Twenty years ago today, John Denver left this earth all too soon. Whether his country-inflected songs inspire or irritate you, there is no doubt that his oeuvre defines what Colorado once was and still is (at least in the pockets that haven't been overrun by entrepreneurial techies and ugly construction).

After the songster died, he still managed to make his way into headlines, and often for bizarre reasons. Writing tales about everything John Denver, from his stolen head to his nutsack, our writers have long enjoyed chronicling the heists and antics.

To commemorate the twentieth anniversary of his passing, here are twenty of Westword's weirdest stories about John Denver.
John Denver Is Good for the Heart

Rolling Stone and John Denver's Nutsack

John Denver's Comeback

Some Monster Stole John Denver's Head
The Bounty on John Denver's Head Is Now a Year's Supply of Free Beer

The End of the Great John Denver Bust Heist

Photos: Ten Weirdest Pieces of John Denver Art

John Denver: Five Things You May Not Know

A Toddler Singing a John Denver Song — Adorable or Horrifying?