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 6 V E E R Emily Parris emily@sky.net http://www.sky.net/~emily R ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Table of Contents August 1996 - Issue #28 John Denver Concert Schedule...............................2 In Fond Memory of Mark Stern...............................3 Spotlight on "Music and Communication", the John Denver Fan Club from GERMANY...................4 John Denver Essay Contest..................................5 Like Stars in the Sky An Essay on Why I Like John Denver - by Emily Parris....5 "No Longer Naive, But Optimistic" San Jose Mercury News - June 2, 1996...................6 Stories: "How I Met John Denver" by Jenny Favaloro...............7 Greg Jones..............................................8 Patti Wilkins - Additional lyrics to "Earth Day"........9 Michael Knight - Additional lyrics.."The Music Is You".10 "Catch and Release" - A CD by Pete Huttlinger Notes by Emily Parris.................................10 Letters to the Editor: Kelli Vincent.........................................10 John Denver Notes.........................................11 John Denver Want Ads/For Sale.............................12 ============================================ JOHN DENVER CONCERT SCHEDULE ============================================ Sept 15, 1996 The Rose Garden 7:30 PM Portland, Oregon Charge by Phone: (503) 224-4400 Rose Quarter Ticket Office (503) 790-ARTS Tickets $35.00 and $27.50 Sept 16, 1996 Spokane Opera House Spokane, Washington G&B Select-A-Seat 1-800-325-SEAT Sept 17, 1996 Paramount Theatre 8:00 PM Seattle, Washington 98101 (206) 682-1414 (206) 628-0888 Sept 21, 1996 Walk Festival Hall at Teton Village Jackson Hole, Wyoming 7:30 PM (Benefit for the Snake River Institute) 307-733-2214 / tickets are $25.00 each Reception following the concert for the first 100 people for $100.00 each. Sept 24, 1996 Tucson, AZ Ticketmaster: (520) 321-1000 Sept 25-26, 1996 Dallas, TX Dallas Ticketmaster: 214-373-8000 Sept 27, 1996 San Antonio, TX Ticketmaster: (210) 224-3000 Nov 2, 1996 Ruth Eckherd Clearwater, Florida Nov 3, 1996 Jacksonville, Florida Ticketmaster: (904) 353-3309 Nov 4, 1996 Kravis Center West Palm Beach, Florida Nov 5, 1996 Lake Buena Vista, Florida Orlando Ticketmaster: (407) 839-3900 Dec 2, 1996 Valley Forge, PA Dec 3, 1996 Westbury Long Island, NY Dec 19-20, 1996 Constitution Hall Washington, D.C. Dec 22-23, 1996 Las Vegas Hilton Las Vegas, Nevada ----------------------------------- Concert Notes: Las Vegas Hilton....... Apparently the Aug 22, 23 date at the Las Vegas Hilton is a special Casino Event that is by invitation only. That is what I was told by their staff (800) 732-7117. Lake Buena Vista, FL...... May be a private event as well. ============================================================== ============================================== In Fond Memory of Mark Stern ============================================== Recently we were informed that John's Publicist, Mark Stern, had died. I had never met Mark Stern, but he was always so nice to talk with on the phone. He was the first person I had ever heard from on John's staff and he called many times keeping me informed of what was going on in John's life. He always treated all of us in John's fan clubs with respect and he realized that we have a positive influence on John's career. He will be missed very much. Jochen Michalak of Music and Communication had this to say of Mark's passing......"We were really shocked when we heard the sad news about Mark Stern passing away. He was a wonderful man. Birgit and I had the opportunity to meet him in person in New York in 1995, during the filming of the Wildlife Concert. We will really miss his unexpected calls filled with the special irony of his." ____________________________________________ Remembrances of Mark Stern Ann Schnitz Prior to 1985, Mark Stern was just a name on a John Denver concert program. I knew of him as "the guy that does John's publicity". Until: I met my friend Diana Leon at John's concert at the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City, NJ. She was sitting right next to me, in fact, and we began talking to each other about John's music and how much it meant to our lives. Diana then told me that she had found out about this show through the grapevine but by then, there were no more tickets available. So, taking a shot at it, she called information and found Mark Stern's number (Mark's office was in New York City) and called him. What followed was a wonderful conversation and the beginning of a nice friendship. Mark even got Diana her seats for the Golden Nugget show. And he told her to call whenever she felt like chatting about John or wanted any information -- this was too good to believe. Throughout the next year, Diana called Mark periodically and he was never too busy to talk to her. He seemed to enjoy her phonecalls and was personable