Maps of Music

Rocky Mountain High (1972)

Where the lyrics of Rocky Mountain High take you, and where it was really made.

The cover of John Denver's first US Top 10 album was shot at a waterfall on a trail in Aspen, Colorado.

Key places

Recorded at RCA Studios, New York City (1972)

Recording site Record Plant Studios — The album was produced by Milt Okun and recorded at RCA Studios in New York City in 1972. The point sits at the city centre, not at the exact studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Cover photo at Slaughterhouse Falls, Aspen (1972)

Album cover Honey Snow Studios — The cover photograph was taken at Slaughterhouse Falls on the Rio Grande Trail in Aspen, Colorado. The point sits at the Aspen city centre, not at the falls themselves. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Rocky Mountain High: sixth studio album by John Denver
• Released in September 1972
• First US Top 10 album for Denver, peaking at number 4
• Title single pushed the album up the charts
• Reached number 11 in the UK and number 1 in Canada

Background

• Marked Denver's commercial breakthrough
• Largely inspired by his move to Aspen, Colorado
• Developed a deep appreciation for the region's natural landscape and mountain lifestyle there
• Title track reflects the awe and spiritual connection he felt in the Rocky Mountains
• Title track became one of his signature songs
• Other writers' songs include the Beatles' 'Mother Nature's Son' and John Prine's 'Paradise'
• Bassist Dick Kniss and guitarist Mike Taylor, his regular collaborators, also took part
• Album closes with 'Season Suite', a multi-part piece on the seasons

Recording

• Produced by Milt Okun
• Recorded at RCA Studios in New York City in 1972
• Personnel include Frank Owens on piano, Eric Weissberg on banjo and steel guitar, and Gary Chester on drums
• Paul Prestopino plays mandolin and dobro
• Backing vocals by Bill Danoff, Taffy Nivert and others

Cover

• Cover photograph taken at Slaughterhouse Falls, Rio Grande Trail, Aspen, Colorado

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

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

• Record World (July 1972): called the single 'Goodbye Again' a sad, gentle ballad that could become a standard
• Record World (September 1972): praised 'Hard Life, Hard Times (Prisoners)' for its counterpoint toward the end

Reappraisal

• AllMusic's William Ruhlmann: Denver still could not fill out a whole album without covering better writers
• Ruhlmann added that Denver and his backing musicians were evolving into an exuberant folk-country sound
• Ruhlmann highlighted 'Goodbye Again' and 'For Baby (For Bobbie)', calling the former one of Denver's finest ballads

Records

• First US Top 10 album for Denver, peaking at number 4
• Number 11 in the UK
• Number 1 in Canada

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · ko.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The album closes with 'Season Suite', a multi-part work that moves through summer, autumn, winter, late winter, early spring and spring.
• The Beatles' 'Mother Nature's Son' and John Prine's 'Paradise' are among the songs by other writers on the album.
• The title track was credited to John Denver, Mike Taylor and Dick Kniss.
• Pupils of The Whitby School in Greenwich, Connecticut sang backing vocals on 'For Baby (For Bobbie)'.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · ko.wikipedia.org · it.wikipedia.org

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