Maps of Music

Windsong (1975)

Where the lyrics of Windsong take you, and where it was really made.

Denver's ninth studio album carries a track dedicated to Werner Erhard and another to Captain Jacques-Yves Cousteau's ship crew.

Key places

Recorded at RCA Studio B, Hollywood (1975)

Recording site The Music Grinder (Hollywood) — The album was recorded at RCA's Music Center of the World, Studio B, in Hollywood, California, in July 1975. The point is shown at city-center level, so the exact building position is not marked. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Windsong: ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter John Denver
• Released September 1975; the release date is listed as 19 September 1975
• Released when Denver's popularity was at its peak
• "I'm Sorry" and "Calypso" formed a two-sided hit for Denver in fall 1975
• "Fly Away" features backing vocals from Olivia Newton-John
• Side one: "Windsong", "Cowboy's Delight", "Spirit", "Looking for Space", "Shipmates and Cheyenne", "Late Nite Radio"
• Side two: "Love Is Everywhere", "Two Shots", "I'm Sorry", "Fly Away", "Calypso", "Song of Wyoming"
• Twelve tracks in total; side totals are 20:37 and 21:27 by the Italian listing
• Packaged in a standard jewel case with a 4-page booklet

Background

• "Looking for Space" was dedicated to Werner Erhard
• "Two Shots" was dedicated to Michael P. Shore
• "Calypso" was dedicated to Captain Jacques-Yves Cousteau and everyone who served on his ship, Calypso
• John Denver: lead vocals, 6- and 12-string acoustic guitars
• Hal Blaine: drums and percussion
• Dick Kniss: double bass
• John Sommers: banjo, acoustic guitar, mandolin, fiddle, backing vocals
• Steve Weisberg: electric and acoustic guitars, pedal steel, dobros, backing vocals
• Byron Berline: mandolin and fiddle on "Love Is Everywhere"
• Mary Ann Duffy: vocals on "Late Nite Radio" and "Love Is Everywhere"
• Jesse Ehrlich: cello on "Windsong"; John Ellis: oboe on "Windsong"
• Jimmie Fadden: harmonica on "Song of Wyoming"
• Lee Holdridge: arranger and conductor

Recording

• Recorded at RCA's Music Center of the World, Studio B, Hollywood, California, in July 1975
• Milton Okun credited as producer; Kris O'Connor as production assistant
• Engineers: Mickey Crofford; assistant engineers Dennis Smith and Artie Torgersen
• Mastering engineer: Richard Simpson

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

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

• Released September 1975, when Denver's popularity was at its peak
• "I'm Sorry" and "Calypso" formed a two-sided hit for Denver in fall 1975
• Copyright notice credits RCA Corporation, 1975
• Distributed in the UK by BMG Records and in Europe by BMG Ariola
• Printed in Germany by TOPAC; the disc is marked as made in Germany
• All tracks published by Cherry Lane Music Co. (ASCAP)

Records

• Billboard 200: first place for two weeks
• Australia: first place for two weeks
• Netherlands: second place
• New Zealand: fifth place
• Chart positions are recorded in the Italian Wikipedia article for the album
• The album's chart run came in the same year as the two-sided hit single pairing

Sources: it.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• "Calypso" was dedicated to Captain Jacques-Yves Cousteau and everyone who served on his ship.
• "Looking for Space" was dedicated to Werner Erhard, and "Two Shots" was dedicated to Michael P. Shore.
• Olivia Newton-John sang backing vocals on "Fly Away".
• The album's track listing credits all songs to Cherry Lane Music Co. under ASCAP.
• Milton Okun is credited as the album's producer.

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

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