The Iowa Connection...
to John Denver
We've got mail! I am amazed to learn how many folks played John Denver’s song, 'Follow Me,' at their weddings.
Last Sunday, The Des Moines Sunday Register ran my column about spending time with Denver during my freshman year of college and how he began composing the refrain for that song in the back seat of my parents' car. Here’s the original Substack Column.
There are some real Denver fans out there. Ilene Hoffman, Nevada, IA, had a John Denver quilt made for her 50th birthday.
My experience of the songwriter was on the early end of his career spectrum, reader Kathi Zimpleman's encounter was at the end:
Kathi Zimpleman, Cumming, IA wrote: We [Larry Zimpleman] loved this column, Julie, and your story of the friendship you shared with John. For a very long time, John Denver was the soundtrack of OUR lives. We sang along with carefree abandon even though we are both pretty much pitch deaf! In 1997 we were in Pebble Beach, CA, for a conference. As a group of us approached the Clubhouse, we spotted John Denver getting into his car after a round of golf. He hurried off as all of us jumped and waved like silly school girls. Later, we found out he was rushing to take the plane he was working on for a test flight.
“The rest is history, sorry, sad history..."
Former Iowan Tom Stoner, founder of Stoner Broadcasting, recalled the early days when he purchased KSO radio in the mid 1960s. After a few false starts, station programmers landed on the country music format which seemed to work for the station’s audience.
After the move to country, KSO hired John Denver to play the 600-seat Orpheum Theater for the grand sum of $600. It was a big gamble for the station at the time, said Stoner. One year later, KSO brought Denver back for a performance before a packed audience at Vets Auditorium. His fee then was $40,000.
Tom and his wife, Kitty Stoner, now live in Annapolis, MD and merit an entire column (plus) on their philanthropic activities. Here’s a taste: NatureSacred
Ambassador Kenneth Quinn (ret), Des Moines, President Emeritus, World Food Prize wrote:
“Many visitors to the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates in Des Moines are surprised when they see a framed image of John Denver displayed on the wall of the Founders Board Room. It hangs close by that of World Food Prize founder and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Dr. Norman Borlaug himself. Their little-known connection came from Denver having interacted with Borlaug and former President Jimmy Carter around Borlaug's initial travel to Africa in 1886.
“The powerful impact of poverty and hunger led to John Denver performing, a year later at the first World Food Prize award ceremony in Washington. Denver traveled to Des Moines in October,1986 when he was the headliner at the 10th Anniversary celebration of the World Food Prize (aka the "Nobel Prize for Food and Agriculture").
More from Quinn:
“To continue the John Denver/Norman Borlaug legacy, during my time as president, I would often have a song composed by Denver titled "All This Joy" be performed during the Laureate Award Ceremony at the Iowa State Capitol. John Denver's role in providing a linkage between great music and great humanitarian achievements is also memorialized in an artistic photo montage in the reception area of the president's office of the Hall of Laureates. The image of him performing is side by side with those of other artists who have appeared at the World Food Prize.
Philip Blobaum, of Des Moines: If you read my initial column you will remember the reference to a ‘magical garden’ Denver visited with me on that cold day in January, Philip Blobaum wrote to say he thinks he lives near there (he does) on a dead end street off of 37th between Forest and University Avenues. He met Denver about a year before he died when Blobaum interviewed him for an IPTV documentary.
Names. Names. Names.
I love working the names of Iowans into a column.
I want to thank the following for their comments and memories. It is great to connect with all of you this way. Thanks for taking the time to reach out; I have given you a complimentary subscription to this Substack column (they are all complimentary).
Some of your notes have prompted ideas for future columns. Thank you.
Here are some of the Iowans who wrote to tell me of their own 'John Denver' memories:
Jim Graff, Cedar Rapids; Ilene Hoffman, Nevada; Susan Ross Howe, Spencer; Dr. Martin Lucin, Spirit Lake: Jim Dale, Decorah; Donna Farley, North Liberty; Don Fish, Davenport; John Tone, Des Moines; Ramona Tijerina, Des Moines; Cyd Dyer, Indianola; Bruce Williams, Cedar Rapids; Art Filean, Des Moines; Steve Rose, Indianola; Rosalie Gallagher, Des Moines; Jim Sayers, Humboldt; Randall Maharry, Des Moines; Don Kaesser, Des Moines; Michael and Linda Kennedy, New Hampton; Kathy Moore, Indianola; Colleen Lemkkuil, Spirit Lake; Dawn Roberts, Des Moines; Susan Judkins, Des Moines; Loretta Quinnett, Des Moines; Rich Eychaner, Des Moines; Perry Beeman, Des Moines; Carole Dikis Johnson, Des Moines; Monica Vernon, Cedar Rapids; PJ McDonald, Des Moines; Molly Ketchum, Boone; Diane Glass, Des Moines; Charlotte Hubbell, Des Moines; Kenneth Quinn, Des Moines, Claudia Tillman, Forest City; Merlin Yockstik, Clive; Susan Hastie, Des Moines; John Schmacker, Des Moines; Marcia Brooks Fisher, Des Moines; Pat Knight, Des Moines; John Torbert, Des Moines; Lori Durivage, Pella; John T. Torbert, Des Moines; LaVon Worley, Des Moines.
According to her signature, Andrea Dorn, Nevada, is a professional member of Cat Writers Association. Winner, 2013 Purina Proplan/Cat Writers’ Association Pedigreed Cats Special Award. This distinction demands a few follow-up questions, don’t you think?
Our beloved across-the-hall neighbor in Des Moines, Johnnie Friedman, calls me after reading almost every column. She is in the top 10 of this column’s cheerleaders.
I won’t list more former Iowans here, as the list is a little long. You know who you are.
It also doesn’t include the dozens of respondents from the ‘John Denver Fan’ page on Facebook.
Such fun. I think we're all a little nostalgic about a simpler time in life.
Finally, a special shout-out to subscriber/friend Joan Lipsig, Boca Raton, FL, who wrote:
“I can’t get over the idea of you and Richard in a golf cart.” See original Denver column.
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If you are new to our growing subscriber community, here’s an earlier column about how we do things around here: Onboarding.
Another wonderful column.
Lovin' it!