Search - Lee Holdridge and John Denver :: LEE HOLDRIDGE CONDUCTS THE MUSIC OF JOHN DENVER - Arranged and Conducted by Lee Holdridge

BUYSOUNDTRAX Records presents LEE HOLDRIDGE CONDUCTS THE MUSIC OF JOHN DENVER. The album features musical arrangements of the music of singer/songwriter John Denver, conducted by Lee Holdridge. John Denver and Lee Holdridge enjoyed a long collaboration together, beginning in 1974 with Denver s album, Back Home Again. Similar to his relationship with singer/songwriter Neil Diamond, Holdridge frequently wrote the musical arrangements for the songs on Denver s albums. Originally recorded in 1975, this album was inspired by one of Lee Holdridge s violin concertos and contains arrangements of some of John Denver s best known songs, including Rocky Mountain High, Annie s Song, Sunshine On My Shoulders and others, including Calypso. Released on vinyl in 1975, fans of John Denver have often written the composer with requests to release this special album on compact disc. John Denver was born in Roswell, New Mexico in 1943. He fell in love with music at an early age when he received his first guitar at age 12. Self-taught, he was good enough to perform at local clubs by the time he was in college. He received his first taste of success in 1969 after releasing his first album, Rhymes And Reasons. While the album was not a big success, his song Leaving On A Jet Airplane had been covered by Peter, Paul and Mary two years prior and when people discovered that he was the original author, doors began to open for him. Denver s commercial breakthrough came with the song Take Me Home, Country Roads from his album, Poems, Prayers and Promises, which rose to number two on the Billboard charts. Denver s career flourished from then on, with a series of hit songs over the next four years. Also key to Denver s success was his many early appearances on television, which endeared himself to people from all walks of life, due to his affable manner and his happy, positive image. In 1975, he was awarded the Country Music Association s Entertainer Of The Year award. In addition to his music career, Denver also enjoyed success at the box office in 1977, starring opposite George Burns in Oh, God! Denver was also a guest on the Muppet Show, which began a life-long friendship with creator Jim Henson, and continued with television specials and records. Sadly, John Denver s life was cut short by an aviation accident in 1997.