J~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~J O R O C K Y M O U N T A I N H I G H O H =============================================== H N The John Denver Internet Fan Club N D D E M O N T H L Y N E W S L E T T E R E N N V A U G U S T 1 9 9 4 V E E R Written by: Emily Parris Email: emily@sky.net R ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TABLE OF CONTENTS - August - Our Heroes......Commentary & Poetry..................... 2 "Heroes"........................................... 2 "John: My Hero" ................................... 2 John Denver High On Life Article 6/20/82................................... 4 Video - John Denver, A Portrait......................... 6 Does John Denver Have A Drinking Problem?............... 6 John Denver Hits A Tree................................. 7 "Rocky Mountain Melody"................................. 8 Submissions Needed ..................................... 9 RMH Members in 6 countries ............................. 9 OUR HEROES To me a hero is someone who inspires you to be your best. They set an example for us by showing us excellence in film, in music, in writing, in life or in some other way. John Denver is one of my heroes: HEROES by Emily M. Parris Our heroes are special They inspire us so Showing us vistas Of where we can go Blazing a trail for us Showing the way With the things that they do And the things that they say You are my hero - Keep blazing the trail Because I am following You without fail A hero has qualities Special and true Just like the ones that I find there in you Copyright 1/1/91 by Emily M. Parris JOHN: MY HERO by Emily M. Parris Dedicated to John Denver Your music - What does it mean to me? How does it make my day? How does it make me feel inside To listen to things you say? To me you are one who stands alone Not afraid to speak the truth You affirm a sense of optimism That I had in my youth Alone in song you sing about The way it ought to be In what you say and what you do You are a hero to me Critics say you are too mellow That you're middle-of-the-road And under their ostracism You bear a heavy load I think they protest way too much For they see your shining face And deep inside they know the truth - You come from a special place For there inside your music Lies the truth to make us whole There inside your music Is the essence of your soul Copyright 1994 by Emily M. Parris JOHN DENVER STILL HIGH ON LIFE by John Guinn Knight-Ridder News Service Denver Post 6/20/82 ------------------------------------------------------------- Softball, Air Force Jets to Mark July 4 Benefit What could be more American than John Denver and softball on the Fourth of July? How 'bout beer, pop, flags and a flyover by Air Force jets? Denver and all the rest will be together Sunday at Softball West Stadium when Denver's Johnny and the Sharks team meets a squad of radio and television personalities to benefit the Leukemia Society of America and the East West Community Center. The benefit will start at 2 PM at the stadium, West 64th Avenue between Pecos Street and Federal Boulevard. Admission is $2.50 for adults and $1.00 for children. -------------------------------------------------------------- John Denver is as honest as a bee sting, but not nearly as painful. He laces his conversation with words like "incredible", "wonderful", "satisfying", "beautiful" and "loving" until you begin to wonder if he knows this is 1982. Yet he also projects a stalwart sincerity that keeps you from dismissing him as a vapid collection of plastic personality traits. Denver's optimism is genuine. He really seems to believe in the inevitable goodness of all things and he wants you to believe in it too. And while he didn't dip much below the superficial level in a recent telephone conversation, his voice, like most of his photographs, was all smiles. He seems to compose as easily as he smiles. "Usually an idea that feels like a song that you can make a whole thought out of, or a phrase or something comes to mind, and when I have a chance to build on it I do" Denver said. "Sometimes it takes months. And sometimes a song comes on and it takes over, and I know that I better get out of the way and not do anything." Denver characterizes his style as "coming out of folk music more than anything else. I feel I've adapted it to the popular sound of music today and that sort of continues to change." "I'm not really a rock artist or disco or country, although it's close to country sometimes. But I don't think "Annie's Song" or "Shanghai Breezes" or "Rocky Mountain High" can be categorized as country." Denver achieved a special notoriety last year when he wrote a song ("Perhaps Love") for operatic tenor Placido Domingo to sing on an album that marked the tenor's first attempt at pop singing. Denver joined him in singing the song on the best selling album, which was also called "Perhaps Love." He says he loved the experience. "Domingo's a wonderful man, a warm, generous and wonderful human being" Denver said. "It was incredible working with him." Denver does have a somewhat sober side. The New York Times, citing the fact that he is now 38 years old, referred to him as "almost like a statesman" in a review last year. That pleased him. "Yeah, I like that" he said. "I'd like to be a statesman very much. I feel enthusiastic and optimistic about most things and I'm not afraid to show it." "But I am an adult, and in regard to the concerns I feel are shared by many people, I'm glad to be able to articulate them." These concerns are wide ranging. "Hunger in the world is one" Denver said. "And I served for two years on a Presidential Commission involved in nuclear disarmament. I've been concerned about that for a decade now, and share the feeling with people all over the world. The idea of conflict in general and nuclear war concerns me greatly, and, of course, anything to do with wilderness." Denver said the most important thing in his life is trying to sustain his family. "These other concerns color that. Maybe it would be more honest to say that my aim is to keep myself straight in the world and to seek self-fulfillment, and the way that is found is in relationship to my family." One of the high points of a life apparently filled with high points was Denver's trip to mainland China last summer. "It was an incredible experience" he said "Time has a different feeling to it there than anyplace else I've been." "To see a different system and see that in some respects it works very well, and also to find out that the Chinese people have problems just like in our country really deepened my experience. People