============================================= *** 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 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 4 Editor: Emily M. Parris ================================================ http://www.rockymtnhigh.org * emily@parris.net ================================================ Table of Contents February 2004 * Issue #118 John Denver Events...............................2 Words & Music Remembered by Jean Kendle.............................3 "Rocky Mountain Memories" is a Big Hit: Review by Sherry Cook.......................4 Review by Peggy Dalrymple...................5 John Denver in the NEWS..........................5 John Denver Music Reviews by Emily M. Parris: "John Denver Piano Ballads" - Guido Bos........6 John Denver Notes................................7 Poetry Corner: "My John" by Carrie Zarzycki..................8 "There's Somethin'" by Emily M. Parris........8 John Denver Want Ads / For Sale..................9 ======================================= J O H N D E N V E R E V E N T S ======================================= February 6-7, 2004 * Las Vegas, NV / Jim Curry's John Denver Tribute Show at the Silverton Casino. 8:00pm Silverton Hotel & Casino / 3333 Blue Diamond Road / Las Vegas, NV 89139 Phone: (702) 263-7777 http://www.silvertoncasino.com (866) 668-6688 February 13, 2004 * Daytona Beach, Florida - "Rocky Mountain Memories", a musical tribute to John Denver performed by Ron Rich 8:00pm Seaside Music Theater, 176 N. Beach Street (386) 252-6200 Tickets $15 / $10 for children 12 and under http://www.cabinsong.com (866) 811-4111 Theatermania.com Email: lvscoy@aol.com February 23, 2004 "Oh, God!" 12:05am (EST) HBOF - HBO Family http://www.tv-now.com March 6, 2004 * Leesburg, FL "Rocky Mountain Memories" - a musical tribute to John Denver performed by Ron Rich 8:00pm Paul Williams Auditorium, Lake Sumter Community College, 9501 US Highway 441 $15 http://www.cabinsong.com (866) 811-4111 Email: lvscoy@aol.com March 6, 2004 * Gwynedd, PA * Christopher Westfall return engagement at the Friends Folk Coffeehouse 8:00pm http://www.gwyneddfriends.org/coffeehouse0304.html March 19-24,2004 * Join Mack Bailey & Kevin Brooks of "Them Eastport Oyster Boys" on a six day tour of Ireland. www.travelingtroubadour.com / info@travelingtroubadour.com March 27, 2004 * Barton Under Needwood, England - Mack Bailey / Concert for The England Friends of John Denver http://www.travelingtroubadour.com/index.html April 4, 2004 * Claremont, CA - John Denver Tribute Concert with Jim Curry and part of John Denver's band. Candlelight Pavilion / 455 West Foothill Blvd. / 6:30pm Tickets: $20 - $40 909-626-1254 http://www.candlelightpavilion.com April 17, 2004 * Ithaca, NY / "An Evening of Acoustic Music with Christopher Westfall" - South Seneca High School $10 6:00pm Benefit for Elementary School musical instruments drive. kkaminsky@southseneca.k12.ny.us April 23-25, 2004 * Cassville, PA / Spring 2004 Retreat - PA Friends of John Denver. Bitter Goose Lodge. $45.00 Pat Liddic: tigersnwolves@comcast.net April 30, 2004 * Denver, Colorado - "John Denver Celebrated!" A benefit for the Two Hearts Cabin Restoration Project - Featuring Mack Bailey and Chris Nole. 7:30pm Tickets: $22.50 Swallow Hill, 71 E. Yale Avenue / twoheartscabin@yahoo.com Swallow Hill Box Office: 1-877-214-7013 www.geocities.com/highpeak_99/WindstarColoradoConnection.html May 8, 2004 * Doylestown, PA - Second Annual Spring Folk Concert - Christopher Westfall, Charlie Zahm & Ted Marks. 7:30pm Salem United Church of Christ * honer@erols.com May 22, 2004 - Tiburon, Ca - John Denver Memorial Concert 7:00pm Community Congregational Church, 145 Rock Hill Dr. Jim and Anne Curry performing. (510) 234-8843 George Schumer: Itamazesus@aol.com June 25-27, 2004 - Snowmass, Colorado - 2004 Windstar Colorado Connection Summer Retreat "Restoration & Renewal" on the Windstar land in Snowmass. Registration $40.00 Dreaux: dreuxdog@comcast.net September 11, 2004 - South Lake Tahoe JD Tribute Event is being Organized. Bill Templin 916-601-9954 For information: kingsriverwet@hotmail.com October 1-3, 2004 - Salida, CO - John Denver Celebration / Seating limited to 200. $65 christinesmith@amigo.net Check or money order payable to "JD Celebration LLC - Christine Smith / 1115 E. Rainbow Blvd. / Suite 206 / Salida, Colorado 81201 http://www.johndenverlegacy.com November 13, 2004 - Flanders, NJ - Christopher Westfall at Crossroads Coffeehouse 8:00pm http://www.crossroadsmtolive.org/coffeehouse.htm <+> <+> <+> <+> <+> <+> <+> WORDS & MUSIC REMEMBERED Radio Program on WSND 88.9FM by Jean Kendle There was a radio program last week, on the 16th of January, on WSND 88.9 FM, at the University of Notre Dame. Brother Pedro Haering was the DJ and I've been working with him for 6 months. He has 2 shows a week, Friday and Sunday