September 3, 2021 —– Chart #107
Hello Musical Friends,
Welcome to Friday, a long holiday weekend and the 107th edition of Chart of the day. We are in the 70’s again with a solo artist that all of you know. “Back Home Again” is the title of a popular song written and performed by the American singer-songwriter John Denver. Released as a single from his album of the same name in 1974, “Back Home Again” peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in November of that year; it was Denver’s fifth Top 10 hit on the pop chart. “Back Home Again” topped the adult contemporary chart for two weeks. The single was the first of three number ones on the country music chart where it stayed for a single week. The single was certified a gold record by the RIAA. The song won a CMA Award for Denver in 1975 in the category “Song of the Year”; he was also named “Entertainer of the Year” at the same ceremony, prompting country pop singer Charlie Rich to light the envelope on fire after reading that Denver had won—in an apparent insult to Denver’s musical style and image.
Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. (December 31, 1943 – October 12, 1997), known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer-songwriter, activist, and humanitarian whose greatest commercial success was as a solo singer. After traveling and living in numerous locations while growing up in his military family, Denver began his music career with folk music groups during the late 1960s. Starting in the 1970s, he was one of the most popular acoustic artists of the decade and one of its best-selling artists. By 1974, he was one of America’s best-selling performers; AllMusic has called Denver “among the most beloved entertainers of his era”.
Denver recorded and released approximately 300 songs, about 200 of which he composed. He had 33 albums and singles that were certified Gold and Platinum in the U.S by the RIAA, with estimated sales of more than 33 million units. He recorded and performed primarily with an acoustic guitar and sang about his joy in nature, disdain for city life, enthusiasm for music, and relationship trials. Denver’s music appeared on a variety of charts, including country music, the Billboard Hot 100, and adult contemporary, earning 12 gold and four platinum albums with his signature songs “Take Me Home, Country Roads”, “Poems, Prayers and Promises”, “Annie’s Song”, “Rocky Mountain High”, “Calypso”, “Thank God I’m a Country Boy”, and “Sunshine on My Shoulders”.
Denver appeared in several films and television specials during the 1970s and 1980s, including the 1977 hit Oh, God!, in which he starred alongside George Burns. He continued to record into the 1990s, also focusing on environmental issues as well as lending vocal support to space exploration and testifying in front of Congress to protest censorship in music. He lived in Aspen for much of his life, and he was known for his love of Colorado. In 1974, Denver was named poet laureate of the state. The Colorado state legislature also adopted “Rocky Mountain High” as one of its two state songs in 2007, and West Virginia did the same for “Take Me Home, Country Roads” in 2014.
An avid pilot, Denver died at age 53 in a single-fatality crash while piloting a recently purchased light plane.
Studio version:
Live version: https://youtu.be/wPndmL6HfIs
Keep rockin’ my friends,
Stan