Phonograph record:Back Home Again

His first platinum album, "Back Home Again," established country-folk singer/songwriter John Denver as one of the most popular recording artists of the 1970s. Born December 31, 1943, in Roswell, New Mexico, Denver dropped out of Texas Tech to pursue a singing career. His first break came in 1964 when he joined the then-popular Chad Mitchell Trio as the group's lead singer. When the group disbanded in 1968, Denver parlayed his song-writing talent into a solo career. His 1969 debut LP, "Rhymes and Reasons," while not a hit, contained one of his best-loved compositions, "Leaving On a Jet Plane," which became an international chart-topper for the folk group Peter, Paul & Mary. Released in 1974, "Back Home Again" sailed to the top of the charts with such hits as "Annie's Song," "Grandma's Feather Bed," "Thank God I'm a Country Boy," and, of course, "Back Home Again." John Denver's gentle, environmentally conscious music struck a chord with the changing social and political attitudes of his generation. Wholesome and clean-cut, he extended his appeal through parallel careers as an actor and social and environmental activist.