Quote Of The Day By John Denver: 'I'll Tell You The Best Thing About Me. I'm Some Guy's Dad; I'm ...'

You may know John Denver for his folk and soft country rock anthems, but the star always asserted that his greatest achievements would be found at home. Born Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. on December 31, 1943, in Roswell, New Mexico, he was first introduced to music at age 11 or 12 (sources vary) after his grandmother gifted him a guitar. He was also a member of the local boys' choir, and his artistic childhood is the crux of what inspired him to pick up and move to Los Angeles in the early '60s. 

After changing his name to John Denver (after the capital of his favorite state, Colorado), a successful audition for the Chad Mitchell Trio was his ticket to stardom. It was with them that he met his first wife, Annie, after a 1966 concert in Minneapolis. Although they wouldn't go on their first date until a year later, their relationship and eventual home in Aspen would become the inspiration behind some of Denver's most timeless songs.

By 1969, Denver had already written his first of many hits for other artists, "Leaving on a Jet Plane," which went No. 1 thanks to a cover by the folk group Peter, Paul and Mary. The '70s were filled with iconic tracks such as "Take Me Home, Country Roads," "Rocky Mountain High," and "Annie's Song," the latter being released in 1974, perhaps Denver's best year of his career. An explorer, activist, lyrical genius, and so much more, the strength of Denver's love is ultimately why he is today's quote of the day.

"I'll tell you the best thing about me. I'm some guy's dad; I'm some little gal's dad. When I die ... Zachary John and Anna Kate's father, boy, that's enough for me to be remembered by."

In a 1979 cover feature for People Magazine, John Denver and his wife, Annie, discussed the trials and tests of fame. However, following the adoption of their two children, Zachary John and Anna Kate, everything appeared to change. This quote in particular rounded off the article, following a recollection of Zachary's bewilderment with the crowds of fans who had come to see his father perform. 

Denver had already described the experience of being their father as a fated event, with his children being solid anchors in his turbulent, emotional world. There is a natural shift in priorities when people become parents, but Denver's pure pride and adoration for his children prove that it's not solely a biological response.

John Denver's quote speaks directly to the idea that our legacies do not merely live on in our actions as individuals, but also through how we nurture and love those around us. For most of his marriage to Annie, Denver believed, for medical reasons, that he was incapable of having children of his own. Their decision to adopt Zachary John and Anna Kate came from a simple desire of wanting healthy and happy children. Although their marriage ultimately fell apart in 1982, Denver never stopped being a father to his children, and he and his second wife, Australian actress Cassandra Delaney, defied the odds to have a child of their own in 1989, Jesse Belle. 

Denver was deeply inspired by his children, writing his 1975 song "A Baby Just Like You" for his son Zachary, and he wrote his 1989 song, "The Gift You Are," for Jesse Belle. After Denver's tragic death, his children have helped to keep his legacy and mission alive. Zachary was involved in the youth music program Take Note Colorado, and unveiled his father's Hollywood Star alongside Jesse Belle in 2014. Anna Kate maintains a private life, but did reach out to The Denver Post in 2021 to celebrate her father's legacy in the History Colorado Center's upcoming exhibition, saying, "John Denver's legacy is global, but he is forever enshrined in what he called 'the heart of the Rocky Mountains.'"

Even decades after his passing, Denver's fans and family alike remember the "Take Me Home, Country Roads" singer for the love he poured into everything he did. His quote shows us how the achievements of those we love and care for will transcend any pride we may have in our own accomplishments. We'll always need other people to keep our memories alive.

• "Music does bring people together. It allows us to experience the same emotions. People everywhere are the same in heart and spirit. No matter what language we speak, what color we are, the form of our politics or the expression of our love and our faith, music proves we are the same."

• "See, that's a constant source of joy for me and the celebration is that I get to sing these songs. These songs that come out of nowhere and it's so exciting when you start working on a song and you work on it and you can get stopped."

• "I see more clearly now what I can do about [the Earth's needs], and I see that it needs doing as I live my life, daily, reverently. This isn't the reverence of 'holier than thou,' it's the reverence that says, 'Do thyself no harm, for we are all here together.' Not you or me, but you and me."

• "It's our world. If we pull it out [of crisis], it's not going to be because of divine intervention or some miraculous thing that occurred over here. It's going to be because we chose to do it –– we started acting like human beings."

• "We can end hunger. We can rid the world of nuclear weapons. We can learn to live together as human beings on a planet that travels through the universe, living the example of peace and harmony among all people."