nights for 2 hours each. His program is called "Words & Music Remembered." This is the first time he devoted his whole show (2 hours & 20 minutes) to just one artist. He previously told me I could submit to him a list of "my 12 favorite John Denver songs." This was, of course, very hard to do because I could list at least 100 instead. But I gave him the list and he added his own picks, plus other songs by other artists singing John Denver songs, or orchestral arrangements. Altogether he played 26 songs. I had also sent him the quotations from "The Complete Lyrics Book" and the 25th Anniversary Songbook where John explained the story behind writing each song or what it meant to him. So those portions were read by a young man - a friend of Bro. Pedro. then he read parts of the lyrics to each song that I had also provided to him. (Bro. Pedro is 80 years old). It was just a wonderful show and if the response is good he will do another one in a few months. I am presently working on sending him the Harbor Lights Concert CD and all the same information on those songs. If he plays "Kissing You Goodbye", I will have brought about that song being played on the radio - which makes me smile. You know how John always said: "I doubt if it will ever make the radio." So we'll see. Jean Kendle < jbk944@yahoo.com > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - =================================================== Review of the "Rocky Mountain Memories" concert on January 17, 2004 in Largo, Florida by Sherry Cook =================================================== Saturday Night I attended Ron Rich's John Denver Tribute Concert in Largo, Florida. Last year he was disappointed in the attendance. This year he must have been "bursting at the seams" with joy! It was SOLD OUT! He has doubled his show from last year, doubled the band, and his back-up singers. He added a beautiful Rocky Mountain back-drop and "greenies and growies" to the stage. He sang twice as many of John's songs. It was wonderful (especially his rendition of "A Song For All Lovers"). I thought when I arrived that there was another event going on at the same time! I just found it so hard to believe that all those people were there for his show and for John! It just proves that people still love John. They came from many miles away and everybody (including the band) seemed to be having the time of their lives. What a great night. I can hardly wait for the next one. The next two shows will be February 13th at the Seaside Music Theater, Daytona, Florida and March 6th at the Paul Williams Art Complex - Leesburg, Florida. http://www.cabinsong.com * * * * * * * ====================================================== Review of the "Rocky Mountain Memories" Show - 1-17-04 by Peggie Dalrymple ====================================================== I just got back from seeing Ron Rich and the Rocky Mountain Memories Show at the Largo Cultural Center in Largo, Florida. Ron and his band did a wonderful job singing John's music to a sold out crowd. The couple behind me sang through every song and the man yelled FAAR OUT! When Ron sang Calypso there was a standing ovation with cheering and whistling that seemed to go on forever. The stage was decorating with a backdrop of mountains and many trees were on stage. My favorite was when Ron sang "Rainbow Connections" while playing his banjo. All of a sudden you could hear Kermit singing thanks to the great vocals of Joe Calauitii. A spotlight went over to the tree on the left side of the stage and there was Kermit up in the pine tree with a bear at the bottom of the tree ready to climb up after him. Everyone went wild with laughter. What a great surprise! To the right of the stage was a beautiful huge basket of flowers with a lone guitar in front of it. A picture of John drawn by the late Gin Scorse was to the right of the guitar. It was as if John was looking at the guitar and smiling. It was so moving. A crowd of at least 100 people crowded around Ron as he came off the stage. People just couldn't get enough of him. One couple said to me that they were staying in Florida for another two months so that they can catch Ron's next two shows. If that's not a tribute to John Denver's music, I don't know what is. Everyone left the building smiling and talking about the show, including me! All I know is that I went to sleep humming "Sweet Surrender" and woke up with the song "Eagles and Horses" going through my head. My heartfelt thanks goes out to Ron Rich, his band and producer Larry Van Scoy for allowing me to sit back and have one more night of John Denver's beautiful music. I highly recommend this show to all John Denver fans. I know that I won't miss the next two shows! Peggie Dalrymple < PeggieDalrymple@aol.com > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - =========================================== J O H N D E N V E R in the N E W S =========================================== Emily < emily@parris.net > < emily@shellworld.net > There's an article on the "jam!Showbiz" site titled: "What Rocked the Grammy's". It reports that the following incident occurred in 1976: "After five years as host of the live network broadcast, easy-listening crooner Andy Williams proves it's better to be blind than dumb. When a satellite feed of Stevie Wonder performing in Nigeria unexpectedly goes blank, Williams responds, "Stevie, if you can't hear us, can you at least see us?" Williams is fired and replaced by John Denver." