An icon of American music, John Denver was a prolific singer/songwriter whose influence reached far beyond the borders of his native country. In love with folk music ever since he was a child, John would strum along on his guitar and dream of making it big.

In 1964, he moved to Los Angeles where he joined the Chad Mitchell Trio, beating out over 200 other applicants. John was the writer of Peter, Paul and Mary's first #1 hit, "Leaving on a Jet Plane," which established his songwriting reputation.

A few years later, Denver released a solo LP album, Rhymes and Reasons, singing his own work. The mega-hit song "Take Me Home, Country Roads" appeared on  Poems, Prayers and Promises and really launched the goofy, bespectacled artist into stardom. Other hits included "I'd Rather Be a Cowboy," "Sunshine on My Shoulders" and "Annie's Song."

Denver's love of nature was reflected not only in his chosen stage name (changed from his real last name, the tongue-twisting Deutschendorf) but in his songs as well. The Rocky Mountains hadn't had a more vocal admirer before or since John Denver wrote and sang about the beauty of America's heartland.

John often spoke out about environmental issues that were just beginning to gather public attention and often teamed up with Kermit the Frog for a ditty or two.

The 70s were really Denver's decade and he added many TV appearances to his music career. He starred in Rocky Mountain Christmas and John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together, two holiday specials that became extremely popular on TV, on VHS and later, on DVD.

After television, Denver starred opposite funny man George Burns in the heavenly comedy Oh God!, directed by Carl Reiner. Not one to rest on his laurels, Denver then gave his fans abroad a treat, performing in the Soviet Union in 1984--one of the first American musicians to travel behind the Iron Curtain. A few years later he traveled as far as China, where he had an enormous following.

Always a passionate advocate for the environment, Denver also took on several other causes, like world hunger, eventually becoming a UNICEF spokesman. An avid golfer and experimental aircraft enthusiast, John Denver tragically died when the small plane he was piloting crashed into the ocean in 1997.

He left behind a big legacy of music, environmentalism and charity work that has not diminished in importance years later.