On this day (August 26) in 1974, John Denver was playing the first of five Universal Amphitheatre concerts that became his 1975 live album. That night, he recorded the live version of “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” which originally appeared on his 1974 album Back Home Again. When Denver released it as a single in 1975, it topped the Hot Country Songs and Hot 100 charts.
Denver wrote most of his songs. This one, however, came from his guitarist, John Martin Sommers, who was not a country boy. He was born and raised in Los Angeles. Later, he relocated to Aspen, Colorado. He wrote the song while driving from Aspen to Los Angeles, likely on his way to record Back Home Again with Denver.
While Denver didn’t write “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” it aligned with his outlook on life. When he released the song, he was one of the biggest stars in the United States. However, he stayed down-to-earth and appreciated the small, simple things in life.
“John’s relationship with the country music world was a curious thing,” producer Milt Okun noted. “He sold so many records, many of them to country fans, but he was never really entirely accepted by Nashville. To me, John really was the best of what country music can be.”
John Denver Recruited John Martin Sommers from a Bar Band
While living in Aspen, John Martin Sommers joined a band called Liberty. They regularly played at a venue called the Blue Moose. One evening, John Denver saw the band perform. He liked their song “River of Love,” another Sommers composition, so much that he asked the band if he could record it. Later that year, he flew the band to New York to record the song with him for Farewell Andromeda. Then, Sommers found a permanent place in Denver’s backing band.
Sommers was a multi-instrumentalist who usually played guitar for Denver. He played fiddle and sang backing vocals on “Thank God I’m a Country Boy.”
Featured Image by Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns
The post On This Day in 1974, John Denver Recorded a Crossover No. 1 Hit Penned by His Guitarist During a Long Road Trip appeared first on American Songwriter.
Author: Clayton Edwards