Zachary John Denver: Facts about the Life of John Denver’s Only Son

Zachary John Denver is country singer John Denver’s only son. While he may not have achieved the same fame as John, Zachary has undoubtedly gained attention in the years since his dad’s death.

While country superstar John Denver achieved great financial success through his music, his true treasure was his three children, one of whom is his only son, Zachary John Denver.

Despite growing up in the spotlight, Zachary has largely maintained a private life. More than two decades after his father’s passing, many people wonder how he is doing.

Zachary John Denver is the adopted son of John and his first wife, Annie Martell. The Denvers decided to adopt after learning that John could not father children due to his acknowledged sterility.

Zachary’s exact birth date is unknown, but he is of North American Indian descent, one-quarter Cherokee. Despite not being biologically related, John and Annie wholeheartedly embraced him as their child.

When Zachary was just a baby, John fondly talked about him. In 1975, John said he would return to his home in Aspen and rise at dawn to spend quality time with his son. He added:

“I like getting up when he gets up and feeding him and playing with him in the morning before everybody else gets up.”

Zachary seemed indifferent to his father’s fame. In 1979, John recalled an incident during a limousine ride to one of his music events. The boy gazed at the crowd and innocently asked his parents if the people had gathered to hear “some guy’s dad sing.”

The boy’s curiosity touched John deeply, making him feel sentimental about fatherhood. He said being remembered as their father would be enough for him when he passes away.

Zachary frequently goes by his late father’s actual surname, Deutschendorf, instead of his father’s on-screen name.

Zachary’s parents reportedly split in 1982. However, despite their divorce, John had occasionally visited Zachary and his sister, Anna Kate, in Aspen. Anna Kate is also the former pair’s adopted daughter of Japanese-American descent.

Zachary John Denver emerged as a protective figure within his family following the tragic death of his father in 1997. The devastating incident occurred after his father, piloting an experimental plane, crashed into Monterey Bay.

Five years later, the IRS reportedly demanded $1.5 million from John’s estate. The late singer’s estate was worth $19 million, and the IRS claimed that the estate was undervalued by $2.5 million.

However, in 2003, he won the dispute with the help of Anna Kate. The U.S. Tax Court records stated John’s heirs were reportedly eligible for a federal tax refund of $594,674 instead of paying the demanded amount.

The way the musician’s son navigates his life after his father’s death remains uncertain, as he seldom appears in the spotlight. In 2013, he appeared in John’s documentary “John Denver: Country Boy.”

Zachary frequently goes by his late father’s actual surname, Deutschendorf, instead of his father’s on-screen name. His sister, Anna Kate, also follows suit and uses the same surname.

In 2014, Zachary attended the ceremony honoring his father, John Denver, with a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was accompanied by his other sister, Jesse Belle Deutschendorf, John’s daughter from his second marriage.

Four years later, in 2018, Zachary was spotted at another event hosted by the non-profit organization Take Note Colorado, where he engaged with the press, discussing the importance of music in a holistic approach to the state’s youth.

Like Zachary, there are also children of celebrities seldom seen in public. Similarly, Matt Damon and Luciana Barroso opted to keep their four daughters off the spotlight.