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Las Vegas Mercury has a section called A/E Highlights. On February 5, 2004 they told about the Jim Curry concert on February 6th & 7th at the Silverton Casino in Las Vegas. Here is what they said: ... "We swear we are not making this up." Yes, it's an honest-to-God John Denver tribute act. Well, why not? You know he'll cover the biggies, "Take Me Home, Country Road," "Annie's Song," "Thank God I'm A Country Boy," yadda yadda yadda. If he wants to impress us, however, he'd best be playing some of them there lesser-known but nonetheless dandy little ditties like "(Lay Me Down in) Forest Lawn" or "Grandma's Feather Bed." My on my, what we wouldn't give to hear a faux Denver belting out a rip-roaring rendition of "Saturday Night in Toledo Ohio." Rocky Mountain High: A John Denver Tribute featuring Jim Curry plays at the Silverton Hotel, 3333 Blue Diamond Road, Friday and Saturday at 8:00pm. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - There's an article on Christine Smith from the Denver Post: "Die Hard Fan Puts Love For John Denver to Good Use" by Gwen Florio / January 21, 2004 http://www.shellworld.net/~emily/articles/article.html - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ================================================= Review of "JOHN DENVER PIANO BALLADS" - Guido Bos by Emily M. Parris ================================================= This cd of Piano Ballads by Guido Bos starts out with a slow and thoughtful version of John's "Flight", reminding us of that fateful day when John Denver lost his life in Monterey. Slow and relaxing is the key as the song "For You" is played. Guido Bos is from the Netherlands. Growing up, he was the youngest of 10 children and had an older brother named Arnoud who loved John Denver's music and played his LP's all day. So he grew up with the sounds of John's music there. . "Perhaps Love" comes next on the album. The album cuts are as follows: 1. Flight 8. Dearest Esmeralda 2. For You 9. Like A Sad Song 3. Perhaps Love 10. I'm Sorry 4. I Want to Live 11. My Sweet Lady 5. Today 12. Leaving On A Jet Plane 6. Annie's Song 13. Tools 7. Sunshine On My Shoulders 14. Eclipse It is very nice hearing "I Want To Live" as an instrumental. "Sunshine On My Shoulders" is another nice cut. The songs are played in a very slow manner. Guido has this to say on the album jacket: "From a very young age I listened to the songs and they became an important part of my life. When I started playing the piano, it was a logical step to play John's songs. I tried my best to put the feelings into the songs as they were meant to be." One of my favorite songs is "Like A Sad Song" which blends perfectly with the Yamaha Grand piano. If you're a John Denver fan you'll appreciate these easy-going renditions of the songs of John Denver. Email: Guido Bos guido.bos@planet.nl - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ================================= J O H N D E N V E R N O T E S ================================= Emily < emily@parris.net > Last month I typed in an incorrect address for Nancy Anglin's website "Just John Denver." I had a dot rather than a forward slash. The correct url is: http://www.geocities.com/rlasep/JD2.html Or to go directly to the "Just John Denver" Page... http://www.geocities.com/rlasep/JustJohnDenver.html - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Elliott < elliott@edoran.net > I've put some clips from a recording of Deutschendorf's last rehearsal online: http://www.edoran.net/deutschendorf/video/index.html - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Rosalind Hurst (UK) - The new double cd of the Mitchell Trio albums is available from The Olde Coach House, Windsor Crescent, Radyr, Cardiff (England), Tel: 029 20 843604 Fax: 029 20 842184 < sales@cdx.co.uk > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Gregory Wilson < wilsons101@yahoo.com > Sheryl Crow sings "Leaving On A Jet Plane." I've seen it in my Morpheus 4.0 Beta. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Emily < emily@parris.net > and < emily@shellworld.net > Due to problems with spam filters I might be sending out the newsletter via emily@shellworld.net. Either address is fine for writing to me but I check the parris.net address on a more regular basis. The newsletter is now hosted on emissives.com. Information on how to subscribe or unsubscribe is at the end of the newsletter. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ======================================= J O H N D E N V E R P O E T R Y ======================================= MY JOHN by Carrie Zarzycki When in need of a prayer it's poems and promises. A smile, it's Toledo, Ohio. For the need to be loved its the mood to be desired. To reflect, I watch the sun go down as I sit by the fire. In times of trouble and feeling of blue: Rocky Mountain High shines through. When it is hopeless and lost and a search is clear, guess he'd rather be in Colorado to hear. To lay and feel the love for two, only sung by you, a gift given to us everlasting too. Sunshine on my shoulders and love in my heart the ocean breezes of calypso lighten the dark. Songs of the sunrise into the night... Fly me to heaven on your winged flight. So that I may touch the face of John and sing at this campfire, forever on. _____________________________________________________ Copyright by Carrie Zarzycki < andamaca@comcast.net > There's Somethin' by Emily M. Parris There's somethin' about your music Rising up to meet my thinking Somethin' about the words And the way they always seem for me There's somethin' about your music And it's like the gift of living There's somethin' about your smile That always makes me sing Oh, there's somethin' about your singing Rising right straight up to greet me And somethin' about your voice that stays In the heart of me somehow Somethin' about your lyrics In the afterglow of listening There's somethin' about your songs That makes me sing _____________________________________ Emily M. Parris < emily@parris.net > ================================================= JOHN DENVER W A N T A D S / F O R S A L E ================================================= Desiree < czblack@aol.com > I have John Denver tapes for sale at $10 each. It includes many foreign and domestic shows of John Denver. These are previously taped shows. They vary in quality due to duplication. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Connie < Rhymesandreasons@aol.com > For sale: Cassettes of rare, unreleased songs sung by John Denver in the early years and videotapes of John Denver concerts, specials and movies. Please contact me for a list. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Windstar Foundation has 2 audio cassette tapes available: * "John Denver: On Being Human" (1980) $15.00 I includes John reciting "The Box", "The Peace Poem" and "The Ambulance Down in the Valley." 45 minutes * "John Denver: You AND Me: The Transformation of Survival" (1981) John addressing the National Press Club. $15.00 60 minutes Windstar Video Tapes: * "Windstar Open House 2002" has the unveiling ceremony of the John Denver Statue. October 13, 2002. 45 minutes $20.00 * "Let Us Begin: What Are We Making Weapons For?" 6 minutes $10.00 * "Ethics in Action" - 1989 "Choices For The Future" Symposium features messages from small children as well as John Denver and other Symposium speakers. 13 Minutes $15.00 http://www.wstar.org [Windstar Products] 970-927-5435 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Hard Travelers have authorized the sale of the remaining stock of each of their five CD's with all proceeds to benefit the M.U.S.E. Foundation. The cd's are "High Gear", "I'd Rather Wear Out Than Rust", "Sailin' On A Second Wind", "Silver and Gold" and a special edition of "Dreamcatcher." $15.00 + $2.50 s/h 1-888-384-5054 * The M.U.S.E. Foundation / 102 W. Pennsylvania Ave. / Suite 504 / Towson, MD 21204 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Mary Ledford is selling newsletters to raise money for charity. She has issues of "Hearts in Harmony", "JDMAS - Celebrate" (Australia), "Free Spirit" (England), "Music & Communication" (Germany), and "World of John Denver" (Holland). Each newsletter is $5.00 including US postage: Mary Ledford / 440 Girard Street / Apt. 104 / Gaithersburg, MD 20877 Email: eagleshorses@yahoo.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Rick S. < ricstr47@aol.com > Looking for other John Denver fans in Rhode Island. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Rocky Mountain High Mailinglist: You can subscribe or unsubscribe by sending an email to... Rockymountainhigh-request@emissives.com with the word - help - in the body or the subject line Or go to the website: http://makeashorterlink.com/?Q6D126917 ************************************************************* Rocky Mountain High: The John Denver Internet Fan Club emily@parris.net http://www.rockymtnhigh.org February 2004 * Issue #118 * Editor: Emily M. Parris *************************************************************