and charming whenever they spoke. Finally, concert time rolled around again in the summer of 1986, and Mark arranged for backstage passes for Diana and I for the show we would be attending at the Garden State Arts Center. To say we were thrilled would be a tremendous understatement. We were walking on air. After the concert, we were backstage about a half hour, talking to John and fan club friends and literally having the time of our lives. But all too soon, it was over and we had to leave. Not before receiving huge hugs from John -- I couldn't breathe for a moment...it was a moment I'll never forget. We left the backstage area with our heads in a whirl, only to find John's brother, Ron, outside, having a smoke. We suddenly realized that we'd never found Mark to thank him for all that he'd done and asked Ron if he knew where Mark was. He told us that he thought we'd just missed him, but we tried to run after him anyway. Unfortunately, we never did catch up to thank him in person. Diana, of course, called him the next day, and kept in touch with him until she moved to Florida about a year later. I have not heard from her for years -- for all I know, she could be reading this right now -- so I don't know if she continued her relationship with him. All I do know is that I will be forever grateful to Mark for that night, and it is with fond memories that I remember him. ============================================================= ============================================ Spotlight on MUSIC AND COMMUNICATION the John Denver Fan Club in Germany ============================================ In last month's issue I made the error of saying...."Jochen and Birgit from Music and Communication (The John Denver Fan Club in the Netherlands"). This was in error. They are from GERMANY (!), and I want to apologize profusely for this error. Here is some information about their club: MUSIC AND COMMUNICATION is currently the only existing official John Denver fanclub in Germany. Founded in the Saarland in 1981, it celebrates its 15th anniversary this year. The original number of members was 10. Today the club has more than 200 members, which is due to two German John Denver tours in 1992 and 1995. Music and Communication publishes a quarterly newsletter, which contains 48 to 60 pages, filled with JD information, articles and photos, as well as related stuff. The newsletter has two versions, one in German and one in English. The contents is the same. Once a year, we hold our Denver Weekend, which is a gathering of JD fans who come together to share their music, thoughts and friendship. This year's weekend takes place in Sinzig near Bonn, Germany, on October 5th and 6th. Music and Communication is a part of The World Family Of John Denver, a loosely knit group of fanclubs that entertain a continuous exchange of information. There are four clubs in the US (one of which is Rocky Mountain High), one in the Netherlands, one in England, one in Austria, one in Japan, one in Australia, and one in Germany. In 1992, an All European Denver Weekend took place in Germany, with almost 100 participants from Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Austria. 1994 saw an International Fan Convention held in Colorado by the US clubs. Fans from all over the world attended, also from Music and Communication. The club is currently headed by Inge, Jochen, Birgit, Gabi and Gaby. Inge was one of the founding members back in 1981, the others joined the club and finally the staff over the years. If you need more information, please write to: Inge Kaminski Muensterstr. 42 40476 Duesseldorf Germany. Best wishes, Jochen. =================================== John Denver ESSAY CONTEST =================================== Your assignment, should you choose to accept it , is to write a 200 word essay on why you like John Denver. I'll include the best one(s) in the next issue of the Rocky Mountain High newsletter. Mail entries to with "Essay Contest" as the header. I wrote an essay to start things off....... Like Stars In The Sky by Emily Parris I discovered John's songs one by one at first; falling in love with them and revelling in the truth and love he seemed to express. I loved "Take Me Home, Country Roads" and other songs but I wasn't thinking much about their author. Then one magical day in a record store it all came together. I was reading the back of the record album "Poems, Prayers and Promises." The words on the back were familiar to me and so were the titles of the songs. I began to realize that all these songs were from one man. It was as if each of John's songs was a single star and I was suddenly gazing up at a starlit sky. I bought that album and took it home. When you buy a John Denver album it is as if you bring John home with you. Caring, feelings, love and vulnerability are there in his songs and his voice. It's hard not to love him, and so it was that the next day I came back for another