The Music Is You: A Tribute to John Denver

I have had this album on pre-order for several months... from the moment I first saw that it was coming out. I have read through the reviews and I think the people writing the negative reviews simply do not understand this project. This album is not intended for the Baby Boomers who grew up waiting for John Denver to record his next album but rather for those who were in grade school at the time of his death. Clearly the purpose was not to emulate John Denver's style but rather to introduce his songs to a new generation which has probably only heard one John Denver song... the Aerosmith cover of "Leaving on a Jet Plane" that appeared in the movie "Armageddon"!Yes, the artists take some liberties with the songs, but Brett Dennen's cover of "Annie's Song" is brilliant and the minor shift in the chorus of Allen Stone's cover of "Rocky Mountain High" gave me chills. I am a rarity in the fact that I have always been a big fan of John Denver but I have been in a college environment for many years and have grown to appreciate many of the modern musical styles that are popular with those in their 20's (and are illustrated on this album). Over the past 10 years I have, at many times, played John Denver songs in the car while driving around 18-22 year olds and quite often the reaction is not very favorable. John Denver is a genius but, because of his style, many young people never give the music a chance and thus don't listen enough times to actually grasp the depth of his lyrics. But 30 seconds after I played this version of "Annie's Song" to a 26 year old, he said "Wow, I really like this a lot."If you dislike this album because you prefer the originals (and I understand because listening to this album made me want to listen to the originals all over again) I would urge you to ask yourself this question... would you rather have this album out there, introducing young people to these songs though a different style or would you rather have them not listen to John Denver's songs at all? Because there is no other alternative! If even one of these songs gets radio play, it will be more exposure for John Denver then he has had since the Aerosmith cover (and these are much better than that cover)! Do not give this album negative reviews because you are not in the target audience! That will only scare off young adults who, through this album, could quite possibly learn to appreciate the originals and become the next generation of John Denver fans!

I have loved JD since 1963. The songs on this tribute CD are the familar ones, however, some are done in a hard rock style. Others have the words changed. Mary Chapin Carpenter, Emmy Lou Harris, and Train, did a good job. I was didappointed in several songs, they did not touch my soul like JD did when he wrote them and sang them. "The Eagle and The Hawk" was a total disaster! If JD's family was involved in the production, then I can see where the "now" sound comes in. I feel, JD would be honored and humbled by the tribute, but, not thrilled. "And what is up with the blue glasses"! For me, it was not worth the price. As a devoted JD fan, had to have it for my collection.

I used to listen to John Denver a lot as a kid growing up in the 1970s. Once I hit college in the '80s and fell under the spell of alt/college radio (which was really hitting its stride with acts like REM, The Replacements, The Pixies and others), I rarely had time to revisit albums like Rocky Mountain High and Back Home Again. So, when I discovered this covers project, I was not sure it would be worth checking out.I'm glad I did anyway. What a powerful reminder of the songwriting craft and the heart that used to endear John Denver's music to me all those years ago. Not every cover here is particularly outstanding (Dave Matthews doesn't shine here, and Train sounds a bit bland), but many versions are a delight (the standout tracks, to me personally, include My Morning Jacket's take of Leaving on a Jet Plane, and the Brett Dennen/Milow cover of Annie's Song). It's an interesting mix or artists, ranging from country-pop stalwarts like Emmylou Harris and Lucinda Williams to young guns like Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. But the songs are really the stars here. If you're someone who, like me, left John Denver's music behind long ago, this album is a real treat and will remind you of some wonderful, timeless music. And if you've never listened to Denver's music before, this is a fine introduction to his songwriting skills. But be sure to check out the originals if you like these - John Denver was one of a kind, and as fun as this album is, there's nothing like hearing them in his own voice.

I grew up loving John Denver, but he has been dead a long time. Consequently his recordings have become dated and appealing only to those interested in music history, retro sounds or simply old enough to remember him - and that is just wrong. Music comes to life when it is played, not when it sits on an old vinyl with 40 year old productions. It was damn time John Denver was resurrected and fallen in love with, once again.This album is outstanding because it opens up Denver's work and shown an incredible level of respect by today's musicians. A lot of these people are tomorrow's stars and hearing them pay tribute to John Denver demonstrates Denver's ageless appeal. Each artist makes a John Denver song their own. Hearing how they do that is humbling and beautiful.I knew every work, every note and every song on every John Denver album and there was nothing new for me to discover through them anymore. With this album, the old dusty beloved pop standards are no longer bones, but with today's artists, given flesh and blood for the first time in a generation.This album proves that Denver was not just a mash-up of accoustics, orchestras and marijuana. It proves that Denver had something more to his music than what most of his fans heard back in the early 1970s. There will be no tributes to past artists that were mostly production special effects and fluff. This album proves that Denver was more than that. His songs and spirit deserves to live today, not be doddered over by Boomers pining for their youth.Buy this album, love it and share it with anyone with ears under the age of 50.

The only John Denver album I own, and I love it. A great album in my opinion and a must for anyone who hasn't heard much of him..

A mixture of the amazing & the only good! I'll listen to this CD for a long time. I hate this word count thing,

歌声が気になるミュージシャンが何人かおられます．少し残念でした．

Imagine my surprise to read in a magazine that there was a John Denver tribute cd being released. Being a long-time JD fan, I purchased it and while one has to have an open mind on having your favourite artist's songs redone, one also has to relate the original version to the revamped. I would say that of the sixteen tracks on this cd, only nine of them are tolerable. Of all the songs, the best one is "Sunshine on my shoulders" by Train. Obviously, each artist has put their own stamp on a John Denver song, but there were some songs that were unrecognizable and just not a good memory of John at all. Good try guys, but I think I will go back to listening to John Denver's greatest hits!

Not overwhelming.