About the song
For decades, Emmylou Harris remained silent about her close bond with the late John Denver, the folk-country legend whose music defined an era. But now, at 78, the silver-haired songbird has finally opened up — revealing a story of friendship, admiration, and unspoken emotion that endured long after Denver’s tragic death in 1997.
In a recent interview, Harris spoke tenderly about their connection. “John had a spirit unlike anyone I’ve ever known,” she said softly. “He was full of light, full of music, but also deeply sensitive. There was a sadness in him, too — a longing that came through every song.”
Their paths first crossed in the 1970s, when both were at the height of their careers. Denver had already soared to fame with hits like “Take Me Home, Country Roads” and “Annie’s Song,” while Harris was redefining country music with her haunting harmonies and poetic sensibility. “He called me one day out of the blue,” Harris recalled with a smile. “He said, ‘We should sing together — our voices would make mountains move.’ And he was right. Singing with him was magic.”
Though they never recorded a full duet album, the two often performed together on television specials and charity events, sharing a chemistry that felt effortless. “There was a purity in his music that reminded me why I fell in love with singing in the first place,” Harris said. “He didn’t care about fame — he cared about truth.”
Behind the scenes, their friendship deepened. Both struggled with the demands of stardom and the loneliness that came with constant travel. “We talked a lot about the road, about missing home, about faith,” Harris revealed. “He once told me, ‘Emmy, sometimes I just want to disappear into the mountains and let the world forget me.’ I think part of him already knew he wasn’t meant for this noisy life.”
When news broke of Denver’s fatal plane crash in October 1997, Harris was devastated. “It felt unreal,” she admitted. “John loved flying — it gave him freedom — but it also took him away from us. I couldn’t sing his songs for years without crying.”
Over time, Harris found healing in honoring his memory through her own music. She began incorporating Denver’s influence into her performances — subtle, reverent, and deeply emotional. “Whenever I sing ‘Back When We Were Beautiful’ or ‘Boulder to Birmingham,’ I think of him,” she said. “He’s there, in the harmony, in the wind.”
Now, looking back, Emmylou Harris says she wishes she had told him more while he was alive. “I never told John how much his friendship meant to me,” she said. “He thought he was just another singer. He didn’t realize how much he lifted all of us.”
With her voice steady but her eyes misty, she added, “If I could speak to him now, I’d say, ‘You were right, John — our voices did move mountains.’”
