From Deutschendorf to Denver
By the time he reached college, Denver had grown more comfortable and started to perform acoustic guitar at local venues. In 1961, he went to Texas Tech University (known as Texas Technical College at the time). Denver dropped out of college to make it in the music business. In 1964, he moved to Los Angeles.
John Denver, Wembley, London, Britain – Apr 1979. Photo By Andre Csillag/Shutterstock
There, he began performing at Leadbetter’s night club, where he met Randy Sparks, the founder of the folk group The New Christy Minstrels. Sparks told him that his last name, Deutschendorf, wasn’t going to help his career.