John Denver Birthday
Celebration Follow-up

I’m happy to report that the inaugural John Denver Birthday Celebration here on Whidbey Island was a success!

Twenty-two kindred spirits ranging in age from 8 to 85, gathered together on December 31 at the Pacific Rim Institute, meeting each other for the first time. We shared John’s legacy and impact on the world and in our personal lives. We laughed, cried, and sang as we were touched once again by the power of John’s lyrics and melodies.

How did I know this was going to be a very special day? As I made the ten minute drive from my home in Coupeville to the Pacific Rim Institute, driving along 9th Street which turns into Parker Road, I received three specific signs that John Denver was reaching out to me that day.

After many weeks of cold, dark, dreary, rainy days, the skies were clear on December 31. As I looked to the waters of Penn Cove, instead of being shrouded behind a layer of clouds, I could see Mount Baker, blanketed in white snow, from its tip to its base. It was one of the most stunning views of this beautiful mountain I have ever seen. I would normally have stopped to take a picture of this, but was running late to get my equipment set up for the party. Fortunately for all of us, Jeffrey Neuberger captured the view of Mount Baker on John’s birthday and posted it on Facebook.

The second sign from John appeared a few minutes later, when the sun broke through the clouds and illuminated the road in front of me. “Sunshine in my eyes can make me smile.”

And finally, as I gazed up to see the beams of light shining through the trees, an eagle flew from the right side of the road, over my vehicle to the left side of the road, about 20 feet in front of me, then it disappeared into the forest.

A surge of energy went through my body, and I shivered with delight, instinctively knowing that John had made a connection with me and was pleased that we were celebrating his birthday.

In my opening remarks to the audience I relayed this story, and we all sang “Sunshine on My Shoulders” together.

“If I had a day, that I could give you,
I’d give to you a day just like today
And if I had a song that I could sing for you,
I’d sing a song to make you feel this way”

Many people told me after the event that they, too, felt John’s presence in the room that day.

After we sang Rocky Mountain High together, I recited John’s lyrics about his move to Aspen, Colorado again.
He said he was “Coming home, to a place he’d never been before.”

I felt the same way about moving to Whidbey Island two years ago. That sentiment was felt by many people in the room. Kate and Bill Poss, two new friends and supporters, attended the event. Kate is a journalist, and she just posted a lovely article on their website, This is Whidbey, expanding on the story of my move to Whidbey and why we all love this magical place. Thank you, Kate!

Speaking of John’s impact on the world, I showed a slide of President Jimmy Carter, who had just passed away at the age of 100 on December 29. I asked if anyone knew of President Carter’s impact on Whidbey Island and on John Denver.

On November 10, 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed into law the Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve, preserving the 19,000 acres of land by the Salish Sea that we all enjoy.

In that same year, President Carter appointed John Denver to his Commission on World and Domestic Hunger. From that experience John founded The Hunger Project, an organization committed to the sustainable end of chronic hunger.

In 1980, President Carter invited John Denver to the Oval Office for the signing of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. This created the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, protecting 124,281 square miles of public lands in Alaska - another area that John cherished.

One highlight of the party for me was to meet Pat McCutcheon and watch her performance of “Home Grown Tomatoes” on her travel guitar. Check the videos page of my website to watch it.

Dan and Rachel Phillips brought their three young sons to John’s birthday celebration. We were all so impressed with this lovely family and how well behaved the children were. Dan and Rachel are teaching their boys how to “live off the land,” have a respect and reverence for nature, and to express themselves through music. (Dan plays guitar, Henry plays the cello, Tate’s instrument is the upright bass, and Finn plays the flute.) They love the album: A Christmas Together - John Denver and the Muppets,” and the family sang “It’s In Everyone of Us” from that album.

Judith and John Kent were very creative in changing the lyrics of “Take Me Home, Country Roads” to fit the experience of traveling by ferry to their home on Whidbey Island.

“Ferry boat, take me home
To the place I belong
Whidbey Island, Seaside Mama
Take me home, Ferry Boat”

Mandy Johnson and Doug Crocker were at the party as well. Mandy is a singer/songwriter, and told us how John’s style influences her music and lyrics. Mandy will be performing at Double Bluff Brewing in Langley on January 15 and February 19th from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. So let’s all meet there to support our new friend! Doug is a drummer for a band called Open Road. Check out their Facebook page for upcoming shows.

Dave McCracken came to the party with his sister. He grew up in Denver, and encouraged us music lovers to add the Red Rocks Amphitheatre to our “must experience” bucket list. The feeling of sitting under the stars in a canyon, with its amazing acoustics, make this one of the best places to listen to a concert in the United States. John Denver performed there 16 times. My first experience at Red Rocks was to see another musical hero, Mary Chapin Carpenter perform there.

Speaking of another “must” experience, I encouraged my audience to purchase and watch “The Wildlife Concert.” This is a two-night concert recorded in 1995 to support the World Wildlife Fund. It’s still available on DVD or can be downloaded from the internet. Kate and Bill Poss followed that advice and ended 2024 with a two hour concert from the master himself.

Three members from the band performing with John at that concert (Pete Huttlinger, Chris Nole, and Jim Horn) performed twelve of those classic songs on my tribute album to John, called “Songs That Speak To Me.”

I’d have to say December 31, 2024 was my favorite day of the past year. I look forward to getting to know these new “kindred spirits” a little better in 2025 and to repeating this celebration on an annual basis and talk of:

“Poems and prayers and promises
Things that we believe in
How sweet it is to love someone
How right it is to care
How long it’s been since yesterday
And what about tomorrow
What about our dreams, and all the memories we share.”

Please click on the Photos and Videos pages of my website to see some images and videos of the 2024 John Denver Birthday Celebration.