Rocky Mountain High – John Denver

During the 70s, country rock reached an apex of popularity. The Eagles, Glen Campbell and James Taylor were some of the performers who delivered it to the masses on a gold plate filled with homespun lyrics, precise acoustic guitar work and authentic singing. Another notable contributor to this genre was singer/songwriter John Denver. Born in Roswell, New Mexico in 1943, Henry John Deutchschendorf was part of a folk group in the late 60s, then went solo in the 70s. He was one of the best-selling and most popular acoustic guitarists of this decade. This humanitarian and activist's love and respect for nature shone brightly in his winning tunes. Released in 1972, this folk rock song became an official song of the state of Colorado and reached #9 on the US Hot 100. Denver wrote the song with Mike Taylor and it was a slice of Americana to the nth degree. The song transports one to the mountains, to wilderness, to abandon. You can almost smell the fragrance of pine needles and fresh snow when this song is on. An easy mix of pop rock and country, it's easy to see why this soothing hit was a pop culture linchpin in the 70s. Return to Playlist

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About the Curator - Sonya Alexander

After graduating from UCLA, Sonya trained to be a talent agent. After realizing she belonged on the creative end, she started freelance writing, covering film festivals for Los Angeles local papers. She's written about film, video games, global affairs, wildlife conservation and, most recently, music. She specializes in classic rock, classic soul, blues, classic country, classical and world music and is tri-coastal, residing in Los Angeles, New York and New Orleans. Digging this? Check out our article on: 13 Playlists: The Best Halloween Music For Your Halloween Party