John Denver was born with the name Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. on Dec. 31, 1943, in Roswell, N.M. One of America's most popular performers in the '70s, Denver's rise to fame began when he was "discovered" in a Los Angeles nightclub. He initially joined the
BACK PORCH MAJORITY, a nursery group for the renowned
New Christy Minstrels, but, tiring of his role there, he left for
The Chad Mitchell Trio where he forged a reputation as a talented songwriter.