John Denver et al

I was talking to someone today, a good friend actually, and they made the following remark. “ No one ever really liked John Denver or Neil Diamond or Barry Manilow, so you (meaning me) must be slightly off kilter or weird.” Now I admit that Barry Manilow isn’t someone I listen to very much although he did do a couple of things that I liked. And I also admit that none of the three are well thought of musically now-a-days by those who profess knowledge in these things. You know … these guys are not cool / hip / bad / or whatever word of jargon is extant.

But, …. listen up here. These guys each sold millions of records and played to sellout houses nationwide and world wide. Someone must have liked them … me for one … and been willing to fork over hard earned bread to hear them.

Neil Diamond wrote and sang some of the best songs ever. I mean … ‘Solitary Man, Forever in Bluejeans, Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show, Cherry Cherry, He Ain’t Heavy (he’s my brother)’, et al ad infinitum.

John Denver, whom I still listen to regularly, pleases me as few others do. Just listening to ‘Back Home Again, Annie’s Song, Starwood in Aspen, I’m Sorry, Sweet Surrender’, and many others puts me in a better frame of mind and mellows me out. A bottle of German white wine, some good cheese and John on the stereo really washes the cares of the world off my back and right down the drain. Now, I’ll admit I dislike Thank God I’m a Country Boy immensely and have heard Take Me Home Country Roads 3000 times too many, although I liked it initially. He had 14 gold albums and 8 platinum albums in the U.S as well as numerous gold and platinum sales overseas, and was elected to the Songwriter's Hall Of Fame.

Now for my point .. bet you didn’t think that I had one, huh? ….. we live in a ME / NOW/ THROW AWAY society. We do not respect anything that is not CURRENTLY in vogue. Passe’ comes quickly and when something is passe’… we heap dirt upon it. Ray Charles once said .. “there’s only two kinds of music, good and bad.” Right on Ray !

So now I sit and listen to some John Denver… his real name was Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. and his father was a General in the Air Force. He lived in Tucson for a few years in his early teens … 11 through 14 I believe … and was a member of the world famous Tucson Boy’s Chorus. I do not have any wine, times are hard, but I already feel better. I did not and do not endorse his political beliefs and all of his causes, but damn … he could write and sing.

Love from the desert.