What would you say if I told you that one of the biggest selling music artists of the 1970s, a guy who sold over 33 million records, almost became an astronaut? Like literally was a finalist for NASA’s civilian in space program.

Because here is the thing about John Denver’s early folk career. He was incredibly prolific and technically skilled, but he hadn’t yet found his signature voice. He was performing within the established folk tradition, doing a lot of cover material and playing style wise by the book.

• Today, we are going to do a deep dive into the life of John Denver
• He was born Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. in Roswell, New Mexico, on December 31, 1943
• His father was a US Air Force officer, which meant the family moved around constantly
• In 1965, Denver replaced Chad Mitchell in the Chad Mitchell Trio
• His application for NASA’s teacher in space program was actually taken very seriously