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Bio
Kris Kristofferson returns to the essentials of his finely honed craft on his New West album Closer to the Bone. Like the master singer-songwriter's 2006 New West bow This Old Road, the new album is produced by Grammy Award winner Don Was. The previous collection – Kristofferson's first recording in almost a dozen years – was hailed by critics as "one of the finest albums of his storied career" (Rolling Stone), "a stripped-down stunner" (Esquire), and "a return to his best work" (Q).
Kristofferson says, "I like the intimacy of the new album. It has a general mood of reflecting on where we all are at this end of life."
Much like its predecessor, Closer to the Bone is a deftly observed, honestly executed work about love, separation, loss, and mortality. The subject matter ranges from the musician's family ("From Here to Forever," "The Wonder") to Kristofferson's late friend Johnny Cash ("Good Morning John"). Was views the new album as a sort of sequel to its much-acclaimed predecessor: "The recording conditions were a little more controlled, but it's based around Kris singing and playing guitar, and nothing was to get in the way of that. If anything got in the way of it, we pulled it out. I think the two albums are completely of a piece. I love This Old Road. There's something really immediate about it, and really profound. I personally think this is a better record, overall. It's the songs."
Some of the album's songs were penned relatively recently, while others Kristofferson had never managed to successfully record. He laughs when he recalls a previous attempt to cut "Good Morning John" with Willie Nelson – like Cash and Kristofferson a member of the country supergroup the Highwaymen -- on harmony vocals: "I got to that line where I say, ‘I love you, John,' and Willie sang, ‘He loves you, John.' I said, ‘C'mon, Willie, you can say, ‘I love you, John.' I guess it embarrassed him. Anyway, we ended up not putting it out then." While the recording of Closer to the Bone doesn't entirely replicate the off-the-cuff methodology of This Old Road – which was tracked with surround-sound equipment in a single session in the lounge of a Hollywood studio – the new album, made at the Village Recorder in West Los Angeles, aimed for the same earthy simplicity.
Most of the tracks were recorded live in the studio. Was says, "We tried to keep it as spontaneous as possible. There is some overdubbing on it, but for most of it we thought we'd try it with everybody playing."
Was, who played bass on the sessions (as he had on the preceding album), once again drafted the other musicians who supported Kristofferson on This Old Road: guitarist and backup vocalist Stephen Bruton (who also co-wrote the Closer to the Bone tracks "From Here to Forever" and "Let the Walls Come Down") and drummer Jim Keltner. Rami Jaffee of the Wallflowers contributed piano and accordion overdubs.
Such searing, contemplative songs as "Closer to the Bone" and "Hall of Angels" gained a melancholy resonance in the days following the completion of sessions for the album. On May 9, 2009, Bruton – one of Kristofferson's closest friends and musical associates for four decades – died in Los Angeles at the age of 60 after a long battle with throat cancer. The album is dedicated to his memory. "He was there while I was recording, and he was in great spirits at the time," Kristofferson says of Bruton, who joined his band at the age of 20. "Stephen was more like a brother than a guy that worked with me. We went through a lot of years, a lot of laughter, a lot of heartache. I really felt close to Stephen. His spirit's on the album."
Was says of Bruton's unique contributions to Kristofferson's sound, "He and Kris just had a lock that Kris is never going to be able to get with anybody. It's what comes from 40 years of playing together. They just had a way of weaving together."
Kristofferson's New West albums mark the latest works of a distinguished career that has encompassed the authorship of such classic American songs as "Me and Bobby McGee," "Sunday Morning Coming Down," and "Help Me Make It Through the Night"; stardom in such feature films as Lonestar, the Blade Trilogy, A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries, Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid and A Star is Born; honors including three Grammy Awards and a Golden Globe Award; and years of outspoken political and social activism. This November, he will be feted as a BMI Icon at the performing rights organization's Country Awards. Kristofferson is currently a member of the Songwriter Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame.
In the last decade, the now 73-year-old performer has been on a vigorous schedule of international solo appearances. Kristofferson says, "I was overseas doing a film when I got the opportunity to work in Ireland, and I didn't have time to martial the troops. So I went out by myself, and it worked. I've been really surprised at selling out the shows everywhere. People are filling up the houses.
