Back Home Again

by John Denver

Overview

On Back Home Again, John Denver was in one of the brighter and more spirited moments of his career. It features a plethora of uplifting, merry, and lyrically witty songs written and arranged by Denver and played with the most charming and delightful of backup bands. Highlights include the humor of "Grandma's Feather Bed," the poignancy of "Matthew," and the spirit and delight of "Thank God I'm a Country Boy." A well-orchestrated recording under his label, RCA, Denver makes clear to his fans and listeners of new and old that the "music is in you." Opening up the second side of this 1974 recording is the ever so romantic tearjerker, a song for his wife, "Annie's Song," certainly one of Denver's finest achievements. The highlight of the record finds him playing six-string guitar, with Steve Weisberg on lead guitar, Dick Kniss on bass, John Sommers on mandolin, and Jim Gordon on percussion, with the creativity of Lee Holdridge and his orchestral arrangement. Two more songs come along during this 12-song set with the hearty "Sweet Surrender," and the heartfelt "This Old Guitar." Lazy days, and summer days, and windy days, and rainy days may encourage the listener to find him- or herself listening to this recording under a shady tree, as the joyful tune "Cool an' Green an' Shady" illustrates. John Denver pulls out all the stops to create, and experience himself, one of his finer recordings of the '70s. [Back Home Again was reissued in 2005 in a remastered and expanded edition that included extensive liner notes, photos, and bonus alternate versions of "Matthew" and "This Old Guitar"] ~ Shawn M. Haney

Product Details

Release Date:	06/14/2024
Label:	Sony Legacy
UPC:	0196588851612
Rank:	36827

Tracks

1. Back Home Again
2. On the Road
3. Grandma's Feather Bed
4. Matthew
5. Thank God I'm a Country Boy
6. The Music Is You
7. Annie's Song
8. It's Up to You
9. Cool an' Green an' Shady
10. Eclipse
11. Sweet Surrender
12. This Old Guitar

Album Credits

Performance Credits

John Denver   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals,Guitar (12 String)
Hal Blaine   Guest Artist,Drums,Percussion
Lee Holdridge   Conductor
Jim Connor   Banjo,Vocals,Harmonica,Vocals (Background)
Denny Brooks   Vocals (Background)
John Sommers   Banjo,Fiddle,Guitar,Vocals,Mandolin,Lead Guitar,Vocals (Background)
Michael Kirkland   Vocals (Background)
Buffy Ford   Vocals (Background)
Buddy Collette   Clarinet
Glen D. Hardin   Piano
Herb Pedersen   Vocals (Background)
David Jackson   Bass
Eric Weissberg   Banjo,Guitar (Steel)
John Stewart   Vocals (Background)
Dick Kniss   Bass
Jim Gordon   Drums,Percussion
Julie Connor   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Mike Settle   Vocals (Background)
Richard Kniss   Bass
Daniel Moore   Vocals (Background)
Steve Weisberg   Dulcimer,Lead Guitar,Slide Dobro,Vocals (Background)
Dennis Coats   Vocals (Background)
Brenda Kirkland   Vocals (Background)
Jean Monteray   Vocals (Background)
Richard Lockmiller   Vocals (Background)
Gibby Stratton   Vocals (Background)
Glen Hardin   Piano
David Jackson, Jr.   Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Lee Holdridge   Orchestral Arrangements,Arranger
Jim Connor   Composer
Richard Simpson   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
John Sommers   Arranger,Composer
Mickey Crofford   Engineer
Milton Okun   Producer
Joe Henry   Lyricist,Composer
John Denver   Arranger,Composer,Lyricist
Dick Kniss   Arranger
Ray Hall   Remastering
Frank Mulvey   Art Direction
Steve Weisberg   Arranger,Composer
Kris O'Connor   Assistant Producer
Susan Ruskin   Producer
Kris O'Conner   Assistant Producer
Carl Franzen   Composer
Don Wardell   Executive Producer
Artie Torgersen   Assistant Engineer