The John Denver Issue, vote now. (page 4)

Rabbit

I always loved John Denver and his music, I still do.

Back in the late 60's & early 70's, "Peace & Love" was an important thing to a lot of people, including myself...who hated the Vietnam War. Denver songs reflected that. He also sung songs about the rape of our environment. He held on to hope that the earth could be 'saved' and be 'natural' again.

For this idealist, as I was studying with the JW's, John Denver SOUNDED like he would be a perfect candidate to become a Witness himself.

Peace, Love, Paradise Earth...? yep!

I knew personally several Witnesses, that had sent him all kinds of WT literature. Offered him Bible Studies! Multiply THAT by other young JW's all over America...and the world and you could see why that could be very irritating. I heard from people I knew, his Fan Club asked them NOT to send religious stuff anymore. I did not SEE those letters.

Young JW's as we were, I thought we could help 'save' the world from themselves. Imagine...if we could get John Denver to become a Witness? All the hippie and environmental type peeps might come join us !

So, with JD going thru all the constant attention by the JW's...I could fully understand how he could lose his cool and say "Leave! Shut-Up!"

I also have NO reason to disbelieve an eye-witness at a concert. Anything that could show news reports would be interesting, too. Has anyone checked his Fan Club? I'll bet there are die-hard fans that know everything that might have happened.

Take me h o m e, country roads...

londoner

I have been looking , did find quite a few references to his short temper and his heavy drinking

wednesday

ditto on what Rabbit said,

eyeslice

don't think it would have been asking too much of this "loving and peaceful man" to keep his religious bigotry to himself.

I agree totally. The problem is that if people, no matter how rich or famous, are allowed to get away this sort of thing it is the thin end of the wedge. Eventually, it leads to bigotry, intolerance, racial and religious hatred, which in turn leads to the atrocities of the sort we saw in the last century and will surely happen again in this century.

Eyeslice

defective light

I have yet to see any documented proof this incident actually occured....

so the question remains.....

Is it the Truth?....

or is it the "Troof" ? .....

U be da' judge.....

HappyDad

John Denver had a lot of problems.......alchohol probably being his biggest one! How many of us here are problem free?

I loved his music when he first broke onto the scene but got a sour taste when I heard about his (true or false.....I don't care) asking JW's to leave his concerts. Of course I was a died in the wool JW then too!

As the years passed and the radio played his songs, my opinion about him didn't seem that important anymore. His music was all that mattered and when PBS here in the states did a special (I think it was 2 hours) about him after his death and showed the better side of him and what motivated him to write as he did, I became a fan again. During that show my eyes blured a few times as I identified life experiences about my late wife with some of the songs.

Whether he disliked JW's or had outright hatred for them.....I don't care! How many here dislike or HATE JW"S now?

If some on the board were as famous as Denver, wouldn't you think they just might ask JW's to leave their concerts in order to show their dislike/hate for them?

Actually.....any dislike I have today goes mainly to the bOrg in Brooklyn and only a few flesh and blood ex bros.

Thanks for listening,

HappyDad (of the Take Me Home Country Roads class)

seeitallclearlynow

I had heard many years ago about the concert incident and I've always believed he did just as was reported, even without knowing about the Johnny Carson item.

We had a talk at one assembly in which the Circuit or District Overseer rather criticized the rumor and those who believed it, saying that the "brothers" had spoken with John Denver about it and he had told them he did it, but it was out of respect for Jehovah's Witnesses, in that he (supposedly) didn't want to "offend their consciences" with his opening song, which was a patriotic song. And supposedly the Witnesses were welcomed back into the audience after this opening song.

I thought this was a little absurd and wondered how the "overseers" could really believe this version. I remember resenting this position a little at the time. But of course they always present other "evidence" to support their stance.

I didn't much care one way or the other. Religion and patriotism cause some of the strongest gut feelings there are - so whatever really happened wouldn't have surprised me. Now if I'd been there, I would have been really mad! So I'm sorry for those who were subjected to this at the concert. I'm quite sure John Denver did what londoner said he did.

I still love his music.

My 2.

TresHappy

I don't believe Johnny Carson did it either. I would have to see a videotape of it for me to believe it. These videos are archived at NBC in Burbank I am sure, but I think John Denver was a wonderful singer and died way too sing.

freedom96

The version that I heard was that during a concert, right before singing a patriotic song, he said he was going to do so, so if there were any witnesses in the audience, they could leave if they wish for that one song.

I DID go to a John Denver concert, and no, he never brought witnesses up at all. But, that was just one concert.

We all have been guilty of saying something at some point that I am sure we wish we didn't at a later time. So even if he did do what he is accused of, I will not let that change my thought of him as an entertainer.

When we think about it, what are the most sensitive subjects to a person? Religion, and politics. Well, the witnesses belong to a radical cultish religion, and thus refuse to have anything to do with politics. To many people, this is just unheard of. So I don't think it is unreasonable for someone, even Denver, to not understand, and say something about it.

As far as the Carson show, I can't help but think that all shows are taped somewhere, and if this did happen, there will be proof. As shown before, Denver was on the Tonight Show many, many times. I find it hard to believe that he would have been kicked off, and then returned. I heard about this rumour well before his last appearance in 1990.

upside/down

happydad- I concur and take it one step further... If many on this board had their way (er. Gumby etc.) and they were famous, they would have the crowd turn on any Dubs present and burn them at the stake... not just ask them to leave. Perhaps deservedly so... some may reason would it be wrong to announce all "child-molesters" to leave? See the connection some would make? Who knows what JD may have experienced at the hands of some Dubs- just read the posts here... they're rife with lunacy that could easliy piss off a "normal" person to the Nth degree! Agreed?

Where is all the "press"? Something this sensational would surely make headlines!

If JD truly hated Dubs (definitely an Urban Legend) wouldn't he just print it on the show ticket? "NO DUBS ALLOWED"

While he was alive I visited Aspen many times and some of the "locals" seemed to have an almost annoyance at his presence in the town as he was a known alcoholic, and caused some disturbances. He had DUI's and would park wherever he felt like without regard for others. Other people loved him. So he sounds pretty normal to me.

His music I personally LOVE! But to wish death in a plane crash on him... yikes. Glad your not "God". I hate to see what yall would "wish" on me. lol

Give the man a break.. I think you should LISTEN to his music and draw your conclusions rather than JW urban legends that make THEM look good. Hmmmm.

u/d

The John Denver Issue, vote now.

Share this