Country music legend Kris Kristofferson has spoken to ClashMusic about the first time he entered Nashville.
Kris Kristofferson came late to music. A country music icon, he was initially a helicopter pilot with the US Army, operating out of the Alaskan oil fields. Harbouring ambitions to enter music, it took a life changing visit to Nashville to wrench him out of those army greens.
"I was in the army, and my next assignment would’ve been to teach English Literacy at West Point Military Academy, but instead, I was in Nashville for two weeks on leave between assignments" he explained to ClashMusic.
"I just fell in love with the music community that was going on there. The way the old heroes helped out the new guys. It was a very soulful business at the time; I don’t know if it’s anything like that now. But it was definitely the best move I’ve ever made."
Going on to write some of the most recognisable hits in country music, Kristofferson took his inspiration from some iconic musicians. Stars such as Willie Nelson helped him find his voice, alongside lesser known talents.
"I tried to learn from everybody that I was in contact with and it just happened that I came through at a time when I came into contact with a lot of writers that nobody else knew about, like Mickey Newberry and Tom T. Hall and John Hartford, and there was a good underground scene there in Nashville and we prided ourselves on being, you know, soulful writers. We idealised people like Willie Nelson and Roger Miller who were rebels."
Ultimately, Kris Kristofferson remains a music icon for the universal nature of his songcraft. Speaking to ClashMusic, the country star claimed that he just wants to tell the truth in his material.
"I’ve always felt that it was my was my job to tell the truth as I saw it, just the same as Hank Williams did and the way Bob Dylan did" he said. "It was important to me and I think I probably antagonised some audiences. Nowadays when I go out everybody knows what to expect what I’m singing and what I say."
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