“Top” Ten Music Aviation Tragedies: John Denver (#10)

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Howdy from Hot Springs, Arkansas! I went to Warm Springs, Georgia last year…guess Boiling Springs is next! Before I head to the national park I’ll give you the first of the ten most personally significant losses because of plane crashes. Your music tastes may vary. #10: John Denver Yeah, I know. Comedian Dennis Blair spoofed him with a parody of “Annie’s Song”: “My songs make me nauseous like a Doris Day movie.” But he was, at heart, a folkie who just added a little pop and country to the mix. Denver’s career begin as the replacement for Chad Mitchell in the Chad Mitchell Trio. Randy Sparks, the founder of the New Christy Minstrels (he passed away this week ), told John that Deutschendorf wouldn’t look good — or fit, for that matter — on a handbill or the theater sign, so John changed his last name to Denver. Before he became a star on his own with the 1971 hit “Take Me Home, Country Roads” (one of two official state songs of West Virginia) he gained success as the writer of Peter, Paul, and Mary’s hit “Leaving on a Jet Plane.” Oh, the irony. Denver was a licensed pilot (typical story on this countdown). However, because he had a string of drunk driving tickets his pilot’s license had been suspended. Legally, he shouldn’t have even been in a plane on October 12, 1997. Denver was practicing touch-and-go landings in an experimental plane, the homemade Rutan Long-EZ. (Yes, you actually can build homemade aircraft! Look online, you’ll see a mess of ‘em that you could build at home.) The plane ran out of fuel. Because of the peculiar area where the fuel switch was, Denver had to take his eyes off the controls and find the switch (located behind the seat…who designed that??? ). He lost control and crashed into the bay. At just 53 years of age, Denver was the second-oldest person on this entire month’s list. That shows you the wide scope of talent we’ve lost in the skies. John Denver Born Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. December 31, 1943 - October 12, 1997 (age 53) Place of crash: Monterey Bay near Pacific Grove, California Hey, I like this song! (Linda? No! See the fiddle??? )