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 M A Y 1 9 9 9 V E E R Emily Parris emily@sky.net http://www.sky.net/~emily R ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Table of Contents May 1999 * Issue #61 John Denver Events......................................1 "Not Your Average Joe" - ASCAP Member Magazine by Jim Steinblatt.....................................3 "The Music of Hal Blaine" by David J. Stemple...................................4 Review of the HIH Doylestown, PA Celebration by Donna Pinto........................................6 John Denver Notes.......................................6 Poetry Corner: "To John" by Ingrid Cook..............................7 "Mountain Aeries (For John)" by Stephen Young........8 "His Home" by David J. Stemple........................9 "John's Wish" by David J. Stemple.....................9 John Denver Want Ads....................................9 ===================================== JOHN DENVER EVENTS / JOHN ON TV ===================================== May 3, 1999 "Walking Thunder" HBOE2-HBO Plus (6:00am Eastern) May 8, 1999 - Hamburg and Oberhausen, Germany - Music and Communication "Getting-to-know-each-other-days" Info: Inge Kaminski May 11, 1999 - 6:00pm Potluck/Meeting * Kansas City Chapter of Rocky Mountain High * Emily 943-0330 May 22-29, 1999 Colorado - Nat'l JD Highway Cleanup sponsored by the CO Friends of JD. Evelyn Pinney May 22, 1999 Maple Grove, MN - MN Friends of JD - Highway Cleanup * Linda May 22 - Highway Clean-Up - Cartersville, GA * Tri-State Friends of JD Susan Haymore June 5, 1999 - New York, NY - Dedication for JD Memorial Bench in Central Park Info: Jo June 19, 1999 - Boyds, MD - Pavilion C / Black Hill Regional Park 11:00 am Charlie Zahm $5.00 / Bring your own food. Send payment + SASE to Ann Schnitz / 304-2A Greystone Lane Newark, DE 19711 Ann June 26, 1999 - Doylestown, PA - Peace Valley Park Barbara Kilgallon (215) 822-3169 July 4, 1999 - Weissenobe near Nuremberg, Germany "Music and Communication" Info: Klara 09192-997731 July 23-25, 1999 John Denver Summer Celebration / Camp Mary Orton / Columbus, Ohio. Speakers include Lou Gold, Ellen Stapenhorst, Steven Newman, Rainbow Eagle, Chris Reynolds and Tom Burns. JDSC Hotline: (614) 861-5539 http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Boulevard/2376 September 25, 1999 - 2nd Annual JD Vision Walk / Stokes State Forest / Branchville, NJ $10.00 (Check to NY Windstar) Mail To: Kim Faley / 510 Davina Ct. / Lakewood, NJ 08701 njplantit2000@webtv.net (732) 367-0587 Oct 2, 1999 - Washington, D.C. George Mason Univ. Center for the Performing Arts Tickets: (301) 657-8444 Oct 2, 1999 - A private luncheon for JD Fan Club members Only at the Starland Cafe in Washington D.C. Attendance is limited and reservations are necessary (202) 244-9396 October 2-3, 1999 - Sinzig near Bonn, Germany "Music and Communication's" Denver Weekend * Gabi October 9-10, 1999 "A Musical Tribute to John Denver" / Wheeler Opera House / Aspen, Colorado October 9, 1999 Snowmass, CO - Dinner at the Tower Restaurant $23.00 per person - Debbie Wood http://john-denver.org/web/events/aspen99/tower.html Debbie Wood 8284 Tarragon Dr. / Mechanicsville, VA 23111 October 10, 1999 Aspen, CO 11:00 am - 6:00 pm $55.00 "A Celebration of Life" sponsored by HEARTS IN HARMONY Dottie Honer / 5214 Stump Road / Pipersville, PA 18947 (215) 766-7363 October 11, 1999 World Family Jerome Event - Aspen, CO $50.00 9:00am - 10:00pm w/3 hour break / For tickets write Pam Beasley / 721 Ravencroft / Garland, TX 75043 Info: Mary Ledford October 12, 1999 - Snowmass, CO - Tower Restaurant Dinner $26.00 Debbie See Oct. 9th for more info. October 12, 1999 - Salida, CO - Christine Smith's John Denver Celebration. $23 covers live music, food & gratuity. For details email Mary Ledford November 1-5, 1999 "Calypso Cruise" aboard the M.S. Ecstasy 4 days/3 nights Deb Perry / P.O. Box 42 Carver, MN 55315 (612) 368-7550 November 18, 1999 Los Angeles, CA - Royce Hall, UCLA Campus 1-800-824-7323. * * * "NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE" ASCAP Member Magazine * March-April 1996 Lyricist Joe Henry has found his place in the music world... deep in the heart of the Colorado wilderness By Jim Steinblatt Lyricist/poet/novelist Joe Henry of Colorado has established himself as one of that state's (and the nation's) most valuable resources of inspiring words. He has been honored by the Colorado Council on the Arts and Governor Roy Romer with the Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts, and by the National