John Denver died on Oct. 12, 1997, in a plane crash, leaving behind a legacy of timeless music and a heartbroken family. During his life, the 53-year-old born Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. tied the knot twice, marrying Annie Martel in 1967 and Cassandra Delaney in 1993.
Though Denver’s music painted him as an easy-going, lighthearted fellow, he told People in 1979 that “at times, I got a really big ego.” However, the family he started, which included adopting two kids with Annie and welcoming a third with Cassandra, made him realize what was important in life.