John Denver: Country Boy

With his clean-cut all-American good looks, expressive voice, and soaring anthems to love and nature, the wildly popular John Denver contrasted sharply with the heavy metal and disco music of the 1970s. Filmmaker Steve Freer's PBS-aired documentary offers an appreciative look at Denver's career, which was tragically cut short when he died at the age of 53 while piloting a small experimental plane. Despite his image, Denver grew up as an Army brat, not a country boy, and first attracted attention during the 1960s folk music boom as part of the New Christy Minstrels and the Chad Mitchell Trio. He quickly shifted to a solo career, often singing his own songs, but also providing hits for others, such as "Leaving on a Jet Plane" which was popularized by Peter, Paul, and Mary, and gained resonance as a bittersweet "goodbye song" for American soldiers departing for Vietnam. "Annie's Song" ("You fill up my senses..."), Denver's tribute to his wife, quickly became a standard wedding song. A skillful live entertainer, Denver was also a natural on TV and in movies, performing with Sinatra and the Muppets on the small screen and starring in 1977's Oh, God! The singer was a passionate champion of environmental causes too, celebrating oceanographer Jacques Cousteau in the hit song "Calypso," which displayed the wide range of his voice. The documentary notes that changing tastes and the barbs of critics (who called him corny) took a slow toll on Denver's self esteem. Divorces, depression, and drunk driving charges hampered his image and career, although the film claims that he was poised for a comeback when he died. Featuring generous excerpts from Denver's music along with interviews of friends, late producer Jerry Weintraub, ex-wife Annie, and folk singer Peter Yarrow, this is sure to be welcomed by Denver's many fans. Recommended. Aud: P. (S. Rees)