Wildlife Federation with a National Conservation Achievement Award. Henry is currently preparing for the premiere and a month-long run at The Denver Center for the Performing Arts, one of the nation's most prestigious stages, of his Prelude to Lime Creek. The work is a theatrical production combining readings of excerpts from his novel in progress, Lime Creek, with performances of new songs cowritten by Joe and Gary Burr, ASCAP's 1995 Country Songwriter of the Year. The work was conceived by and stars film and television actor Anthony Zerbe, a friend and admirer of Henry's, who has done extensive dramatic readings from Lime Creek for a number of years. Performing the Prelude to Lime Creek songs is singer/guitarist and ASCAP songwriter Greg Barnhill. Joe Henry is a unique figure in the music world, a truly rugged adventurer and individualist who paints breathtaking natural landscapes with his lyrics. His enduring collaboration with fellow Coloradoan and ASCAP member John Denver has yielded some of Denver's most memorable recordings, including "Windsong," "Cool an' Green an' Shady," "The Wings That Fly Us Home" and "A Baby Just Like You." Henry's other songwriting partners and vocalist interpreters are a diverse group, from singer songwriters like Peter Yarrow, Guy Clark and Mickey Newbury to Hollywood composers Bill Conti, Lee Holdridge and Steve Dorff, to country and pop music stars Emmylou Harris, Steve Wariner, Donna Fargo, Roberta Flack, Bobby Darin, Frank Sinatra and Ashford & Simpson. Another frequent Henry collaborator is John Jarvis, who provided music for Joe's most recorded song, "The Flower That Shattered the Stone" and his anthemic new "The Flame," written to commemorate the 1996 Olympics and recorded by Trisha Yearwood. The life that created Joe Henry the songwriter has been anything but run of the mill. The ex-professional hockey player and prizefighter has spent most of his years, as he puts it, "working in the weather," on construction sites, cattle ranches and merchant vessels around the world. His entry into the lyric writing field came about by chance and not design -- listening to a friend casually play a new melody on the guitar caused Joe to visualize a set of lyrics. As acquaintances began taking notice of his abilities, they urged him to try to market his work, and by 1969 he was in New York, working construction and training as a pro boxer. At the same time, Joe hooked up with a publisher who placed one of his songs, "Brown Arms in Houston" with a top psychedelic-era band from Boston called Orpheus. Joe recalls waking up after emergency surgery to repair his nose after his first (and last) pro fight and being handed a full page Billboard ad for the single. "My boxing career ended the same hour that my professional music career began. That was a big day in my life," says Henry. "Brown Arms in Houston" became a Northeast regional Number One hit. For the past 13 years, Henry has devoted the major part of the year to traveling to Los Angeles, Nashville and New York to pursue songwriting, reserving his winters for working on Lime Creek, which he thinks is finally nearing completion. Increased anticipation for the book is sure to result from the production of Prelude to Lime Creek. Anthony Zerbe offers his analysis of what makes Joe's work so vital: "It's very original in the sense that it is Joe's heart. It's very American, rough-edged and it ricochets. It's not stylish and it's not svelte but has force and a very natural profundity -- all his metaphors are drawn from nature." Composer Gary Burr, who is new to writing for the theater but has enjoyed massive commercial success, reveals that, though each song was written to support or refer to the narrative readings, "We wanted each song we wrote to be a potential hit on the radio. I really think Joe has a wonderful gift with words and it was not hard to come up with the songs that captured that spirit." ______________________________________ ** RMH Editor's Note: The other songs on which John Denver and Joe Henry collaborated are "A Wild Heart Looking For Home", "American Child", "Children of the Universe", "Pegasus", "Eagles and Horses", "Raven's Child" and "Spirit." ** <<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>> THE MUSIC OF HAL BLAINE by David J. Stemple As James Burton is to the guitar, and Jim Horn to the flute, Hal Blaine is the legend in drums. He is one of the most recorded musicians and drummers of all time. Hal Blaine did some of his best work with John Denver. He plays the congas on "Annie's Song", the