Maps of Music

An Evening with John Denver (1975)

Where the lyrics of An Evening with John Denver take you, and where it was really made.

This first live album by John Denver was recorded at a Los Angeles amphitheatre, and the last of its two singles became a Hot 100 number one.

Key places

Recorded at the Universal Amphitheatre, 1974 (1975)

Recording site Universal Amphitheatre — The album was recorded live here in August and September 1974, with Discogs listing 26 August to 1 September and a Wally Heider remote unit. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• First live album by American singer and songwriter John Denver
• Double album released by RCA Records in February 1975
• Recorded live at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, California, in August and September 1974
• Recording dates listed by Discogs: 26 August to 1 September 1974, with a Wally Heider remote unit
• Produced by Denver's manager, Milton Okun
• Backed by an orchestra conducted by Lee Holdridge

Background

• Milton Okun, who managed Denver, was the album's music producer
• Band members credited: John Denver on vocals and 6- and 12-string guitar, Dick Kniss on bass, Herb Lovelle on drums
• Steve Weisberg played lead guitar, pedal steel guitar and resonator guitar
• John Sommers played rhythm guitar, banjo, fiddle and mandolin
• Hal Blaine played percussion
• The album came out as Denver's first live release, collecting a concert from his own touring period

Recording

• Concert sound was provided by Stanal Sound of Kearney, Nebraska
• Engineers credited: Mickey Crofford, Artie Torgersen (assistant) and Ernie Zeilinger (concert sound)
• Mastering was credited to Richard Simpson
• Ernie Zeilinger is also listed as audio engineer in the album credits

Cover

• Cover photograph by Nick Sangiamo
• Art direction by Acy Lehman

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com · es.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Disc 1

Disc 2

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Born Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. on December 31, 1943, in Roswell, New Mexico; took the name John Denver on the advice of Randy Sparks, founder of the New Christy Minstrels.
• Attended Texas Tech University and sang in the folk group "The Alpine Trio" before dropping out in 1963 and moving to Los Angeles.
• Joined The Chad Mitchell Trio in 1965, replacing Chad Mitchell; the trio later became "Denver, Boise, and Johnson".

Members

• Solo artist; worked closely with producer Milt Okun early on and later with manager Jerry Weintraub.
• Collaborated with friends Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert, who later formed the Starland Vocal Band.

Career

• Left the trio in 1969 for a solo career; first album Rhymes & Reasons on RCA Records.
• "Leaving on a Jet Plane" became a number one hit for Peter, Paul and Mary.
• Breakthrough with Poems, Prayers & Promises (1971) and "Take Me Home, Country Roads", which reached number 2 on the Billboard charts.
• Reached number 1 with "Sunshine on My Shoulders", "Annie's Song", "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" and "I'm Sorry" in 1974–1975.
• Named Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year in 1975.
• Starred in the 1977 film Oh, God! with George Burns.
• Co-founded The Hunger Project and worked for environmental causes through the Windstar Foundation.
• Died in a plane crash off Pacific Grove, California, on October 12, 1997.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Billboard's review called Denver's clear and cheerful music the highlight of the album
• Cash Box praised the mix of all the songs, saying the artist's hits came through clear and strong
• Billboard's review ended by calling it one of the best and most realistic live LPs in a long while

Records

• Reached number two on Billboard's Top LPs & Tape chart
• Two singles promoted the album, both placing in the top 15 of the charts
• The second single, "Thank God I'm a Country Boy", reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100
• Certified triple platinum by the RIAA in 2001 for sales of more than three million copies
• Counted among Denver's best-selling albums

Sources: es.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Discogs gives the recording dates as 26 August to 1 September 1974, using a Wally Heider remote unit
• The concert sound was handled by Stanal Sound of Kearney, Nebraska
• Lee Holdridge conducted the orchestra and also arranged its parts
• The cover photograph was taken by Nick Sangiamo

Sources: www.discogs.com · es.wikipedia.org

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