Recording My John Denver Tribute In Nashville

I learned to play the guitar when I was 18, and John Denver was my inspiration. I learned to play finger-style guitar so that I could play the beautiful melodies and sing the incredible lyrics he created.

“Annie’s Song” has been #1 on my “Absolute Favorites” playlist for over 40 years and I sing it every time I pick up the guitar.

My ultimate dream was to record the first female tribute album to John Denver. On New Year’s Eve in 2004, as I recited my list of New Year’s resolutions, my dear friend Irene said to me - “Judy, we love you and believe in you … but you’ve been talking about creating this album for a decade now. So this year, I’d challenge you to stop dreaming, and do whatever it takes to make this goal a reality.”

So, before Kickstarter or GoFundMe were a “thing" I followed Irene’s advice, and took the leap of faith, asking my family, friends, and fans for donations to cover the recording costs.

I was online looking for a midi version of “Eagles and Horses” when I stumbled upon Pete Huttlinger’s website. Pete was John Denver’s guitarist at the time, and was one of the best finger-style guitar players in the world. I went to see Pete at a concert in San Diego, and had a lovely conversation with him afterwards. I asked if he would be interested in recording a female tribute to John Denver, and after listening to some of my audio and video samples, he felt it could be done.

Chris Nole, John Denver’s pianist, produced the album, and gathered fellow band member Jim Horn (flute), along with some other A-List musicians in Nashville to gather at the Parlor Recording Studio on Music Row.

I stayed with a friend in Nashville for three weeks for the pre-and-post production, and we laid down all of the tracks in only four days. I had never been in a professional recording studio before, and the experience was magical. The quality of the music and production was incredible. I hope my interpretations of the heartfelt lyrics with a “woman’s touch” will be enjoyed by everyone who listens to them for years to come.

Check out the Photos section of the website to see some of the memories captured from that experience.