John Denver Remembered in Aspen

10/15/2007 Stephen L. Betts Hundreds of John Denver fans made their way to Aspen, Colo., on Friday (10/12) to mark the 10th anniversary of his death. The singer died Oct. 12, 1997, when the home-built, single-engine fiberglass airplane he was piloting crashed into Monterey Bay, Calif., while he was practicing touch-and-go landings. John Denver, whose given name was Henry John Deutschendorf, was 53 years old. The singer-songwriter, who was also an actor and activist, will forever be linked with Aspen. He fell in love with the town during a performance in 1968, moved there in 1969, and chose land for a home the following year, his brother, Ron Deutschendorf, said Thursday. Denver was honored by Colorado legislators earlier this year when they passed a resolution making his hit “Rocky Mountain High” a second state song. The senate voted 26-8 to designate it the co-state song while the house voted 50-11 in favor. Some opponents objected that the song allegedly had pot references. Denver had three No. 1 singles on the country charts, and several pop hits to his credit as well. He earned 14 gold and eight platinum albums. In addition to “Rocky Mountain High,” his best-known songs include “Take Me Home, Country Roads” and “Sunshine on My Shoulders.” “John really was an environmentalist before there was a word for that,” said John Deutschendorf, Denver’s brother. Deutschendorf, the president of the Windstar Foundation, said he believes his brother will ultimately be best remembered for his environmental activism and efforts to promote peace.