Prepare for Goosebumps as John Denver and Cass Elliot Deliver an Unforgettable Live Duet of “Leaving on a Jet Plane”
John Denver. Cass Elliot. Two of the all-time greats of folk music. Get ready for goosebumps listening to the late legends’ live duet on John’s classic “Leaving on a Jet Plane.” As a top commenter said, “The harmonies are just crushingly beautiful.” This has to be one of the greatest vocal duos ever right here. And hearing John and Cass sing together with John’s masterful acoustic guitar playing for accompaniment is exactly how we love to hear them.
John and Cass sang “Leaving on a Jet Plane” on Burt Sugarman’s Midnight Special, with the segment originally airing on August 19, 1972. You really had to have some deep talent to make it back in those days. John and Cass sing absolutely flawlessly, both solo and in harmony, even though they only had a single live take to nail the parts. And the way their voices blend together touches something in the soul. The Music Man has to say we could listen to these two icons singing together all day!
John’s official YouTube channel’s upload of the duet hit 12.6 million views. Fans loved the throwback performance, and added comments such as “No Auto-Tune, no computer-generated anything. Just raw, clean musicianship and beautiful harmonies. Thanks John and Cass.” and “At nearly 65 years old, this song still gives me chills and brings tears to my eyes… RIP John and Cass.”
John’s live performances always hit the mark. His 1972 live solo performance of “Leaving on a Jet Plane” is the perfect showcase for his gorgeous voice. You can tell he was shooting straight from the heart when he wrote this song, and it comes through so beautifully every time he performs it live. We also have to give it up for John’s deft 12-string acoustic guitar playing – he really had it all as a musician.
John Denver wrote “Leaving on a Jet Plane” and first recorded it in 1966 for his first demo, John Denver Sings. The New Mexico star re-recorded the song for his first studio album, Rhymes & Reasons, and issued it as the second single from the release. The Music Man readers might be interested to hear the curious fact that “Leaving on a Jet Plane” failed to chart. Despite this, over the years it became one of John’s most popular songs and a certified folk classic. On BBC Radio, John said “Leaving on a Jet Plane” is “a very personal and very special song for me” and said it conjures up “the simple scenes of leaving… someone that you care for very much” to head on the road.
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