"Something was making a direct communication with the audience," he adds, "and I guess it must be down to the essence of the songs. Because God knows, there's better guitar players and singers. But it seems to be working with my material -- just me and the song."
Press Releases
GRAMMY® AWARD WINNING MUSIC ICON
KRIS KRISTOFFERSON
REFLECTS ON LIFE AND LOVE ON INTIMATE
NEW ALBUM CLOSER TO THE BONE
In Stores September 29, 2009 From New West Records
Produced By Grammy Award Winner Don Was
Kristofferson To Receive BMI Icon Award This Fall
Los Angeles, CA -- Grammy® Award-winning music legend Kris Kristofferson opens his latest release with the title track "Closer To The Bone," an intense, intimate song which the Los Angeles Times describes as "a celebration of that point in life where every moment becomes precious." The record continues with 11 poignant tracks. Closer To The Bone, his second release with New West Records, is scheduled for release on September 29, 2009. The new record was produced by Grammy Award winning producer Don Was (Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt) who also produced Kristofferson's last CD, the critically acclaimed This Old Road. Closer To The Bone will be released as a standard CD, deluxe two-CD set as well as limited edition 180 gram vinyl.
The personal lyrics on Closer To The Bone are a reflection of Kristofferson's epic journey. "I like the intimacy of the new album" he explains in a recent interview. "It has a general mood of reflecting on where we all are at this end of life." In addition to the title track, other stand out cuts include "From Here To Forever," a melancholy lullaby to his children, and "Good Morning John," written for Kristofferson's friend and mentor, the late Johnny Cash, about the struggles with addiction early in Cash's life.
Closer To The Bone features Kristofferson on vocals, guitar and harmonica, Don Was on bass, Rami Jaffee on keyboards, Jim Keltner on drums and longtime friend, the late Stephen Bruton, to whom the album is dedicated, on guitar, mandolin and backing vocals. All lyrics and music were written solely by Kristofferson except "From Here To Forever" which was written in collaboration with Stephen Bruton and Glen Clark.
On November 10, Kristofferson will be honored with the BMI Icon Award at the performing rights organization's 57th annual Country Awards, the oldest awards saluting country's top music makers. The Icon designation is given to BMI songwriters and artists who have had "a unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers." Kristofferson, who will be saluted with an all-star musical tribute that evening, joins an elite list of past honorees that includes country music stalwarts Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, Whisperin' Bill Anderson, Charlie Daniels, Loretta Lynn and last year's honoree Hank Williams, Jr., along with multi-genre nobility like the Bee Gees, Isaac Hayes, Ray Davies, James Brown, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Steve Winwood and more.
CLOSER TO THE BONE Track List
1. Closer To The Bone
2. From Here To Forever
3. Holy Woman
4. Starlight And Stone
5. Sister Sinead
6. Hall Of Angels
7. Love Don't Live Here Anymore
8. Good Morning John
9. Tell Me One More Time
10. Let The Walls Come Down
11. The Wonder
For photos and bio visit: press.newwestrecords.com/kk
About New West:
New West Records LLC is an eleven year old, wholly independent record label distributed in the United States by RED Distribution. With offices in Los Angeles and Austin TX, the company is staffed by a unique blend of music and business specialists. The label has had over a dozen releases debut in the Billboard Top 200 and boasts a number of Grammy® award winning artists including Dwight Yoakam, Steve Earle, Rickie Lee Jones, Kris Kristofferson and Delbert McClinton. In addition, the roster includes Ben Lee, Buddy & Julie Miller, Corb Lund, Ian Hunter, John Hiatt, Jordan Zevon, Mark Olson & Gary Louris, Old 97's, Randall Bramblett, Ray Davies, Stephen Bruton, The Drams, The Flatlanders and Tim Easton. The extensive catalogue boasts releases from Benji Hughes, Drive-By Truckers, Jason Isbell and Vic Chesnutt. New West Records also has partnerships with Danny Goldberg's AMMAL Records, Scott Weiland's Softdrive Records, and exclusively releases CDs and DVDs from the award-winning television program "Austin City Limits".
Publicity Contacts:
Amanda Ornelas / New West Records / (310) 246-5766 / amanda@newwestrecords.com
Tamara Saviano / Ellis Creative / (615) 400-0388 / Tamara@ellis-creative.com
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Ellis Creative
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