John Denver’s estate is set to reissue his acclaimed album Rocky Mountain High to celebrate the LP’s 50th anniversary.
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The album, which dropped in 1972, was Denver’s first Top 40 album, clocking in at No. 4 on Billboard, featuring the hit titular single, as well.
Denver’s estate is releasing it also as a limited edition blue vinyl and fans can pre-order that now (it will go on sale officially on September 16). More info HERE.
Denver, who passed away at 53 years old in 1997, also recently earned the recognition from Colorado Governor Jared Polis, who renamed the Mountain Lion Trail in Golden Gate Canyon State Park to the “Rocky Mountain High Trail.” The song “Rocky Mountain High” is also officially recognized as the second state song of Colorado, as of 2007.
Denver’s estate will be commemorating the anniversary throughout the year, including a special performance with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra on September 8.
Said Governor Polis, “Here in Colorado, we’ve always known that our majestic mountains, our bright blue skies, our starlit nights, and our forest and streams were the stuff of legends—but John Denver made them the stuff of song lyrics, too. And not just any lyrics, but world-famous lyrics that span genres and generations.”
In the early ’70s Denver, a two-time Grammy Award-winner, was one of the first artists to share an environmental-themed message through his music, contributing to a number of charitable and causes. He has received a number of civic and humanitarian awards over the years, including the Presidential “World Without Hunger” Award for his work with The Hunger Project and UNICEF, the National Wildlife Federation Conservation Achievement Award, and the NASA Medal for Public Service.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH TRACK LIST
Side One
1. Rocky Mountain High
2. Mother Nature’s Son
3. Paradise
4. For Baby (For Bobbie)
5. Darcy Farrow
6. Prisoners
Side Two
1. Goodbye Again
2. Season Suite: Summer
3. Season Suite: Fall
4. Season Suite: Winter
5. Season Suite: Late Winter, Early
