The state the late John Denver once called home is now honoring the legendary singer with a noteworthy tribute. Colorado lawmakers recently voted to make “Rocky Mountain High,” Denver’s love letter to his adopted state, the state’s second official song. The singer’s 1972 hit joins the state’s lesser-known “Where the Columbines Grow,” which was adopted in 1915, as the state’s co-anthem.
Denver’s brother called the resolution “very cool” and said the singer would be “very honored.”
Denver can thank Senator Bob Hagedorn who pushed for Denver’s song to be adopted. Hagedorn told reporters “Rocky Mountain High” has been an unofficial state song for years and has “introduced many people around the world to Colorado.”
The honor comes nearly a decade after Denver died in a plane crash in California. But, not everyone is pleased with the song’s new title. Some residents resisted the proclamation saying that Denver’s song was about drug use. However, Hagedorn countered by saying that he is a recovering alcoholic and serves on the board of the state’s largest drug treatment facility, and wouldn’t promote a song that encouraged drug use.
Interestingly, the honor isn’t a first for the late singer. The state of West Virginia adopted Denver’s song “Take Me Home, Country Roads” – with its opening line of “Almost heaven, West Virginia” – as a second song years ago.
It may not be as controversial, but the Metropolitan Opera is also experiencing a few sour notes as it opens its new season.
New sky-high ticket prices are causing quite a stir among opera fans. According to news reports, the Met is selling $100,000 boxes for its opening-night presentation of “Lucia di Lammermoor” with soprano Natalie Dessay and tenor Marcello Giordani.
One hundred grand may sound like a lot, but the price includes an eight-seat box on the parterre level, eight tickets for the pre-opera cocktail reception and eight places at the post-opera black-tie dinner with the performers. Sure, that breaks down to roughly $12,500 a seat, more than double last year’s opening night high of $5,000, but of the $100,000 ticket price, $95,840 is tax deductible.
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