00/8ge92m To subscribe: rockymountainhigh-subscribe@emissives.com To unsubscribe: rockymountainhigh-unsubscribe@emissives.com ************************************************************* Rocky Mountain High: The John Denver Internet Fan Club emily@parris.net http://www.rockymtnhigh.org December 2008 * Issue #176 * Editor: Emily M. Parris *************************************************************