We already brought you part one of our list of 15 things you probably did not know about John Denver, and now we’re back with part two! Check out eight more fascinating facts about the singer and activist that you definitely (probably) did not know below. You might be surprised by what you find out!
Number Eight: His Ashes Are in Colorado. Denver was cremated and, in an homage to the state he loved most – Colorado – he had his ashes spread all over the Rocky Mountains.
Number Seven: “Leaving On A Jet Plane” Was About Loneliness. Denver wrote the iconic “Leaving On A Jet Plane” in an effort to capture the loneliness he felt while he was touring all over America with the Chad Mitchell Trio. In fact, the song was not meant to be called “Leaving On A Jet Plane.” Its original title was “Babe, I Hate to Go.”
Number Six: His Grandmothers Pushed Him to Music. Both of Denver’s grandmothers helped inspire him to pursue a career in music. One of his grandmothers lived on a farm in Corn, Oklahoma, and it was there that she introduced him to classic country music. His other grandmother gave him his first guitar when he was just eight years old.
Number Five: He Performed His Final Concert in Texas. Denver’s final performance before his unfortunate plane crash was in Corpus Christi, Texas. He performed there just one week before he died.
Number Four: He Died Near Lover’s Point. Denver wrote a tome of songs about love, so it seems only fitting that his plane crashed a mere 100 yards away from a famous landmark popularly known as “Lover’s Point.”
Number Three: He Founded the World Hunger Project. In 1977, Denver founded the World Hunger Project, and president Jimmy Carter personally assigned him to the commission on World and Domestic Hunger.
Number Two: He Was Comfortable Going Solo. When Denver was a child, he would often sit alone in eucalyptus trees. He enjoyed his independence.
Number One: His Father Was a Pilot. Though Denver died in a tragic plane crash, his father, ironically, was a test pilot for the U.S. Air Force. Denver wrote “On The Wings Of A Dream” in remembrance of his father.