name the article states that he adopted the surname denver after the capital of his favorite state however new zealand singer john denver hore toured the us in the s using the name john denver and met john deutschendorf who told him he liked the named and asked if he could use it see e g john hore released his first album in after winning a tv talent contest and touring with the miss new zealand show he travelled to the united states in where he used the name john denver denver was his middle name he allowed another artist john deutschendorf to use the name when he left the states in the s he returned to the us and used the name john grenell