Tom Paxton and John Denver Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Chad Mitchell Trio

The Chad Mitchell Trio was originally formed by Chad Mitchell, Mike Kobluk and Mike Pugh. After Mike Pugh left the group in 1960, Tom Paxton auditioned for the trio, but the trio chose Joe Frazier as Pugh's replacement. In 1965, Chad Mitchell left the trio and John Denver filled in. The rest is history!

Answer: Leaving London

The Chad Mitchell Trio, then known as The Mitchell Trio, covered "Cindy's Cryin'" on their 1967 album "Alive". The trio gave a stunning performance of "Victoria Dines Alone" at the Bistro Inn in Columbus, Ohio in June 1968. "If You Had Me in Shackles" was frequently performed by the trio in 1967 and 1968, most notably at Philadelphia Folk Festival in August 1968.

Answer: Whose Garden Was This?

"Whose Garden Was This", John Denver's third solo album, was released in October 1970. The song was originally on Tom's 1970 album, "6".

Answer: It Was a Night Like This

The 1990 Christmas album by John Denver is called "Christmas Like a Lullaby". It included two Tom Paxton songs: "The Children of Bethlehem" and "The Marvelous Toy". The second verse of "Jingle Bells" was also written by Tom Paxton.

Tom wrote "It Was a Night Like This", another Christmas song, in 1995.

Answer: The Last Hobo

"The Last Hobo" was originally from Tom's 1986 album, "And Loving You". John Denver recorded the song on his last album "All Aboard!" in 1997. The album won a posthumous Grammy for Best Musical Album For Children. However, the song was incorrectly credited to "George Allen" on the album.

"The Ballad of Gary Hart" was performed frequently in concerts by John Denver from 1988 to 1994. "Bet on the Blues" was recorded on John's 1995 album, "The Wildlife Concert".

Answer: What a Friend You Are

"What a Friend You Are" was originally written for Tom's wife Midge, but Tom often dedicated it to John Denver after 2008, because John had plans to record the song shortly before his tragic death.

"Crazy John" was written for John Lennon, and "Outward Bound" was often dedicated to Robert F. Kennedy.

Answer: Bet on the Blues

The three songs Tom sang were all from his 1970 album, "6".

Tom was joined at the concert by Pete Kennedy on acoustic guitar, Dick Kniss on double bass and Maura Kennedy on harmony vocals.

Answer: Leaving on a Jet Plane

John Denver had sung at least 15 Tom Paxton songs throughout his career, but as far as we know, "Leaving on a Jet Plane" is the only John Denver song that Tom Paxton sang in public.

In 2008, Milt Okun was honored by the Songwriters Hall of Fame with a performance by the first artist he signed - Tom Paxton, and his most recent artist - Madi Diaz, who sang a duet of "Leaving on a Jet Plane", a song by another artist he signed - John Denver.

Answer: Rocky Mountain High

Tom's song was called "Come and Grow Old With Me in Colorado". The last verse of the song goes:

"We'll stick our heads in the oven in Colorado, little darlin';
We'll go out together, you and I.
We will each strike a match in Colorado, little darlin';
We'll blow ourselves 'Rocky Mountain High'."

It was released on his 1985 album, "One Million Lawyers and Other Disasters". Rumor has it that John was not very happy about the song...

Answer: Country Roads Folk Festival

Started in 2002, the Country Roads Folk Festival was held in Kearneysville, WV.

Bill Danoff is another important folk veteran who co-wrote "Take Me Home, Country Roads" with John Denver.