album. Within a short time I had them all. I couldn't get enough of John's music or his voice, but basically I think I couldn't get enough of his love. I listened to his music and let it fill me. That's why I love John Denver. We live in a world that is often cold and uncaring. John Denver makes the world a little warmer place. =============================== NO LONGER NAIVE, BUT OPTIMISTIC Reno-Tahoe-Review San Jose Mercury News, June 2, 1996 Thirty years ago John Denver replaced Chad Mitchell in the Chad Mitchell Trio. He'd been an American legend ever since. Denver then was in his early 20's and a boyish early 20's at that. He's now 52. Denver is happy he's 52, and no longer boyish. "I don't like being thought of as a boy," he says. "I hope to sustain the enthusiasm and optimism of youth, but I'm not too naive anymore." Denver's face is now lined with experience. Those who get close seats when he sings June 29 in the Reno Hilton's outdoor ampitheater will see a mature man. Those further back will see someone who looks a bit more like the legendary Denver who sang "Rocky Mountain High." He looks younger in glasses: In glasses, Denver still looks like the classic Denver. Out of glasses he looks much older. "The glasses", he says, "kept people thinking of the country boy, a person who's a little bit naive, overly optimistic, not really credible perhaps - and that's not the way that I feel." Denver has always taken a lively interest in improving the world, whether regarding race relations or ecology. His father was in the Air Force, and the family moved a lot. "I had the opportunity to work a lot of different jobs. I was on a wheat harvest in Texas, then up into Canada, and in a lumber camp in the northwest," says Denver. "My music has always allowed me to make friends, and everywhere I went people enjoyed the same kind of things. We talked about the same things. People were the same. As I became socially and politically aware - primarily after I joined the Mitchell trio in the '60s - I began to realize many things they were addressing in their songs were things I had thought about without the perspective of being socially and politically aware." Denver, as he eyes his mature years, wants to see a world to be at home in. "It will be the place that you have built and and lived in and grown in. To the degree that we become more aware of the earth as our home, as the home of the human family, that will be a very valuable thing." ===================================================== JOHN DENVER STORIES ===================================================== COW MANURE ON MY SHOES. The day I met John Denver. by Jenny Favaloro I always knew in my heart that one day, somehow, somewhere, I was going to meet John Denver and being in Sydney Australia, the chances I guess were quite slim. Usually on his visits to our city, someone would always ring me and say 'hi, guess who I saw today' - yep John Denver, oh well I knew my time would come. My first 'close encounter' was after a wonderful concert at Sydney Entertainment Centre with my mum. I heard a group of J.D. fans talking about waiting at the exit gate to catch a glimpse of him. I grabbed mum and there we waited with about 20 others, an hour or two passed and suddenly the doors opened and out he strolled and to his suprise there we were cheering and clapping, the only thing between us was a big wire fence. He stopped and looked, he was silent for a moment, put his hands together and thanked us for waiting so long to see him, everyone was just thrilled to see him, he said a few more things before he left and 'god bless you all' were his final words. We all went home on a high, even my mum who couldn't believe I'd made her wait in a dark alley for nearly two hours!! My next 'close encounter' was the most precious moment of my life, it was the year his Jesse-belle was born and I was working in Avalon, Sydney as a gardener/horticulturist. I'd finished work for the day and I hopped in my car and headed for the beach for a walk (so I thought) when there HE was, JOHN DENVER, I couldn't believe my eyes, standing in the street outside the local video store chatting to someone. I knew he was living not far from Avalon at the time with Cassandra and their new baby but actually seeing him there, should I say 'Far Out'! As you can imagine I nearly crashed the car, I've never found a parking space so fast in my life! I grabbed an old J.D. cassette label (the best of John Denver, my sweet lady) in case I was brave enough to ask for an autograph. I tried to look inconspicuous as I waited, he must get so sick of people coming up to him, I nearly let the moment pass me by as he walked into the video store, I lost my nerve. I turned and started to walk away when I heard the words 'it's now or never'. So in I went, gardening boots and all. I walked up to him after he'd chosen his videos. I can't remember exactly what I said although I am sure