Rick Schuler plays holiday favorites and John Denver classics at the Rocky Mountain High Experience

For those of us born in the latter decades of the 20th century, John Denver’s dulcet tones and sweet songs playing on the radio was a common occurrence, especially around Chrismastime. The platinum-selling folk artist hit a peak in the 1970s, but many of his songs reverberated like a twanging guitar string for generations.

Musician Rick Schuler is one of those kids who grew up hearing Denver’s songs at home, and as he got older and gained an interest in playing music, his physical and vocal resemblance to Denver intertwined the two men forever.

At the Byham Theater on Tuesday night, Schuler brought his “Rocky Mountain High Experience: A John Denver Christmas” show to the stage with just himself, his guitars and a Christmas tree shining with white lights. Likely owing to the bad weather and the fact that the show was rescheduled from an earlier date, the crowd was a bit sparse — but those wo did attend didn’t lack for enthuaiasm.

Schuler was casual but kind onstage, starting off the night with the first verse of Denver’s timeless “Rocky Mountain High” (it would get a full reprise towards the show’s end). “I want you to feel free to sing along with me,” he announced before strumming the first chords.

After four decades of experience, the singer and guitarist has a wide repertoire of Denver’s songs down pat, from the heavy hitters such as “Annie’s Song” and “Back Home Again” to Denver’s seasonal songs including “Aspenglow.” And not only was Schuler able to match the timbre of Denver’s ethereal voice, he also proved to be a scholar of Denver’s life and music.

Before performing “Follow Me,” Schuler told the story of the song’s inception. “He and his good friend, Joe Henry, were on an exploration through Colorado gathering inspiration for songs. … What’s interesting is, on their hike, they came across an old mineshaft. And as they peered into this thing, as it goes down the shaft, on the back of the wall were scribbled two words: ‘Follow Me.’”

Christmas favorites were woven throughout the show, with an early appearance from the classic “Silver Bells.” Schuler said that he’d just arrived in Pittsburgh the night before and was surprised to wake up the morning of the show and look outside. “I guess it snows here a bit, hey?”

He also emphasized his own Christian faith while still celebrating Denver’s Chrismas music with a slow and solemn version of “Away in a Manger.” He even switched a bit from John Denver to Bing Crosby for a cover of bittersweet classic “I’ll Be Home For Christmas.”

But despite the smattering of holiday music, it was really Schuler’s love and reverence for Denver’s original music that shone through, even when Schuler played some originals of his own. His album “Colorado” was released earlier this year, and the songs he played from the record were all thoughtful meditations on Denver’s themes, including nostalgia, the environment and love.

A highlight was “So High in Colorado” (which he was sure to insist was not, as it implied, any kind of drug-related double entendre). Written from the late singer-songwriter’s point of view, the laid-back and cheerful tune emphasized unity in a fractured country and finding peace across the political spectrum. His airy album opener “Golden Days Colorado” really evoked the grandiosity and luminosity of the Rocky Mountains.

Schuler played a lovely version of “Sunshine on my Shoulders” after explaining that the song was his entry point to Denver’s music at the age of 12. “That’s why we’re all here today. Really. It changed my life,” he said.

He also addressed Denver’s tragic death in a plane crash in 1997, as well as the close friendship that he formed with Denver’s longtime manager Hal Thau, who just passed away a few months ago. “It was a very difficult time for me. … He and John were like brothers, and for me, Hal was like a father.”

When it came to Denver’s most well-known tunes, the audience didn’t ignore his request to sing along. During “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” the whole crowd clapped along and sang loudly. During “Annie’s Song,” the sweeping waltz that Denver wrote for his wife, the crowd’s voice underscored Schuler’s croon with surprising beauty.

But what Schuler was truly not prepared for was this audience’s excitement for “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” which was the first song of the three-song encore. He seemed genuinely surprised at the volume of singing — but considering Pittsburgh’s proximity to West Virginia, it isn’t all that shocking.

He also wrapped up the encore with perennial favorite “Leaving, On a Jet Plane” and then finished up with a break from the guitar, singing “This Old Guitar” over a track of Denver playing the titular instrument. It was a touching send-off for the evening.

John Denver’s music deserves to be passed on to new generations, especially at this time of year. And Rick Schuler is doing a great job of keeping the magic of Denver’s legacy alive with humor, respect, curiosity and kindness.