When I was writing last month’s article, I heard the news that Kris had passed away. During the month of October, I read multiple tributes and articles posted about him. We all recall the various stories about his life; here I want to write about my memories of Kris Kristofferson.
As I have previously stated in prior articles, I didn’t grow up listening to country music. I know it’s hard to believe, but I first saw Kris in 1976 as an actor in the movie “A Star Is Born.” I was 16 years old, and was entranced by his singing and the character he played in that second remake of the original from 1937. (The first remake was in 1954)
The 1976 movie soundtrack contained numerous hit songs; by far, my favorite was “Watch Closely Now” in which Kris sang lead. In the intro, I was hooked when he asked “Are you a figment of my imagination, or I one of yours?” Check out my favorite video of that song:
If you’ve watched the movie, you will also recall the scene filmed at Arizona State University’s Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe. This concert was organized specifically to capture Kris and Barbra Streisand onstage. As a naïve teenager, I didn’t realize this was actually a day-long concert that was headlined by Peter Frampton and also featured Santana and other bands.
Kris’s acting credits included several other movies; incredibly, 35 years passed until I realized that he was not only an actor, but an accomplished singer-songwriter. More importantly, I feel, is my discovery of The Highwaymen. You may wonder how I could have lived a half-century before hearing about this country music super group!
Over the next few years, as I listened to their songs and watched concert videos and documentaries, their camaraderie was heartwarming. I honestly can’t imagine a group of today’s biggest stars coming together like those four men did during their careers. Between Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson, my favorite was obviously the “actor” from my teenage crush.
The Highwaymen songs will live on forever in the history of country music. I cannot narrow down a particular favorite; what I enjoy most is when they chose one of the individual band members’ hits and sang it together. That is the epitome of respect and admiration.
Dori Yez will continue to write her monthly article here; and may also “guest instruct” at local venues/events!