it was embarrassingly silly! A moment I'd been waiting for for so long but what was I going to say? Anyway what a genuinly lovely person he is, he put out his hand and asked my name. As I shook his hand it was then that I realised what I was wearing, my work clothes and boots, covered in mud and cow manure (which I'd been spreading on flower beds half an hour before). I said 'oh I've just been spreading cow manure in the garden' as he wiped his hand! (I forgot to mention I had washed my hands!) How embarrassing! He asked me what I did for a job, I told him and asked if he needed a gardener in Aspen! No, oh well, I tried! I also asked him how Cassandra was, he looked a little sad and said 'she's having a real hard day today'. We stood at the counter to borrow a pen while he got his videos (one was A Fish Called Wanda), he signed my cassette cover with the words Jenny, Peace! John Denver, which I absolutely cherish because whenever I look at it I remember that beautiful sunny day I met John Denver. It was only a brief meeting but one which touched my heart and will remain with me forever. Yes, dreams really do come true. Jenny Favaloro - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - From: Greg Jones I first became aware of John from his Poems, prayers and promises album. I was about 5 years old and my family had gone to visit my aunt at the convent where she lived in Tennessee. The kids were all asleep in our sleeping bags across the floor, except my sister and my aunt. My aunt was telling my sister about John and playing his album. I woke up and heard music that changed my life. My sister never really got into the music and listened but was mostly indifferent to it. I on the other hand went home, found an order form for the RCA music club and sent it in. (I was five -- I figured 6 albums for a penny sounds like I can afford it.) So I ordered: Evening with John Denver, Windsong, Greatest Hits and Poems Prayers and Promises. -- Like a good child I also ordered two for my dad for Christmas presents. When the bills came, my mom said I had to earn the money for postage. I did, but didn't realize I had to buy more. I told RCA and they said they couldn't bind me to the terms of the contract and forgave my debt to them. I still have those albums today. They are well-played but in great shape.) I first got to see John in concert in Indianapolis about four years ago. The first person I thought of to take was my sister -- we sang the songs all the way down and had a great time (except for the woman next to us who gave an indian war whoop as John finished each song. -- by the end of the concert everyone within 10 feet of her wanted to string her up -- she knew she was annoying, but said she paid for her ticket and could do what she wanted -- so much for consideration of others.) Finally, last year when I was having some emotional problems, I listened to An Evening with.. over and over and sang the songs. It was the only thing that made me happy. John got me through some of the darkest hours in my life and if he does nothing else with his life, I can honestly say he saved my life more than once and for that I am forever in his debt. Greg - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - One of the First Grade Classes at Laurel School in Whittier, California celebrated Earth Day and wrote some additional lyrics to John's song: From: Clair & Patti Wilkins Subject: Re: Earth Day Song CELEBRATE EARTH DAY By John Denver Additional lyrics by Mrs. Biart's First Grade Class Laurel School, Whittier, Calif. (Orginal lyrics) Celebrate Earth Day, every day Celebrate Earth Day, every day Celebrate land and sea Celebrate you and me Celebrate Earth Day, every day (Additonal Lyrics) Celebrate Earth Day, every day Celebrate Earth Day, every day Celebrate carrots and peas Celebrate you and me Celebrate Earth Day, every day Celebrate Earth Day, every day Celebrate Earth Day, every day Celebrate milk and tea Celebrate you and me Celebrate Earth day, every day Celebrate Earth Day, every day Celebrate Earth Day, every day Celebrate dogs and fleas Celebrate You and me Celebrate Earth Day, every day Celebrate Earth Day, every day Celebrate Earth Day, every day Celebrate flowers and bees Celebrate you and me Celebrate Earth Day, every day Celebrate Earth Day, every day Celebrate Earth Day, every day Celebrate birds and trees Celebrate you and me Celebrate Earth day, every day Celebrate Earth Day, every day Celebrate Earth Day, every day Celebrate land and sea Celebrate you and me Celebrate Earth Day, every day. (Clap and Shout; "Hey!" ) Michael Knight of Newport, R.I. has written some additional lyrics to "The Music Is You" Music brings memories of good times and bad times, Times that were happy, times that were sad And all of the memories, that music brings me, Fills up my senses, and makes me feel glad So listen to music, whenever you're lonely, When you're with someone, when you're