Making It Through the Night

Western Beat pays tribute to Kris Kristofferson

By: Paul Andersen

He graduated Phi Beta Kappa as a creative writing major at Pomona College, was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University in England and turned down a professorship at West Point to try his hand as a songwriter in Nashville. Along the way, he helped to change the face of country and western music forever as the original outlaw, by spurring a merger of rock and roll attitude and a singer/songwriter’s artistry with a respect for classic country elements, a bubbling stream of music that is mirrored in a genre now known as Americana music.

He’s also acted opposite Barbra Streisand, won a trio of Grammy Awards and knows his way around a helicopter. And with his recent induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Kris Kristofferson can certainly add “legend” to his laundry list of achievements.

But unlike Elvis Presley or Gram Parsons, concerts focusing on his song catalog in L.A. have been virtually non-existent, so tomorrow night’s “Western Beat Tribute to Kris Kristofferson” hoedown at Highland Grounds in Hollywood finally rectifies that situation.

“There are a number of artists who get annual tributes (around town), and they totally deserve them, but there are a number of other deserving artists, too”, says local music journalist Bliss, who put together the line-up and will host the show. “Besides, it was a terrific excuse to go back through my Kris Kristofferson albums. And it has been really gratifying; I’ve been amazed at the responses from the artists, many of whom asked to take part in this after they heard about it.”

The format will have each performer do a pair of Kristofferson tunes along with another song of their own. Scheduled to perform are Tim Easton, Angela Easterling, Mike Stinson, Kristin Mooney en Eric Heywood, Chris Richards, Fur Dixon en Steve Werner, Kip Boardman, David Zink, Kalai King, Anny Celsi en Duane Jarvis, Dawn McCoy and Josh Schwartz en Elisa Randazzo, with chances likely that there will be some special surprise sit-ins. After all, Kristofferson is highly respected within the musical community.

Kristofferson’s best known songs are probably “Help Me Make It Through the Night” and “Me and Bobby McGee,” whose version by Janis Joplin is a staple on classic rock radio. South Carolina native Angela Easterling will tackle the former in her opening spot in the line-up, while closer Dawn McCoy will most likely lead a sing-along with the latter.

“There were so many great songs to choose from, but I’m getting to do my two favorites (she will also do ‘Why Me, Lord?’),” says Easterling, who is calling from [Mad] Dog Studio, where she has spent the day recording a tribute of her own, a song in memory of Johnny Cash that has gotten great response in her recent live sets. “I picked them two months ago, and now with us having lost Sammi Smith a couple of weeks ago (she had a chart-topping hit with ‘Help Me Make It…’), it is especially poignant to do it.”

Easterling admits that she is still finding her place in the songwriter community of her new home base. “I’m still getting connected, becoming part of the scene, and shows like this help; besides, they’re a lot of fun to do. And I really think I’ve been a Californian all my life, only I never knew it. I was always a bit of a weirdo back there in South Carolina, but I really feel at home here. Yet I’m glad to be from the South and I still feel a connection with my roots.”

Not unlike that old outlaw himself, Kris Kristofferson.