Kris Kristofferson talking about Townes van Zandt

From the documentary Be Here to Love Me: A Film About Townes Van Zandt

[@loganhiatt1577]

As soon as I heard Kris passed I came straight to this interview as it perfectly encompasses what Kris stood for and cared about as a human being- Recognizing the unrecognized, giving credit to the uncredited, and elevating the unrepresented and disadvantaged- Standing up and being a voice for not only Townes, but for the rest of us walking contradictions as well. Rest in peace, Kris. ❤

[@shellybastion9974]

Yes.

[@netw52]

Amen.

[@grosstross2218]

Well said sir!

[@crc778Hypnodoc]

I was privilidged to spend an hour or more alone with Townes before his last UK concert, Dudley 1994. He was the least 'star' like person I ever met, seemed rather at peace with mimself at thattime. Shy even, on stage but held the packed audience spellbound for an unbroken 2 hours of unforgettable music. A lovely human being

[@MrJwgh]

Townes played the cambridge folk festival, 1996.

[@thetruthexperiment]

Dude, that’s awesome.

[@MAGAMANPATRIOT]

Desi Corcoran, that is one cool story and from what I've been told about Townes he was the way you described him. A huge talent.. I try to do at least one of his songs every night.

[@MrMkcampbell]

When I was 18 I saw Townes play at a community center in Lawrence, KS. He came out on the stoop in between sets and I lit his cigarette. At the time I didn't realize how cool that was.

[@steveatiyeh343]

Kris speaks not only for Townes, but for all who passed on before they got the slightest measure of the credit due them.

[@emilygmitter7568]

When you've got a legend such as Kris Kristofferson giving you kudos, you've done something exactly right.

[@davidrice3337]

kinda like Einstein talking about how smart you are

[@bradcampbell7253]

Kris would know about leaving 9 to 5 behind. Didn't he steal an Army helicopter and land it at the white house?

[@davidrice3337]

@@bradcampbell7253 no no - he never stole anything - from what I understand he may have been giving lessons or what have you in Nashville - he had been taking oil rig workers to and from- on the wkd he would drive to Nashville - the legend is he went to the Air hanger and jumped in a helli and landed in Cash's back yard but Cash wasn't home - a couple of the kids were but not sure who - it wasn't Rosanne - I think it was Cindy -

[@emilygmitter7568]

@@bradcampbell7253 I'm glad @davidrice3337 replied. Just to add a bit to his post: Johnny Cash used to say that Kris came running out of the copter with a demo tape in one hand and a beer in the other. However, Kris says to that: "John had a very creative imagination." ;-) Kris added that he would never drink while flying, that "it took two hands to manage that thing." (I believe it was a National Guard heli..Kris was working part-time on the weekends with the Guard.) Kris also says he doesn't remember that Johnny was even home. So I would say...from the horse's mouth.... 🙂

[@dannywilliam34]

Bingo!!!

[@GreasyBelcher]

I’ve never ever, heard a single Townes Van Zandt Song. BUT, over the last 12 months his name just keeps popping up, being suggested by musicians I love. EDIT : (1 Day later) = Been listening time his music for 5 hours, Holy Fuck.

[@funkyandy72]

Townes is for life! Enjoy

[@clintwilson6380]

Dang. Better late than never. Who are some other musicians you like?

[@trustyetman1678]

I highly recommend Heartworn Highways it’s a movie about Townes and it’s the most wholesome thing I’ve ever seen

[@MattMonk]

To me, he's the greatest.

[@TylerD288]

Hopefully by now you've listened to his music. If you haven't heard it yet, listen to Van Zandt's version of "Dead Flowers" by the Rolling Stones. It's one of the best songs I've ever heard and I learned how to play it and sang it at open mics many-a-night! I first heard it play at the end of the movie "The Big Lebowski" at the very end just before the credits roll.

[@joblow6409]

Townes Van Zandt was and always will be a genius

[@bucksellers5364]

TVZ ...and KK ....Both song writing legends....Kris is a huge TVZ fan....What is amazing to me is that none of the people making comments below seem to realize that Kris is saying he was immensely impressed by TVZ.... How can you miss that ???....

[@FishermanClay8108]

Dont gotta be from Texas to know that. I'm from Northern Manitoba.

[@BatuhanlaAkyoruz]

Sorry I am Turkish and how can I say Townes Van Zandt?

[@uteh.6525]

A legend in his lifetime and now two legends are united. It's still taking time but I'm looking forward to heaven when my time comes.

[@BarstoolBlues33]

Two legends. End of discussion.

[@overthehills_faraway8320]

I like your comment but I won't thumb you up I just like the #7 but you are right

[@CindyBarg]

It's always wonderful to hear Kris Kristofferson...i'm such a fan!

