-
Born Henry John Deutschendorf in Roswell, NM, he was raised in an Air Force family, and grew up in various regions of the southwestern U.S.
-
Adopting the stage name "Denver" in tribute to the Rocky Mountain area he was born, he dropped out of college in to relocate to Los Angeles.
-
The Chad Mitchell Trio became known as Denver, Boise and Johnson; the new group proved short-lived, however, when Denver exited in 1968 to have a solo career. That same year he recorded his debut and made one of his best-loved compositions, "Leaving on a Jet Plane.”
-
In the years to follow, Denver also scored with "Annie's Song" (penned for his wife) and "Back Home Again."
-
In 1977, he even moved into film, co-starring with George Burns in the comedy hit Oh, God!
-
A longtime aviator, Denver died on October 12, 1997, when the plane that he was piloting went down over Monterey Bay, California, killing him instantly.