The theme on this edition of Stranger Songs is "Songs of Kris Kristofferson."
Kris Kristofferson – who recently retired from performing and recording – had tremendous success as a singer and songwriter, and, as an actor.
I met Kris a couple of times. In 2007, we spent an hour together onstage, and a few minutes chatting beforehand, when I moderated a panel discussion at the Ottawa Folk Festival on the enduring legacy of Woody Guthrie and Kris, along with Nora Guthrie and Jimmy LaFave, was one of the panelists. Then, in 2017, I was an award recipient at the International Folk Music Awards during the Folk Alliance International conference in Kansas City, and Kris was one of the artists who performed at the ceremony, and we had a nice chat at the reception. In both of my encounters with him, Kris couldn’t have been nicer or more humble.
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| fragment of The Stranger Song Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen - Columbia/Legacy 
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| To Beat the Devil Kris Kristofferson - Me and Bobby McGee - Monument |
| Me and Bobby McGee Gordon Lightfoot - If You Could Read My Mind - Reprise
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| Sunday Morning Coming Down Katie Moore - Only Thing Worse - Borealis
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| Just the Other Side of Nowhere Johnny Cash - Cash Unearthed Volume 1: Who’s Gonna Cry - American |
| For the Good Times The Little Willies - For the Good Times - Milking Bull |
| The Silver Tongued Devil and I Kris Kristofferson - The Silver Tongued Devil and I - Monument |
| fragment of The Stranger Song Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen - Columbia/Legacy
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| I noted that Kris Kristofferson was a panelist in a discussion on the enduring influence of Woody Guthrie that I moderated at the Ottawa Folk Festival in 2007. At one point, we were talking about Woody Guthrie’s song, "Tom Joad," which was essentially a synopsis of John Steinbeck’s book, "The Grapes of Wrath," and I mentioned to Kris that one of the few parts of the book that Woody left out of his song was the scene that Kris described in his song, "Here Comes That Rainbow Again." |
| Here Comes That Rainbow Again Anne Hills - Woman of a Calm Heart - Flying Fish |
| The Legend Willie Nelson - The Pilgrim: A Celebration of Kris Kristofferson - American Roots Publishing |
| The Circle Marta Gómez - The Pilgrim: A Celebration of Kris Kristofferson - American Roots Publishing |
| Duvalier’s Dream Kris Kristofferson - Me and Bobby McGee - Monument |
| Help Me Make It Through the Night Jessica Chastain - George & Tammy soundtrack - Sony Masterworks 
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| Something They Can't Take Away from Me Roy Orbison - For the Good Times: The Songs of Kris Kristofferson - Ace |
| Please Don’t Tell Me How the Story Ends Joan Osborne - Pretty Little Stranger - Vanguard |
| The Taker Chris Hillman - Morning Sky - Sugar Hill |
| Jody and the Kid Kris Kristofferson - The Silver Tongued Devil and I - Monument |
| Broken Freedom Song Kris Kristofferson - The Cedar Creek Sessions - KK |
| Casey’s Last Ride Johnny Cash - Cash Unearthed Volume 1: Who’s Gonna Cry - American |
| Lovin’ Him was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again) Rosanne Cash - The Pilgrim: A Celebration of Kris Kristofferson - American Roots Publishing |
| Darby's Castle Russell Crowe & The Ordinary Fear of God - The Pilgrim: A Celebration of Kris Kristofferson - American Roots Publishing |
| The Pilgrim: Chapter 33 Kris Kristofferson - The Silver Tongued Devil and I - Monument |
| Me and Bobby McGee Janis Joplin - Pearl - Columbia |
| fragment of The Stranger Song Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen - Columbia/Legacy
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I got to meet Kris Kristofferson at the Ottawa Folk Festival. Great songwriter and very nice guy.
4:05 PM, March 7th, 2023