Kris kristofferson biography video about helen
Kris Kristofferson’s “Me and Bobby McGee”
Lydia Hutchinson | September 25, 2015
“The title came from [producer and Monument Records founder] Fred Foster. He called one night and said, ‘I’ve got a song title for you. It’s “Me and Bobby McKee.”’ I thought he said ‘McGee.’ Bobby McKee was the secretary of Boudleaux Bryant, who was in the same building with Fred. Then Fred says, ‘The hook is that Bobby McKee is a she. How does that grab you?’ (Laughs) I said, ‘Uh, I’ll try to write it, but I’ve never written a song on assignment.’ So it took me a while to think about.
“There was a Mickey Newbury song that was going through my mind—‘Why You Been Gone So Long?’ It had a rhythm that I really liked. I started singing in that meter.
“For some reason, I thought of La Strada, this Fellini film, and a scene where Anthony Quinn is going around on this motorcycle and Giulietta Masina is the feeble-minded girl with him, playing the trombone. He got to the point where he couldn’t put up with her anymore and left her by the side of the road while she was sleeping. Later in the film, he sees this woman hanging out the wash and singing the melody that the girl used to play on the trombone. He asks, ‘Where did you hear that song?’ And she tells him it was this little girl who had showed up in town and nobody knew where she was from, and later she died. That night, Quinn goes to a bar and gets in a fight. He’s drunk and ends up howling at the stars on the beach. To me, that was the feeling at the end of ‘Bobby McGee.’ The two-edged sword that freedom is. He was free when he left the girl, but it destroyed him. That’s where the line ‘Freedom’s just another name for nothing left to lose’ came from.
“The first time I heard Janis Joplin’s version was right after she died. Paul Rothchild, her producer, asked me to stop by his office and listen to this thing she had cut. Afterwards, I walked all over L.A., just in tears. I couldn’t listen to the song without really br Kris Kristofferson was born in Brownsville, Texas, to Mary Ann (Ashbrook) and Lars Henry Kristofferson. His paternal grandparents were Swedish, and his father was a United States Air Force general who pushed his son to a military career. Kris was a Golden Gloves boxer and went to Pomona College in California. From there, he earned a Rhodes scholarship to study literature at Oxford University. He ultimately joined the United States Army and achieved the rank of captain. He became a helicopter pilot, which served him well later. In 1965, he resigned his commission to pursue songwriting. He had just been assigned to become a teacher at USMA West Point. He got a job sweeping floors in Nashville studios. There he met Johnny Cash, who initially took some of his songs but ignored them. He was also working as a commercial helicopter pilot at the time. He got Cash's attention when he landed his helicopter in Cash's yard and gave him some more tapes. Cash then recorded Kristofferson's "Sunday Morning Coming Down", which was voted the 1970 Song of the Year by the Country Music Association. Kris was noted for his heavy boozing. He lost his helicopter pilot job when he passed out at the controls, and his drinking ruined his marriage to singer Rita Coolidge, when he was reaching a bottle and half of Jack Daniels daily. He gave up alcohol in 1976. His acting career nose-dived after making Heaven's Gate (1980). In recent years, he has made a comeback with his musical and acting careers. He does say that he prefers his music, but says his children are his true legacy. BornJune 22, 1936 DiedSeptember 28, 2024(88)
Kris Kristofferson and Helen Kiddle go back a long way. I am updating this post because Helen has just been to see Kris at Barbra Streisand’s show yesterday in Hyde Park. The stars reunited to sing together again, 43 years after the movie that led to many fans discovering Kris. 65000 people is a huge crowd. It was a stunning event and reminded me of the earlier gigs that Helen has enjoyed.
Helen said, “What an incredible day seeing Kris in Hyde Park! When he appeared on stage with Barbra to sing, it was all too emotional!” – She echoed the thoughts of many others.
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Why is A Star is Born back again?
A Star is Born – the movie – is back in the headlines again. Why? I’d guess it’s because the story is timeless, and the 1976 version was unforgettable. Helen Kiddle is a long time Kristofferson fan. When she felt like watching the movie again this week, it was 1976 release that she chose from Netflix, above the latest release. She’s seen it before, perhaps a hundred times. Kris’ fans had a few thoughts on the new release ….
Watching Kris on film reminded her of the times she had seen him perform live. A few times – Not hundreds, yet!
Kris, the Highwaymen and the 1990’s
Yes! She did see Kris perform with that iconic group, the Highwaymen back in 1992. Like most fans, I never got to see them live. I’m grateful for the DVDs, but they’re not really the same thing.
I asked Helen to tell us more about meeting Kris and watching him perform – with the band and as a solo act. .