John Denver had already earned his country cred with the crossover hit "Take Me Home Country Roads" in 1971. While that song was inspired by a longing to settle in West Virginia (nor he or the songwriters had actually ever visited the state), this track literally hit closer to home as it was influenced by the singer's beloved Colorado, where he made his home in Aspen. Denver's guitarist/fiddler, John Martin Sommers, wrote the tune during a peaceful drive from Aspen to Los Angeles.

The song originally appeared on Denver's Back Home Again album, but was overshadowed by the hit "Annie's Song." A live version was recorded at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles as part of the album and television special An Evening with John Denver and released as a single in 1975, topping both the pop and country charts.

In 1975, the Baltimore Orioles began a long-standing tradition of playing this during the seventh-inning stretch.

Country singer Billy Dean landed at #27 on the country charts with his 2004 cover.

Alabama native Jim Nabors (aka Gomer Pyle of The Andy Griffith Show) performed this on The Muppet Show in 1976.

Soulja Boy sampled this on his 2011 song "Country Boy" from the mixtape 21 EP.

Dolly Parton sang this on her mid-'70s variety show Dolly! She also performed a bluegrass rendition at some of her concerts.

This was featured in the 1993 comedy Son in Law, starring Pauly Shore and Carla Gugino.

In Stephen King's 1979 novel The Dead Zone, this is used as a campaign song for farm boy-turned-politician Greg Stillson.