Several years back another friend introduced me to a
wonderful film he narrated called Brats: Our Journey Home, which I
have recommended to several people since, as an excellent explanation of why
military Brats, of which Kris was a third generation, share a common bond,
irrespective of their age.
Mary and I had seen him not that long ago playing in
what I guess was his fiftieth year of touring.
His philosophy of the military and patriotism has modified itself
through the years, but is something I can respect and admire.
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The Highwaymen |
In the interview he sprinkled explanations of why he
went to Nashville, what was it like at Oxford, why he continues to write music
and tour, with what were his fondest memories.
One of these last was his touring with The Highwaymen. In case you are too young to remember this
super star group, it spanned ten years from 1985-1995, made three best-selling
albums, and was comprised of four influential Country Singers: Kristofferson,
Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and the legendary Johnny Cash.
Kris said he was in awe of Cash, partly because the
song Cash recorded, Sunday Morning Coming Down effectively launched Kristofferson’s
career.
Nowhere in the interview did Kris make mention of
Woody Guthrie, a fact that surprised me because this is the 100th
anniversary of his birth (or was that last year?). But when he mentioned the
connection with Cash, I realized that his influence and first love was Country, not Folk music.
connection with Cash, I realized that his influence and first love was Country, not Folk music.
This fact was made more obvious when Mary and I went
to the 54th Anniversary of the Folk Reunion featuring: The
Limelighters, The Brandywine Singers, the “original” Chad Mitchell Trio, one of whom is now an Orange County Priest and was in the front row, and an
artist we first saw early in our marriage in a small Boston coffee house: Tom
Paxton.
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Tom Paxton - 2007 |
Paxton, who has remained a favorite of ours through
the years, sang several songs, some new, some novelty and some like Rambling Boy, perennial signatures. Like Kris, Tom had a story of his
breakthrough, which came when he had a chance to meet his idol, again not Woody
Guthrie, but Pete Seeger, who Tom claims single-handedly taught Folk Music and
Folk composition to at least three generations.
Tom asked Pete if he would listen to a song and, with permission sang Rambling Boy.
Not only did Pete encourage Tom, he sang the song a
week later for a live recording session: with the Weavers; at Carnegie Hall.
I was reminded in those two stories of how long and
hard is the road to stardom for performers.
Aside from the world of art, which occasionally attracts benefactors to
young artists, the rest of the entertainment world is hard and full of personal
challenge.
With all the recent talk about entitlements, I was
reminded of a song by the entertainer, Janis Joplin, which I originally thought might have been
written by Kristofferson (not). It might
have been a plea for entitlement. She
called it Mercedes Benz and it is worth a listen. The words are:
My friends all drive Porches, I must make amends
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends
Oh Lord won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz
Oh Lord won’t you buy me a color TV
Dialing for Dollars is trying to find me
I wait for delivery each day until 3
Oh Lord won’t you buy me a color TV.
Oh Lord won’t you buy me a night on the town
I’m counting on you Lord, please don’t let me down.
Prove that you love me and buy the next round
Oh Lord won’t you buy me a night on the town.
Perhaps ironically, and certainly meaningfully, the
petition is not to the government, but to God.
Interesting concept.
Another topic in the news lately is Unions. I might take a swing at how Unions fit into
my life in my next post. Hope to see you
there.
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