As a tribute to the iconic music of Denver, Curry has been performing his music for the past 23 years. Curry said that he was a fan of Denver’s music in the early 70s and taught himself guitar by playing the music he loved. “I’ve always sounded like John, even back in the high school and college days, so it was just a natural thing to pursue that when he was gone,” Curry said. “When we made the decision to do a tribute show, we wanted to make sure it wasn’t corny. It wasn’t Vegas, you know, it wasn’t an impersonator. I sound like one person, and it just happens to be my own voice.”
Curry talks about the collaborations he has done with band members, Holdridge, and many others who have known and performed with Denver. “Floating in my head as to what it is that makes all these people feel comfortable collaborating with me? You know, I’ve not done anything to encourage it,” Curry stated. “It just has come together.”
While Shapiro feels that Denver needs one more chapter added to his life’s story, Holdridge indicated that he feels he and his cohort are still working together, in spirit, after all these years. “Each time I am working on a concert or symphony like one that I did recently in Canada, I was walking back to the hotel, and I looked up and said, ‘Hey, John, I’m still working for you.’ So that kind of tells it all.”
Curry, Holdridge and Shapiro are all in Sedona for the 25th anniversary tribute to John Denver. Curry performed on Tuesday, Oct. 11, for a benefit for the Sedona International Film Festival at the Chuck Mabery Pavilion at Yavapai College in Clarkdale.
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