Tag Archives: Milton Okun

Peter, Paul & Mary: Moving

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On January 15, 1963, “Warner Bros” label released “Moving”, the second Peter, Paul & Mary studio album. It was recorded in 1962, and was produced by Albert Grossman.

Personnel:

  • Peter Yarrow – vocals, guitar
  • Noel “Paul” Stookey – vocals, guitar
  • Mary Travers – vocals
  • Bill Schwartau – recording
  • Push Pin Studios – design
  • Bernard Cole – front cover photography
  • Barry Feinstein – back photography
  • John Court – liner notes
  • Milton Okun – music director

Track listing:

  1. Settle Down (Goin’ Down That Highway) – Mike Settle
  2. Gone the Rainbow – Paul Stookey, Mary Travers, Peter Yarrow, Milt Okun
  3. Flora – Paul Stookey, Mary Travers, Elaina Mezzetti
  4. Pretty Mary – Paul Stookey, Elaina Mezzetti, Milt Okun
  5. Puff, the Magic Dragon – Peter Yarrow, Leonard Lipton
  6. This Land Is Your Land – Woody Guthrie
  7. Man Come into Egypt – Fred Hellerman, Fran Minkoff
  8. Old Coat – Paul Stookey, Mary Travers, Elaina Mezzetti
  9. Tiny Sparrow – Paul Stookey, Elaina Mezzetti, Milt Okun
  10. Big Boat – Paul Stookey, Milt Okun, Elaina Mezzetti
  11. Morning Train – Elaina Mezzetti
  12. A’soalin‘ – Paul Stookey, Tracy Batteaste, Elaina Mezzetti

John Denver: Rhymes & Reasons

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On October 14, 1969, “RCA” label released “Rhymes & Reasons”, the debut John Denver studio album. It was recorded in 1969, at “RCA Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Milton Okun.

Personnel:

  • John Denver – vocals, guitar, arrangements
  • Eric Weissberg – banjo, steel guitar
  • Paul Prestopino – guitar, autoharp, mandolin
  • Stan Free – organ
  • Paul Griffin – keyboards
  • Russ Savakus – bass guitar
  • Teddy Sommer – drums
  • Herbie Lovelle – drums
  • George Marge – baritone saxophone
  • Marvin Stamm – flute, trumpet
  • Albert Richmond – French horn
  • Tommy Goodman – additional instrumentation
  • Milton Okun – arrangements
  • Jim Crotty – recording
  • John Woram – recording
  • Jean Goldhirsch – assistant producer

Track listing:

  1. The Love of the Common People – John Hurley, Ronnie Wilkins
  2. Catch Another Butterfly – Mike Williams
  3. Daydream – John Denver
  4. The Ballad of Spiro Agnew – Tom Paxton
  5. Circus – Michael Johnson, John Denver, Laurie Kuehn
  6. When I’m Sixty-Four – John Lennon, Paul McCartney
  7. The Ballad of Richard Nixon – Tom Paxton
  8. Rhymes & Reasons – John Denver
  9. Yellow Cat – Steven Fromholz
  10. Leaving on a Jet Plane – John Denver
  11. (You Dun Stomped) My Heart – Mason Williams
  12. My Old Man – Jerry Jeff Walker
  13. I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free – Billy Taylor, Dick Dallas
  14. Today Is the First Day of the Rest of My Life (Sugacity) – Pat Garvey, Victoria Garvey

John Denver: Back Home Again

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On June 15, 1974, “RCA Victor” label released “Back Home Again”, the eighth John Denver studio album. It was recorded in 1974, at “RCA’s Music Center of the World” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Milton Okun and Susan Ruskin.

Personnel:

  • John Denver – vocals, 6 & 12-string acoustic guitars
  • Julie Connor – vocals
  • John Sommers – banjo, acoustic guitar, mandolin, fiddle, backing vocals
  • Steve Weisberg – acoustic guitar, dulcimer, dobro, backing vocals, arrangements
  • Jim Connor – vocals, banjo, harmonica
  • Glen Hardin – piano
  • David Jackson – bass
  • Dick Kniss – bass
  • Jim Gordon – drums, percussion
  • Hal Blaine – drums, percussion
  • Buddy Collette – clarinet
  • Lee Holdridge – orchestral arrangements
  • Don Wardell – executive producer

Track listing:

All tracks by John Denver, except where noted.

  1. Back Home Again
  2. On the Road – Carl Franzen
  3.  Grandma’s Feather Bed – Jim Connor
  4. Matthew
  5. Thank God I’m a Country Boy – John Sommers
  6. The Music Is You
  7. Annie’s Song
  8. It’s Up to You – Steve Weisberg
  9. Cool an’ Green an’ Shady – John Denver, Joe Henry
  10. Eclipse
  11. Sweet Surrender
  12. This Old Guitar

Peter, Paul And Mary: Same

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In May 1962, “Warner Bros” label released the self-titled, debut Peter, Paul and Mary album. It was recorded in 1962, and was produced by Albert Grossman. In 1963 “Grammy Awards”, the recording of “If I Had a Hammer” won the “Best Folk Recording and Best Performance by a Vocal Group Grammies”.

