Pick a Day

John Denver is born Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. in Roswell, New Mexico.

John Denver's first hit, "Take Me Home Country Roads," peaks at #2 on the Hot 100.

John Denver's "Sunshine On My Shoulders" hits #1 in the US. The song first appeared on his 1971 album Poems, Prayers & Promises; it came to prominence after featuring in the made-for-TV movie Sunshine in 1973.

John Denver's album Back Home Again hits #1 in America.

John Denver's "I'm Sorry" hits #1, giving him his second chart-topper of the year, following "Thank God I'm A Country Boy."

John Denver's album Windsong hits #1 in America.

The John Denver TV special Thank God, I'm A Country Boy airs on ABC.

ABC airs the John Denver And The Ladies special, featuring Tina Turner, Valerie Harper, Cheryl Tiegs, Erma Bombeck and Cheryl Ladd.

RCA releases John Denver from his contract, possibly over his new single, "What Are We Making Weapons For?," which he recorded with the Russian singer Alexandre Gradsky. RCA had recently been acquired by General Electric, which was a top military contractor.

John Denver crashes his 1963 Porsche into a tree near his home in Aspen, Colorado, exactly one year after a previous arrest for driving while impaired.

John Denver, an avid amateur pilot who loves flying experimental aircraft, dies at 53 when the plane he is flying crashes into the Pacific Ocean.More

John Denver's last recording, The Unplugged Collection, is released.