Mountain Boy (John Denver)

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Famous and Gravy

Wondery | 14th Street Studios

128 episodes

2 weeks ago

We explore the lives of notable people who’ve just died—celebrities, icons, cultural figures—and asks what their stories can teach us about ourselves. It’s part obituary podcast, part biography, and part existential detective work.

Think you know everything about some of modern history’s most recognizable figures? We’re Amit and Michael, two pop culture enthusiasts who upend your assumptions about the iconic and the famous. Because that’s where you find the “gravy” – the rich, flavorful sauce that brings out the best parts of the dish that is life.

Each episode we’ll put the lives of recently deceased celebrities under the microscope to consider the not-so-obvious ways these icons of culture left their impact and imprint on modern history. It’s a hilarious and fresh perspective on the celebrities you thought you knew.

Listen to episodes of Famous & Gravy early and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/famous-and-gravy/ now.

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Mountain Boy (John Denver)

Famous and Gravy

1 hour 7 minutes 8 seconds

1 month ago

Mountain Boy (John Denver)

This person died in 1997 at age 53. He was born in Roswell, New Mexico, the son of an Air Force pilot who later taught him to fly. He enrolled at Texas Tech in 1961 to study architecture, performed at coffeehouses, then dropped out and moved to Los Angeles, where he adopted a stage name. His first wife once said, “If you listen to his songs, there’s a lot of loneliness there. I don’t think he ever really got how much people loved him.” In songs like Take Me Home, Country Roads, Sunshine on My Shoulders, and Rocky Mountain High, he captured a rural American ideal built on nature, beauty, and unwavering devotion. Today’s dead celebrity is John Denver. If you liked this episode, you might also like Episode 100 Divine Neighbor (Fred Rogers) or or Episode 99 Crikey Inner Child (Steve Irwin). LINKS: 14th Street Studios Transcript of this episode NYT Obituary for John Denver John Denver testifies before Congress Rocky Mountain High, Live at Red Rocks 1974 John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together People Magazine retrospective, How Did John Denver Die? Dead or Alive quiz game Famous & Gravy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads Famous & Gravy official website Singer-songwriter John Denver gets the full Famous & Gravy treatment in this biography-driven podcast episode, exploring the stories behind “Rocky Mountain High,” “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” “Sunshine on My Shoulders,” and more. We dig into his nature-connected songwriting, environmental activism, battles with fame and depression, PMRC censorship testimony, Muppet cameos, and a Dumb & Dumber joke to ask a bigger question: would you actually want John Denver’s life? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.