Personnel:

  • Peter Yarrow – vocals, guitar, arrangements
  • Paul Stookey – vocals, guitar, arrangements
  • Mary Travers – vocals
  • Bill Schwartau – recording
  • Milton Glaser – design
  • Bernard Cole – cover photography
  • Milton Okun – musical director

Track listing:

All tracks are traditional American folk songs, except where noted.

  1. Early in the Morning – Noel “Paul” Stookey
  2. 500 Miles – Hedy West
  3. Sorrow
  4. This Train
  5. Bamboo – Dave Van Ronk
  6. It’s Raining
  7. If I Had My Way – Rev. Gary Davis
  8. Cruel War – Peter Yarrow, Noel Stookey
  9. Lemon Tree – Will Holt
  10. If I Had a Hammer – Pete Seeger, Lee Hays
  11. Autumn to May – Peter Yarrow, Noel Stookey
  12. Where Have All the Flowers Gone? – Pete Seeger

John Denver: Aerie

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On November 28, 1971, “RCA” label released “Aerie”, the fifth John Denver studio album. It was recorded in 1971, and was produced by Milton Okun.

Personnel:

  • John Denver – vocals, 6 and 12-string guitar, arrangements
  • Mike Taylor – guitar, dobro, arrangements
  • Paul Prestopino – banjo, dobro, guitar
  • Eric Weissberg – banjo, fiddle, pedal steel guitar
  • Paul Griffin – piano, organ
  • Toots Thielemans – harmonica
  • Richard Kniss – bass, arrangements
  • Gary Chester – drums, percussion
  • Al Rogers – percussion
  • George Marge – woodwind
  • Kenneth Boaz – vocals
  • Paula Ballan – vocals
  • Diane Kniss – vocals
  • Turnpike Tom – vocals
  • Alec White – vocals
  • Mary Angela White – vocals
  • Barbara Carlson – vocals
  • Andromeda Quasar – vocals
  • Bill Danoff – vocals
  • Keith Lane – vocals
  • Candy Ledbetter – vocals
  • Ron Ledbetter – vocals
  • Elizabeth Lindsay – vocals
  • Steve Mandell – vocals
  • Anne Denver – vocals
  • Taffy Nivert – vocals
  • Jim Crotty – recording
  • Ray Hall – recording, mixing
  • Pat Martin – recording technician
  • Gus Mossler – recording technician
  • Tom Brown – recording technician
  • Joe Stelmach – design
  • Pat Benson – photography

Track listing:

  1. Starwood in Aspen – John Denver
  2. Everyday – Buddy Holly, Norman Perry
  3. Casey Last Ride – Kris Kristofferson
  4. City of New Orleans – Steve Goodman
  5. Friends with You – Bill Danoff, Taffy Nivert
  6. 60 Second Song for a Bank, with the Phrase “May We Help You Today” – John Denver
  7. Blow Up Your TV (Spanish Pipe Dream) – John Prine
  8. All of My Memories – John Denver
  9. She Won’t Let Me Fly Away – Bill Danoff
  10. Readjustment Blues – Bill Danoff
  11. The Eagle and the Hawk – John Denver, Mike Taylor
  12. Tools – John Denver

Peter Paul And Mary: In The Wind

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On October 1, 1963, “Warner Bros” label released “In the Wind”, the third Peter, Paul and Mary album. It was recorded in 1963, and was produced by Albert Grossman and
Milt Okun. At the “Grammy Awards” of 1964, Peter, Paul and Mary cover of “Blowin’ in the Wind” won the “Best Folk Recording” and “Best Performance by a Vocal Group”.

Personnel:

  • Peter Yarrow – vocals, guitar
  • Noel “Paul” Stookey – vocals, guitar
  • Mary Travers – vocals
  • Edgar O. DeHaas – bass
  • Bill Schwartau – recording
  • Barry Feinstein – photography
  • Bob Dylan – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Very Last Day – Peter Yarrow, Noel Stookey
  2. Hush-A-Bye – traditional; arranged by Peter Yarrow, Noel Stookey
  3. Long Chain On – Jimmy Driftwood
  4. Rocky Road – Peter Yarrow, Noel Stookey
  5. Tell It on the Mountain – arranged by Mary Travers, Peter Yarrow, Milt Okun, Noel Stookey
  6. Polly Von” a.k.a. Polly Vaughn and Molly Bawn – Mary Travers, Peter Yarrow, Noel Stookey
  7. Stewball – Mary Travers, Milton Okun, Noel Stookey, Elena Mezzetti
  8. All My Trials – traditional; arranged by Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey, Mary Travers
  9. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right – Bob Dylan
  10. Freight Train – Elizabeth Cotten
  11. Quit Your Low Down Ways – Bob Dylan
  12. Blowin’ in the Wind – Bob Dylan

John Denver: Rocky Mountain High

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On September 15, 1972, “RCA” label released “Rocky Mountain High”, the sixth John Denver album. It was recorded in 1972, and was produced by Milton Okun.

