Kris Kristofferson

A Moment of Forever

By Shelli Carlisle

Photographs by Dawn Bonner

As I made the journey from one desert to another, I wondered what the evening would hold.  I thought about the interview we did with Kris Kristofferson the previous week and the many things I learned about him. 

His intellect, his service in the armed forces, his struggles with his career, and the love he holds for his family, and his loyalty to friends.  All of these things gave me a bit of insight into his music.

When I reached the McCallum Theater, I was struck by its beauty.  The theater is very grand and it is apparent that the community takes great pride in their haven.  As I was seated, I saw a microphone, two guitars and a couple of amps on the stage.  I was expecting a full band to accompany Kristofferson and was surprised when he came on stage alone.

Dressed in black he picked up his guitar and began to sing.  And sing he did, about wonderful, funny and heartbreaking adventures, the things that many experience daily.  He is an incredible weaver of tales and when you take in the beauty of his tapestry you realize why this man stands alone and why so many people love him.

As I closed my eyes and listened to the words, I was moved to laughter and tears.   His heart wrenching stories of heroes, the beautiful lullabies about his children, the cost of hatred and war, and funny tales about friends, are part of what makes Kristofferson endearing. He sang and shared for a couple of hours with no pretense or airs; just a man with a guitar and a story to tell.  And when the evening came to an end I knew that I had the privilege of encountering a moment of forever.

Intimate, Smart and Simply Kris

By Dawn Bonner

There is no emcee introducing Kris Kristofferson with a prologue of the long list of his accomplishments, nor smoke and mirrors.  He enters stage left, walks the stairs and starts the show.  There is power in his simplicity.

Kristofferson shares with his audience the sources of inspiration and background for his music. As he shares you feel as if you are in on a secret with him.  His songs range from witty, poignant, and funny to serious--about the issues of life today.  For instance, one of the beautiful lines of the song he wrote for his son is, "Darlin' if we're not together, there's one thing I want you to know. I will love you from here and to forever."  He remembers his long time friend Johnny Cash and sings the drunk driver song, which was one of Cash's favorites.  Then, there is the beautiful ballad, Johnny Lobo, he wrote for his friend, John Trudell.  And, then the funny story about a friend of his, Roger, who loves gadgets.  He has twelve TVs, each on a different station.  This became a funny between their friends and the source of a delightfully funny song.

The venues he plays at are beautiful, old theaters, which allows for an intimate setting for his adoring fans.  He has been performing alone for the last few years and the theaters are selling all of the tickets for his perfomances.  If you are a fan of Kristofferson's, you will definitely enjoy his concert.

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