apart. Let music fill you, with joy and with laughter, Let it reach deep inside you, and touch your heart. ================================================ "Catch and Release" - A CD by Pete Huttlinger Notes by Emily Parris ================================================ "It's a pretty exciting moment when you hook a fish. And it's always the same feeling. You wait and wait and then all of a sudden BAM! The adrenalin is pumping and the fish is running. That feeling of excitement from hooking the fish is only surpassed by releasing him gently, quietly back into the water." That's what Pete Huttlinger writes in the jacket to his album, "Catch and Release." It's all about flyfishing and the spirited songs make you feel as though you were there in the water. My favorites are "Catch and Release", "The Hatch", "Brown Bomber", and "Rainbow Blues" - the song for when you don't catch any rainbow trout. It's a very nice acoustic guitar cd. If you purchase the album, Pete will donate 10% of the cost of the cd to a charity of your choice. See his web page at . Pete has been a member of John's band for 2 years now. ================================ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ================================ From: Kelli Vincent Subject: JD wants list Emily - Just had to drop a quick note to let you know how much fun I've had with your newsletter. I didn't realize how many people still admired John's work. I responded to one of your ads last month from Randy Goodman regarding the sale of his entire collection. I received it yesterday. It was amazing. I had lost my mint collection 15 years ago - Mitchell Trio stuff and all, in a theft. I have never been able to replace my collection, and had secretly harbored hopes of someday being able to piecemeal this collection again. Randy had a lovely collection (less the Mitchell Trio albums) at a wonderful price, and he even threw in some songbooks, concert souvenirs, and an autographed picture. Thank you for your efforts, and allowing me the chance to finally put together almost all of my past in one check. Kelli Vincent Thousand Oaks, CA ================================= JOHN DENVER NOTES ================================= The John Denver Christmas Show, "Montana Christmas Skies" may be coming out on Video. One of our members saw it listed in an upcoming (book store) Christmas Catalog. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Lines Of Communication..... Information on John's current Concert Tour has been very incomplete. That is mostly because Mark Stern has died and he was our main source of information! It will take awhile to get new lines of communication set up with John's new publicist in Los Angeles. I'll also try to encourage John's manager, and his office in Aspen to keep us up to date on what is happening. Perhaps they will begin to realize, as Mark did, that the fan clubs are an important asset to John's career and that we should be informed about every upcoming event. In the meantime, thanks for your patience....... Emily ======================================= JOHN DENVER WANT ADS/FOR SALE ======================================= Comments on John's Drummers: * * * David J. Stemple is interested in what J.D. fans think of John Denver's past and present drummers. It is for the expanded version of his research paper about John's Drummers. If you have any comments please send them to David J. Stemple . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - From: Christopher S. Hundtofte I've often heard banjo parts on John Denver's music, but have only found guitar chord versions of the songs. Does anyone know of any banjo transcriptions available for any of his music? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Renee Armand and other J.D. Backup Singers/Musicians: Recently someone asked me what Renee Armand is doing presently, and often I have had questions about other former members of JD's bands. So if anyone has information on any of them please forward it to emily@sky.net and I'll put the information on the www page. They need to know that we haven't forgotten them. :-) Emily - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Michael Knight / 580 Thames St. / Suite 234 / Newport, RI 02840 would like to hear from anyone who has JD merchandise for sale. Please send him a list. He is not on the internet. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Members, Members, Members: If you have family members who are also John Denver fans, please feel free to send in a JD-internet form for them so that I can list them in the database. We have many families and husbands/wives among the club members as well as members of all ages. ENDFILE: ******************************************************** Rocky Mountain High: The John Denver Internet Fan Club emily@sky.net http://www.sky.net/~emily August 1996 * Issue #28 * Editor: Emily Parris ********************************************************