Personnel:

  • John Denver – vocals, 6 and 12-string acoustic guitars, arrangements
  • Paul Prestopino – acoustic guitar, autoharp
  • Mike Taylor – acoustic guitar
  • Eric Weissberg– banjo, steel guitar
  • Frank Owens – piano
  • Richard Kniss – double bass, arranger
  • Gary Chester– drums, percussion
  • Bill Danoff, Martine Habib, Bruce Innes, Mike Kobluk, Taffy Nivert– backing vocals
  • Pupils of the Whitby School, Greenwich, Connecticut – backing vocals

Track listing:

  1. Rocky Mountain High – John Denver, Mike Taylor
  2. Mother Nature’s Son – John Lennon, Paul McCartney
  3. Paradise – John Prine
  4. For Baby (For Bobbie) – John Denver
  5. Darcy Farrow – Steve Gillette, Tom Campbell
  6. Prisoners – John Denver
  7. Goodbye Again – John Denver
  8. Season Suite: Summer – John Denver, Mike Taylor, Dick Kniss
  9. Season Suite: Fall – John Denver, Mike Taylor, Dick Kniss
  10. Season Suite: Winter – John Denver, Mike Taylor, Dick Kniss
  11. Season Suite: Late Winter, Early Spring (When Everybody Goes To Mexico) – John Denver, Mike Taylor, Dick Kniss
  12. Season Suite: Spring – John Denver, Mike Taylor, Dick Kniss

 

John Denver: Farewell Andromeda

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In June 1973, “RCA” label released “Farewell Andromeda”, the seventh John Denver album. It was recorded at “RCA Studio D” in New York City, and was produced by Milton Okun.

Personnel:

  • John Denver — vocals, guitar
  • Paul Prestopino — guitar, autoharp
  • John Sommers — banjo, guitar, mandolin
  • Eric Weissberg— banjo, steel guitar
  • Jan Camp Garrett — vocals, mandolin
  • Lawrence Gottlieb — vocals, steel guitar
  • Lee Holdridge— string arrangements
  • Michael Holmes — piano
  • Frank Owens — piano
  • Toots Thielemans— harmonica
  • Victor Garrett — vocals, bass
  • Richard Kniss — bass
  • Herb Lovelle— drums
  • George Marge — woodwind
  • Bryan Bowers — autoharp
  • Chip Taylor, Steve Chapin, Bill Danoff, Taffy Danoff, Steve Mandell, Martine Habib, Campden Street Choir — vocals
  • Acy R. Lehman – art director
  • Mark English – cover art
  • Don Wardell — executive producer
  • Kris O’Connor – producer assistant

Personnel:

All tracks by John Denver; except where noted.

  1. I’d Rather Be a Cowboy (Lady’s Chains)
  2. Berkeley Woman – Bryan Bowers
  3. Please, Daddy (Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas) – Bill Danoff, Taffy Nivert
  4. Angel from Montgomery – John Prine
  5. River of Love – John Sommers
  6. Rocky Mountain Suite (Cold Nights in Canada)
  7. Whiskey Basin Blues
  8. Sweet Misery – Hoyt Axton
  9. Zachary and Jennifer
  10. We Don’t Live Here No More – Bill Danoff
  11. Farewell Andromeda (Welcome To My Morning)

John Denver: Poems, Prayers & Promises

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Poems,_Prayers_and_Promises

On April 5, 1971, “RCA” label released “Poems, Prayers & Promises”, the fourth John Denver album. It was recorded in 1970 – 1971, and was produced by Milton Okun and  Susan Ruskin. The album contains contains “Take Me Home, Country Roads”, which would become Denver’s signature song.

Personnel:

  • John Denver – vocals, 6 and 12-string acoustic guitars
  • Taffy Nivert– vocals
  • Bill Danoff– vocals, guitar
  • Eric Weissberg– banjo, steel guitars
  • Mike Taylor– acoustic guitar
  • Frank Owens – piano
  • Richard Kniss – double bass
  • Gary Chester– drums, percussion
  • Don Wardell – executive producer

Track listing:

  1. Poems, Prayers and Promises – John Denver
  2. Let It be – John Lennon, Paul McCartney
  3. My Sweet Lady – John Denver
  4. Wooden Indian – John Denver
  5. Junk – Paul McCartney
  6. Gospel Changes – Jack Williams
  7. Take Me Home Country Roads – Bill Danoff, Taffy Nivert, John Denver
  8. I Guess He’d Rather Be in Colorado Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert
  9. Sunshine on My Shoulders – John Denver, Richard Kriss, Mike Taylor
  10. Around & Around – John Denver
  11. Fire and Rain – James Taylor
  12. The Box – Kendrew Lascelles