Denver Opens At Saratoga
Poughkeepsie Journal, August 6, 1974
Folk singer John Denver brought some of his “Rocky Mountain High” and “Sunshine” to the foothills of the Adirondacks Monday evening.
He also shared his love for his wife with the estimated total of 30,000 people attending the concerts at the
Saratoga Performing Arts Center Sunday and Monday.
“You know, I just think it’s the most incredible thing in the world to share my love for this lady,” the ever-smiling star from Aspen, Colo., said during the concert Monday.
“Annie’s Song” is rated No. 3 on Billboard Magazine’s hot singles chart this week. “Rocky Mountain High” and “Sunshine on My Shoulders” were among Denver’s No. 1 songs.
“I wrote this song in Aspen, Colorado, one day,” Denver remarked. “I was out skiing… I was riding up the lift and I was kind of taking in all the things…l was thinking about my best friend in the world, the girl I live with, my wife Annie.
*And in about the 10 or 12 minutes it takes to ride up the chairlift at Mount Aspen I wrote this song … This is Annie’s Song.”
Denver’s youthful audience, which was almost reverently still during his songs about nature and love Monday, broke out in thunderous applause after each tune. Denver was backed by a 30-piece orchestra and five members of his traveling band.
Recording industry and television executives say sincerity is the key to Denver’s success.
“I think maybe what comes through is his honesty in an age when maybe we don’t have too much honesty … that’s what maybe the people are picking up on,” a spokesman for RCA Records said earlier Monday.
“I’ll tell you, strangely enough, my personal opinion of John,” the spokesman continued, “is more or less what his public’s opinion of him is. He’s just a very nice guy who’s always been cooperative and friendly.”
Denver shared his optimistic reflections on the goodness of life during stage chatter.
“I think that it’s an incredible blessing to be alive and I think the richest part of that blessing is to share our lives with each other.
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