drums on "Calypso" and is the backup singer on "Thank God, I'm A Country Boy." Hal Blaine is one of the greatest drummers of all time not only for his work with John Denver, but with hundreds of other artists. There is hardly a day that can go by when you do not hear him drumming on the radio. He played with Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys in the studio for 5 years and was the drummer on Elvis's early recordings. At one point in Hal's life he was so busy that he had 8 matching drum kits in his inventory to make sure that he always had a drum kit ready for his next job. According to an email from Lee Holdridge in 1996, Hal's greatest work was on "The Eagle and the Hawk" with his Cymbal rolls. Lee said you should have seen John's face light up when Hal started into that big cymbal swell/roll in the introduction section. John turned around and there was a smile a mile wide. Lee also said that Hal's work on the cymbal inspired him to change the final section of the song and add in the big horns and the string basses to drive it to new heights. Hal is more a studio drummer than a touring drummer. He rarely tours, but when he did it was with John Denver. Hal played Pearl Drums and Zildjain and Sabain Cymbals when he was with John. In the 1990's he changed to Page Drums with the same cymbals. According to RCA in 1996 Hal Blaine sang backup on ("An Evening with JD") the songs "Grandma's Feather Bed", "Thank God, I'm A Country Boy" and on the third chorus to "Take Me Home, Country Roads." Hal Blaine made the bass drum an important voice in rock and pop music as well as the use of multi tom toms. He was one of the first major drummers to use 4 and 6 tom toms in the studio. He also perfected the use of the ride cymbal to keep time in the background. Listen to "Thirsty Boots" and "How Can I Leave You Again' for examples of this. Hal was a member of the Wrecking Crew as they were called in L.A. It did not refer to a band, but a group of studio musicians that were supposed to be wrecking music as we knew it in the late 1950's. However, what happened was the birth of rock 'n' roll. These musicians appeared on over 20,000 recordings and a helped to shape rock 'n' roll into what it is today. Hal Blaine is as inescapable as he is invisible. When you hear hits by The Beach Boys, the Carpenters, the Monkees, the Mamas and the Papas, the 5th Dimension, Sonny & Cher, Simon & Garfunkel, Frank or Nancy Sinatra, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Neil Diamond, the Crystals, the Ronettes, John Denver or Johnny Rivers, it's usually Hal Blaine playing the drums. Thirty-nine times in his career he was playing on records that went to No. 1. In the 60's alone, Blaine was the drummer on 107 Top Ten hits. Starting in 1965 he played on six straight Grammy Records of the Year (in order, Her Albert and the Tijuana Brass's "A Taste of Honey," Frank Sinatra's "Strangers in the Night," the 5th Dimension's "Up Up and Away," Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson," the 5th Dimension's "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" and Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water." Art Garfunkel once noted that "if music in the second half of the 20th century were the Empire State Building, Hal Blaine would be the ground floor. Engineer-producer Bones Howe put it this way: "Hal was present when the tide turned in pop music. Very present. In the 60's and 70's, Blaine was the busiest, most in-demand artist of the time. If you wanted to work in L.A. you had to sound like Hal Blaine. REVIEW of the HIH CELEBRATION - Doylestown, PA ============================================== by Donna Pinto Words cannot express the overwhelming emotions felt at the Doylestown, PA Saturday celebration! When Kevin Yeargin couldn't make it at the last minute, Paul and Frank saved the day with their sound systems! Paul's (and Nat's and Pauletti's) original song really "said it all" about how we feel about our World Family. (It will be available soon). Frank's lovely original tunes, Russ showing up for a marvelous set, Mary Ledford and Ann Schnitz actually showing up after years and years of promises, plus Ann actually SINGING, and the "Good Doctor".... What sweeties these guys are :) The last 45 "impromptu" minutes were possibly the most special experience ever. The wonderful company of almost 80-90 good Denver buddies made the event wonderful. *** Editor's Note: Donna also has a "video offer" from the event in June. Email her for details. ======================================= J O H N D E N V E R N O T E S ======================================= From: Mary Keesling There is an article about John's crash in the May 1999 issue of FLYING on page 92. