dʒˈɑːn dˈɛnvɚ, ðˈɛn ɐ ɹˈɛlətˌɪvli ʌnnˈoʊn mjuːzˈɪʃən ɪnðə lˌɑːs ˈændʒəlɪs fˈoʊk sˈiːn ʌv twˈɛnti θɹˈiː jˈɪɹz ˈoʊld, hæd ɹˈɪʔn̩ ðə sˈɔŋ dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ɐ lˈeɪoʊvɚɹ æt wˈɑːʃɪŋtən ˈɛɹpoːɹt ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti sˈɪks.
John Denver, then a relatively unknown musician in the Los Angeles folk scene of 23 years old, had written the song during a layover at Washington Airport in 1966.