TV beckoned and Denver hosted numerous specials including several world-televised concerts from Red Rocks Amphitheatre near Denver. "Rocky Mountain Christmas" was watched by over 60 million people and was the highest rated show for the ABC Network at that time. His live concert special, "An Evening with John Denver" won an Emmy award for Best Variety or Musical Special in the same year. He even made appearances on The Muppet Show starting a life-long friendship between Denver and Jim Henson resulting in two Muppet television specials. Denver would go on to host the Grammy Awards five times in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as guest-host The Tonight Show multiple times.

In 1975, he was recognized as the Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year.

In the 1977 film he tried his hand at acting starring in , Oh, God! opposite George Burns and in the same year he co-founded The Hunger Project, along with Werner Erhard and Robert W. Fuller. Denver served for many years, and supported the organization until his death. He was also appointed by President Jimmy Carter to serve on the President's Commission on World Hunger. He wrote and dedicated the song "I Want to Live" as the theme song for the Hunger Project. In 1979, he performed "Rhymes & Reasons" at the Music for UNICEF Concert, and donated the royalties from the song to UNICEF.

Discography