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - From: Darin Scheff I just got my Dad, Jerry Scheff online with a computer. We have a folder set up for JD Discussion: http://www.scheff.com/discus - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - From: Peter Huttlinger Chris and I are half way through recording a Volume II of "Colors in Time". We have had so many responses from our first cd that we decided to do one more. We look forward to seeing everyone in Aspen in October and if anyone would like us to come and play or speak at any functions that weekend, just let us know. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The City of Denver announced plans to make "improvements" at the beautiful and natural Red Rocks Ampitheatre. For more info go to http://www.red-rocks.org/ or email - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To subscribe to the EGROUPS MAILINGLIST just write to john-denver-subscribe@egroups.com This is a discussion mailinglist and is different from the Rocky Mountain High mailinglist. You can also read messages on the web at: http://www.egroups.com/list/john-denver/ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Rocky Mountain Institute is collaborating with ECO-Essays to produce and distribute a series of 2 1/2 minute mini- essays on public radio stations--260 spots a year, each one airing twice a day. For more info contact Karl Clauss at RMI ECO-Essay website: www.ecoessays.org - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - From: Mev Wilson I got a very pleasant surprise when reading the AAA Tourbook for Colorado. They do a really nice color opening for the state with the headline "Rocky Mountain High." Chills. Then I'm reading the article and stumble across this paragraph: "Surrounded by a circle of peaks, you'll feel small yet invigorated. John Denver could only describe the oxymoronic feeling as a 'Rocky Mountain High' -- a humbling, yet empowering drive to find a place for yourself in the midst of such bold surroundings." Far out! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Ron Bonine www.umsl.edu/~biology/icte JOHN DENVER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP This scholarship is awarded annually to a student at the Int'l Center for Tropical Ecology at the Univ. of MO-St. Louis. This research scholarship has risen to over $43,000 with a target of $50,000. http://home.t-online.de/home/rainbow13/johnde~2.htm - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - News from "It's About Time": Marcelle Orswell The IAT April newsletter will be the last one from me. It was a difficult decision, but I have decided to step down as president of IAT. I will not be walking away completely - have no fear. I will continue to support Sandy, Theresa, and whoever will replace me as president. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "Song of the Wind", the John Denver Supporters' Club of New Zealand has a new URL. http://earthbubble.com/songwind Susan Leaver * * * ====================================== P O E T R Y C O R N E R ====================================== TO JOHN by Ingrid Cook 4/8/99 He touched my Life in many ways Especially on lonely days For when I listen to his songs I once again felt I belonged. I wish I would have had the chance To meet and thank this lovely man For all the times he made me smile And put my mind at ease a-while. MOUNTAIN AERIES (For John) by Stephen S. Young From heavenward the Earth looks like a tiny blue/green ball spinning in time to a celestial tune Spring, Summer, Winter and Fall It seems so unbelievable that just one voice could sing and teach so many to pause and look to let their hearts take wing To raise a voice in praise of good of beauty and of right to teach the simple joys of life of darkness and of light A voice for the silent wilderness whose cries lift on the wind a voice for those who cannot stand so many lives to mend A voice so gentle and which itself knew heartache and knew sorrow a voice now stilled upon that wind yet as we seek the morrow Canyons will echo the eagle's cry and rivers run to the sea and the voice will live as long as we care and listen to hearts running free That what we do, not what we say is who we are, can be a world of caring, love and hope these are his legacy Soar high and long and live again in your music strains on high let us meet again on mountain aeries till then my