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It peaked at No. 2 on Billboard’s US Hot 100 singles after its release on April 12, 1971. By August 1971, the song had already been certified gold for shipping over a million copies. Of course, the beauty and pride expressed in the classic song was an instant hit in West Virginia as well. John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” was released as a single almost fifty years ago today. The song was taken from her 1971 album “Poems, Prayers & Promises”.
At 40, 'Take Me Home, Country Roads' Still Belongs The 1971 single that launched John Denver's career almost never was. Songwriter Bill Danoff recalls how he hesitated to play the song for Denver when the singer visited his Washington, D.C., apartment. The chart-topper became the unofficial anthem of West Virginia. Any native of the Mountain State can attest to how much West Virginia loves the native songs of John Denver. It is utterly impossible for anyone to cross the state border without clapping their chorus. The state even included the song’s lyrics in its official slogan.
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By August, the song had reached No. 2 on the Billboard singles chart. "So I played him what I had of 'Country Roads,' and he said, 'Wow! That's great, that's a hit song! Did you record it?' I said, 'No, we don't have a record deal,' " Danoff said. “Take Me Home, Country Roads” has been a hit almost from the start.
“Rhinestone Cowboy” topped both the Hot 100 and Hot Country Singles charts that year. It was awarded awards from all three Academy of Country Music, the American Music Awards, and the Country Music Association. Everyone moves from one event to the next without taking time to pause and reflect on their surroundings.
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Old footage has been unearthed of John Denver and Johnny Cash singing ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’ and it is a musical gem. The performance was filmed about 42 years ago, if you can imagine. This once in a lifetime event was possibly filmed for a 1977 John Denver television special called "Thank God I'm a Country Boy." Denver first heard "Take Me Home, Country Roads" in the Washington, D.C., apartment of songwriter Bill Danoff.
Take Me Home, Country Roads
Olivia Newton-John released a cover version in January 1973 that reached number 6 in Japan and number 15 in the UK. It was the lead single from her third studio album, Let Me Be There. This version, as well as the song itself, features prominently in the Japanese animated film, Whisper of the Heart.
It was in late 1970, when Billy Danoff and Taffy Nivert were on their way to a family reunion along Clopper Road in neighboring Montgomery County, Maryland. To pass the time, the couple composed a song about the winding roads of the country. The only problem was that the three Maryland syllables didn’t match the rhythm of the song. Danoff then figured four syllable Massachusetts might work, but then West Virginia would sound even better.
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He graduated from The Royal Academy of Music in 2012 and then launched Hello Music Theory in 2014. Since then, he's been working to make music theory easy for over 1 million students in over 80 countries around the world. In fact, “Take Me Home, Country Roads” was legally accepted as the state’s official song. Its lyrics speak lovingly of the beauty of Shenandoah National Park and surrounding areas, making it the perfect anthem for West Virginia natives.
Now the footage from 1977 has reemerged and everyone is loving the acoustic version of the famous song. It feels so natural and their very different voices blend perfectly. With John Denver's tenor voice mixing with Johnny Cash's gravelly base, the harmonies and totally different tones really do work well together. After listening to this song, it might make you nostalgic and want to go seek out other live performances of the two artists. However, no doubt this is the only time the two of them had ever publicly sung together.
Jerry Lee Lewis knows the impact he has had on the country music industry with his piano skills, and he wonders who will take his place after his final bow. In 1972, Johnny Cash released “Any Old Wind That Blows,” written by Deena Kaye Rose, on his album of the same name. In 1970, Johnny Cash hit the charts with almost every song on his album I Walk the Line. Ed and Patsy Bruce wrote the tune, and the country music genre is all the better because of it.
Take Me Home, Country Roadsis such an iconic song written and sung by the legendary John Denver. Recently, a video surfaced of this song performed by not only Denver himself but also Johnny Cash. Two very different voices singing this beloved song is indeed something very special.
While fans aren't sure, some think that the performance dates back to a 1977 television appearance. At the time, Danoff and Nivert were both struggling musicians, but they aimed to be successful in the industry by writing a hit song for more prominent artists. Until one day they opened for Denver at a club called Cellar Door in Georgetown, Washington, DC After the show, the couple hung out with Denver.
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