are alike everywhere. Differences do not need to be areas of conflict. I was thrilled with the Chinese people. They are wonderful, happy, loving people." But the most satisfying thing for the sunny singer with the round rimmed glasses and the flaxen hair is "live singing. That satisfies me the most." "It's getting right out there in the middle of the people and having songs that people want to hear. You come away feeling good about it and so do the people. A performance is a wonderful thing. It's wonderful to be part of a shared experience." Copyright 1982 Knight Ridder News Service ------------------------------------------ *********************** VIDEO ************************* ******************************************************* JOHN DENVER, A PORTRAIT Cherry Lane Music has an exciting JD product that you've all been asking for. This exciting biography will include nostalgic musical flashbacks from John's early television specials in the 70's and brand new interviews from the 90's. It can be ordered from Cherry Lane during the following hours: 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM (CST) Monday thru Friday 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM (CST) Saturday The number if 1-(800) 637-2852. The cost is $19.99 plus $3.00 shipping for one copy. You can also order by mail. Send a check or money order to: Music Dispatch P. O. Box 31920 Milwaukee, WI 53213 (WI and MI residents must also add the sales tax.) ********************************************************* ********************************************************* DOES JOHN HAVE A DRINKING PROBLEM? by Emily Parris Last year we were all shocked when John was arrested for driving while under the influence. For a few fleeting days his name was bantered about and later jokes were made about the Tipsy Taxi Concert that took place in Aspen. But Alcoholism is not a joking matter and it is time that John faced up to this serious issue. Ignoring the problem won't make it go away, but perhaps our love and encouragement will cause John to seek the help he needs before it is too late. This time it was a tree that he ran into while intoxicated, but next time it could be a car and in that car could be someone's daughter or son. Next time it could be even more serious for John as well as for whoever is in the other car. Driving while intoxicated endangers all of us. I urge John (and everyone else) to take a taxi, take a limo, or walk.....but leave your car behind if you have had too much to drink! Give your car keys to a friend or leave your car parked and go home with a friend, but don't ever endanger your life and the lives of others by driving when you have had too much to drink! As John's fan's I think we should encourage him to seek help with his substance abuse problem. It is obvious that something has to be done, and those of us who love him are the ones who should help. Please write to John and plead with him to seek some help in dealing with his problem, and to not drive and endanger his life and the lives of others. Write to John at: John Denver P. O. Box 1587 Aspen, Colorado 81612 I think he needs our love and encouragement now more than ever. So if you have never written him a letter, please do so now. Show him that he has people who admire him and care about him and have not forgotten one single note of his beautiful music. LET'S SHOW HIM WE CARE about his personal life as well as the huge legacy of inspiring music he has shared with us all over the years. JOHN DENVER CITED FOR DRUNK DRIVING AFTER ACCIDENT August 22, 1994 DENVER (Reuter) - Singer John Denver rammed his sports car into a tree near Aspen early Monday, cutting his head, and was charged with drunken driving, the Colorado State Highway Patrol said. Denver, 50, was driving alone in his 1963 Porsche when he lost control and rammed it into a tree outside the posh resort town, according to Patrol Captain Fred Bitterman. Denver could not be immediately reached for comment. Friends who were following Denver in a car took him to a hospital in Aspen, where emergency room personnel notified the police. Denver suffered a laceration just below the hairline on the right side of his face and was released Monday morning. Denver was arrested last year for driving under the influence and as part of his sentence agreed to sing at a concert. Bitterman said further legal action is up to the district attorney's office. Reuter/Variety ROCKY MOUNTAIN MELODY by Emily M. Parris Dedicated to John Denver Sing me another Rocky Mountain Melody The music I love to hear Songs of love, and home, and family All the things that to me are dear Sing me another rocky mountain melody The music that makes me high A song of the beauty and grandeur Of the mountains so near the sky Sing me up into the mountains Let me soar with eagles high Sing it soft and sweet and tenderly 'Til it makes me want to cry Sing of sunshine, love and flowers And of hope from up above Tell the joy you find in living And the happiness in love Sing me another rocky mountain melody Sing me another rocky mountain song With words that are so meaningful So simple, so true, so strong Sing me another rocky mountain melody Sing me another of your Rocky mountain songs Sing of the love and the one great whole To which each single person belongs Take me through the cooling forests By the brilliant, bubbling streams Let the music lightly lift me To the better land of dreams Let me wander all over the mountains Where the sky is as blue as the sea When your songs take my mind on the journey In the mountains I really will be Sing me another rocky mountain melody The music I love to hear Songs of love, and home and family All the things that to me are dear Bring the children and their laughter To cheer me on my way And your rocky mountain melody Will last all through the day Copyright 1982 by Emily M. Parris *********************************************************** SUBMISSIONS URGENTLY NEEDED ! ---------------------------------- I need your input. Please send articles, poems, short stories, experiences or comments or anything you want to write to me at emilyparris@delphi.com. I can't do this all alone. I need your help. *********************************************************** MEMBERS ** MEMBERS ** MEMBERS ** MEMBERS ** MEMBERS ** MEMBERS We now have Rocky Mountain High on the Internet Members from the following countries: USA, England, Germany, Israel, Japan, and The Netherlands. ********************************* END OF FILE August 1994 Newsletter #4 Rocky Mountain High: The John Denver Internet Fan Club emily@sky.net *********************************