The Greatest Award Ever Lit On Fire On Live TV

Was John Denver too pop for Nashville country music in 1975?

This is the John Denver era of "Sunshine on My Shoulders", "Annie's Song", "Thank God I'm a Country Boy", and "I'm Sorry," just to be clear. 

It’s also the era of him starting his work with Jim Henson and The Muppets, doing a BBC special, and becoming the epitome of mid-70s musical variety and comedy shows, which you can see on his Emmy-winning An Evening with John Denver as a prime example. 

Denver was quite definitionally as pop as it gets. 

Pop as in “popular.” 

Which is a funny variable in and of itself. 

It’s at least as funny as “country.”

Go ahead. Think about “popular.” Now do “country.”

Variables. 

Descriptive labels.

Which leads us to awards. Labels as trophies. Variables as varied as the populations who pick them.

The Country Music Award for “Entertainer of the Year” is the last award presented in the annually televised show. It’s the big one. The coveted one.  

It’s for the artist who (thanks Wikipedia) is: "displaying the greatest competence in all aspects of the entertainment field", with consideration to not only recorded performance but also "in-person performance, public acceptance, leadership, and overall contribution to country music" they have exhibited throughout the eligibility period.

Charlie Rich, aka Silver Fox, won the award in 1974, so he got to present it in 1975. 

“Tradition,” that’s another good variable. 

Rich presumably agreed with the “popular” label but not the “country” definition as represented by the biggest award in the country music scene. 

So, he announced the award while disdainfully opening the envelope, and proceeded to say, “The winner, my friend, Mr. John Denver.”

Add “friend” to the list. 

Because, while Silver Fox was staying “my friend” he was also lighting the paper slip with John Denver’s name - on fire. 

Denver accepted the award via video satellite as the audience reacted with what seemed to be a mix of laughs, gasps, and snickers. An on-screen caption let the TV audience know Denver had no clue what just transpired (as he’s smiling and looking gracious). Rich was disinvited from future appearances at the ceremonies. 

You can take the variables and make whatever story you like with them. 

You can use “pop” to make “country” narrow and draw a line. 

You can use “pop” to cross over out of “country” and become a “global” “star.” 

You can just be too drunk backstage at an already too-long award show and perhaps make a poor decision. 

None of these are “right.”

None of these are “just the facts.” 

They’re just stories we tell with the variables available.  

It’s so interesting to see moments like this out of time and think about what they evoke, with and without context. 

It really makes you think about what we experience in time.