friend, good bye __________________________________ Copyright 1997 by Stephen S. Young HIS HOME by David J. Stemple High on the rocks He stands Jumps into the waterfall Smile on his face Floating down river In the distance Wolves he hears Music to his ears Nature is his long lost brother He never knew he had Find him in a field of grass Surrounded by wild horses Eagles flying within a stone's throw This is his home Where he wants to be What he has always longed for Where he will always be In body, mind and spirit JOHN'S WISH by David J. Stemple Carry on Where I left Do as I did Be one as I was Hear the voice Have no regrets Live life to the fullest Be all that you can be Not just what you are =================================================== JOHN DENVER W A N T A D S / F O R S A L E =================================================== Arthur Au I'm looking for videos of "An Evening with John Denver", "Rocky Mountain Christmas" or any other TV specials John did back in the 70's. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Donna Pinto Send for details about the April/May benefit "official" video offer of the March 20, 1999 afternoon tribute held at the Starland Cafe in Washington D.C. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - JOHN DENVER TRIBUTE CD - a double cd entitled "A Musical Tribute to John Denver - The Wheeler Opera House" is now for sale. It is the "live" concert that was presented in Oct 1998 by former band members and colleagues of John Denver. $27.00 ($25.00 plus $2 shipping/handling) to "A Musical Tribute to John Denver", P. O. Box 553, Clarksville, MD 21029. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Barbara Warren I'm looking for a video copy of the JD Special on TNN. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Jessica Elshamy I am a HUGE fan of John Denver's and I would like to know if anyone has a copy of the McCloud episode called "The Colorado Cattle Caper." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Patti Purdy I have a ticket stub for sale. It's from the final JD concert in Corpus Christi, TX. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I'm looking for a copy of the tv movie "The Leftovers". Email me if you have any information. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Paul Hello, I'm a guitar player in the Burbank (L.A.) area looking for anyone local to play some JD tunes with. Email me at bigpdp@aol.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Barbara Breen I'm looking for albums "Live in London" and "Rocky Mountain Holiday." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I'm looking for photos by John Denver, preferably in a book if it exists. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Kris Sellers Does anyone know what religion John was? I am thinking of doing a paper on music stars and their faiths and was curious. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - From: Michael Rose Does anyone have any John Denver bootleg tapes they would like to sell or trade? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - From: Mumze We would like to share with you: JohnDenver.net has been redesigned. Please come and Win a JD cd "Live at the Sydney Opera House" to celebrate our new design. For all JD fans; hope you will enjoy your stay. http://www.johndenver.net - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - From: Sally Evans Hi. My mom taped the Muppets show with JD that aired on April 8 on the Odyssey channel. Then she taped over it with a Jim Hensen show. Did anyone tape the show? I'd like to get a copy. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Home Shopping Network will present "Sing America" - a cd that features John Denver along with some of the music industry's most celebrated performers to raise funds for Save America's Treasures at the National Trust for Historic Preservation. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - WWW Pages: John Denver Net has been redesigned: http://www.johndenver.net Song of the Wind has a NEW URL: http://earthbubble.com/songwind Central Park Bench Dedication http://john-denver.org/web/events/bench/ Jerry Scheff JD Discussion http://www.scheff.com/discus John Denver Memorial Scholarship http://www.umsl.edu/~biology/icte http://home.t-online.de/home/rainbow13/johnde~2.htm ************************************************************* Rocky Mountain High: The John Denver Internet Fan Club emily@sky.net http://www.sky.net/~emily May 1999 * Issue #61 * Editor: Emily M. Parris *************************************************************