Roy Rivers: A John Denver Tribute (Holiday Rewind Series)
Roy Rivers has spent a lifetime following the thread that first drew him to music: songs with heart, melody, and a story worth telling. A singer-songwriter and recording artist whose career has carried him from intimate acoustic rooms to selling out the prestigious Red Rocks Amphitheater (twice), and on to concert stages across Europe and the United States, Rivers is perhaps best known internationally for his recording of “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” with Dolly Parton. Released in 2004, the duet became a major European success, reaching No. 1 in eleven countries and earning the pair a Best Duo award. Years later, the recording found an unexpected second life when French ice dancers Nathalie Péchalat and Fabian Bourzat selected it for their competitive program, ultimately performing to the song during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
But the story behind Roy Rivers runs much deeper than one recording. With several albums and hundreds of original songs to his credit, Rivers built his career around the kind of music that made him want to become a songwriter in the first place. Most importantly among his influences was John Denver, whose ability to combine memorable melodies with honest observations about home, love, nature and the human experience left a lasting imprint on Rivers’ own writing and performing.
That connection eventually became personal. Rivers performed 33 concerts with John Denver’s guitarist Steve Weisberg, and his association with Denver’s musical circle led to several memorable moments over the years. Rivers was asked to accept a German Country Music Hall of Fame award honoring John Denver, and later presented the award to members of the Denver family in Aspen during a gathering that included several musicians closely associated with John’s career.
Today, Rivers brings those experiences together in A John Denver Tribute with Roy Rivers—not as an impersonation, but as one singer-songwriter paying tribute to another whose music helped shape his life. The evening blends beloved John Denver songs with stories, personal connections and the warm, acoustic spirit that made the music endure. Rivers approaches the material as a performer who understands what lives underneath the familiar melodies: the longing for home, the pull of the mountains, the humor, the optimism, and the simple power of a well-written song. On Monday, December 28, 2026, Roy Rivers brings that music to the historic Sheridan Opera House in Telluride, Colorado for an intimate evening surrounded by the very kind of landscape that inspired so much of John Denver’s work. It is an evening of familiar songs, a few unexpected stories, and music that still feels like home.
TICKETS ON SALE OCT. 1 at NOON
$40-$65 tickets.
$6 ticketing fee per ticket
21+ unless accompanied by an adult
All sales are final; no refunds.
