Country Roads Backwards and Forward Again
Information technology'due south most exactly 50 years since the debut of "Accept Me Abode, Country Roads" — the song that fabricated John Denver a star. Only the vocal was written by two D.C.-area musicians, and inspired by Clopper Route, in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
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"Take me abode, Clopper Road" doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, simply the Gaithersburg, Maryland, road was the inspiration behind the song that gave John Denver his outset platinum single.
Afterward this calendar month marks 50 years since "Take Me Dwelling house, Country Roads" was commencement performed in public, at the tiny Cellar Door, at the intersection of 34th and Thou streets, in Georgetown.
But that's getting alee of ourselves — John Denver had never heard of the song until the night before.
Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert wrote 'Take Me Home, Country Roads'
In late 1970, local singer and songwriters Pecker Danoff and his girlfriend at the time, Taffy Nivert — who performed as Fatty Urban center — were driving to a family reunion.
As they drove through winding roads, the couple batted about lyrics, to pass the time — they envisioned a vocal Johnny Cash might record. .
"The road they were actually on was Clopper Road, in Gaithersburg, a niggling ii-lane blacktop," at the time, just now an exit off Interstate 270, said Len Jaffe, a D.C. area-based vocalist and songwriter, who was at the Cellar Door for the song'southward debut.
"When they got to the 'About heaven …' at offset information technology was going to exist Massachusetts, because that's where Nib was from. Only they didn't like the vibe, so they used Westward Virginia. They had never been to Due west Virginia," said Jaffe.
On Dec. 29, 1970, John Denver played the starting time night of a string of solo shows at the Cellar Door — Danoff and Nivert were the opening act. Later that evening, in the couple's Georgetown dwelling, Denver asked if they had whatsoever new songs they wanted him to hear.
"Taffy said, 'Get out that song yous're writing for Johnny Greenbacks,' Jaffe said. Danoff pulled out a partially-written vocal, which at that point consisted of one chorus and i poetry.
Denver told the couple he loved the song — he, Danoff and Nivert completed the lyrics and arrangement overnight.
Denver played the newly-written song that evening, Wednesday, December. 30, at the Cellar Door.
John Denver debuted 'Take Me Home, Country Roads' at the Cellar Door
"They were out of songs to play, and John said, "We just finished a brand new song, and I haven't even learned the words yet,' so he taped the lyrics to the mic stand,'" Jaffe recalled, "and they did the song cold, as an encore."
"John played a 12-string, Bill Danoff played a 6-string, John had a lead guitar actor, and a stand-up bass thespian," said Jaffe. "It was a 5-minute standing ovation — the walls were vibrating — I idea the lodge was going to implode."
Denver recorded the song, with Danoff and Nivert doing backing vocals, the following month, in New York City, as part of the album "Poems, Prayers & Promises."
"Take Me Dwelling house, Country Roads" was released equally a single — and it went to No. ii on Billboard'due south charts.
Danoff and Nivert later formed Starland Song Band, known for the 1976 hit, "Afternoon Delight."
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Source: https://wtop.com/dc/2020/12/real-story-behind-take-me-home-country-roads-debut-50-years-ago-in-dc-club/