Episode #53 | 4.1.20
John Denver: A Folk Singer, a Sniper and America’s Darkest Day
In this episode
(A special bonus episode of Disgraceland during this prolonged period of Covid-19 lockdown to help you pass the time.) John Denver was arguably one of, if not the biggest star of the seventies. His easy listening mainstream folk and his squeaky clean, environmentally friendly image made him a favorite in homes all across America. But was John Denver hiding a dark secret? One born of a mysterious military upbringing? A secret he would do anything to protect? A secret, he took to his early grave but that may soon see the light of day depending on numerous Freedom of Information Act court challenges?
Sources
John Denver: The Untold Story of a Vietnam Sniper, by Loretta Splitair
How Military Snipers Work, by Robert Valdes
FOIA Update: Agencies Implement New JFK Statute, by US DOJ
Trump Holds Some JFK Assassination Files Back, Sets New 3-year Deadline, by Sarah Pruitt
The CIA’s Worldwie Kill Squads, by Roy Norton
Study: Shot Was Fired From ‘Grassy Knoll’ by Amanda Onion
What Physics Reveals About the JFK Assassination, by Erin Blakemore
Disgraceland is a podcast about musicians getting away with murder and behaving very badly. It melds music history, true crime and transgressive fiction. Disgraceland is not journalism. Disgraceland is entertainment. Entertainment inspired by true events. However, certain scenes, characters and names are sometimes fictionalized for dramatic purposes.
Music
Score by Jake Brennan.
Mixed and Engineered by Sean Cahalin.
Disgraceland theme song, "Crenshaw Space Boogie" written and produced by Jake Brennan. Performed by Jake Brennan, Bryce Kanzer, Jay Cannava and Evan Kenney. Mixed and engineered by Adam Taylor.
*illustrations by Avi Spivak @avispivak