[@rkoorse]

That is one of the best lines in a song.

[@primitivejoe553]

"the liberation of a free fall" never short of affective communication

[@shellybastion9974]

R.I.P., guys. We loved you, love you, always will.

[@kevinobrien8311]

Lotta chat on here about insomnia on here so her is my cure. I play Townes The Ballad of IRA Hayes followed by it ain't over yet by Rodney John and Johnny C's little lady/daughter. I drift off harmonizing with John white as he sings It ain't over yet etc. Love these songs. Talking of Townes the song that helped me discover him was Pancho and Lefty recorded by Emmylou and Rodney Crowell and it was probably 20 years before I heard Townes sing it. THEN THERE WAS WILLY and MERLE. That was another wow moment for sure. I live in the UK and we have NO dedicated radio for what is affectionately none as Americana A huge mix of country music spanning 7 decades back to the thirties and beyond and there is only one DJ who actively promotes American Country music. Sorry to be so long winded I just love the multi faceted genre.

[@jackwalker1822]

Country music at least to me has taken a dive for most of the 21st century. An increasing number of people are embracing Americana music which has elements of Country music in it. Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Susanna Clark, Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell, Levon Helm, those are just a few of the top names in that genre. And I love every one of them.

[@turdferguson2982]

You got Van Morrison.....

[@tonyspoetry]

Love This Documentry and Love Townes. Thanks for posting.

[@samcooper8924]

tonyspoetry do you know what interview this except was from?

[@chitinakennicott7045]

Townes Van Zandt. Texas Legend.

[@banjobandit3270]

american legend. legend.

[@alicasoto4497]

Mexican Legend.

[@gudlikeplan182]

Pennyy

[@HardRockMiner]

When we lose Kris music will die for me.

[@AurensYT]

Sorry.

[@sivad2]

Love the shot with a very young Steve Earle in it. We miss you Townes.

[@ravenouscolonelhart]

I think it was about how Townes was in front of a large audience who were all very approving and appreciative of singer-songwriters, which was rare for him, since unfortunately he never had much success and probably felt like the general culture didn't understand or care about what he was doing.

[@kawawangkowboy9566]

One of the artists I respect the most talking about the other one

[@objuan6]

Ya'll do well to read up a little on Kris. Kris got a bit of a poetic background, his self. Kris got kridentials!

[@nast3282]

objuan6 so many good songs!

[@GinnyC1961]

He and Bobbie McGee

[@CaesarCapone]

Kris is the man. A man. A man's man! Just the best.

[@horsehide3039]

You forgot he was a Rhodes Scholar and a military man.

[@dannyfisher6681]

You are a great man Kris Kristofferson!

[@ChazPlays]

@milespittman It's called "Where I lead me"; damn good song.

[@FlatlandMando]

This was a great tribute paid by K.K. to Townes. Do not know what he meant by " saved my life". Guess I have to look into it more

[@emilygmitter7568]

You've probably looked into it by now, but in case not....what Kris likely meant is that if he had not followed his heart and soul to Nashville when he did, he'd have ended up teaching at West Point and not doing what he was meant to do, and what he needed to do to live the life he was meant to...the life of a songwriter.

[@sorrycharlie5773]

Ya gimme goosebumps..😘💪

[@Gratefulman1965]

On the topic of genius, Here’s a short list, Nelson,Newbury, Kristofferson,Clark,Van Zandt,Foley,Crowell,Hiatt, Ely…..And the list goes on🎶

[@Pluralofvinylisvinyls]

Now he’s hanging out with Townes

[@ErikMagnusson-v2b]

soulfull

[@GregariousAntithesis]

That intro to Poncho and Lefty does sound like Kris Kristofferson.

[@erichofmans4431]

Townes is the greatest….. period !!

[@benmeltzer]

0:24 *What* hadn't happened to him before? I don't understand what Kris is referring to.

[@rickbruni640]

I think it was an excerpt of the film " Cisco Pike" 1:05

[@JimmyBagOfDonuts]

Yeah, he was one of the greats

[@borderlord]

Great!

[@jamesbradshaw3389]

Kris Kristofferson knows history, he lived that like himself, it is hard been a solo singer-songwriter until you get lucky, you are scratching a living and a round drink and possibly drugs to way to much

[@kerryg100]

Salamat 😉

[@mickimcmillan9994]

Yes. Jo....you know. As do I.

[@trabwill]

Met Kris Kristofferson at Toronto Airport in 2003 and asked for an autograph for my wife who was a real fan of him! He was just an ignorant asshole, after which she tore up the autograph and threw out all his records!

[@jenrutherford6690]

William Bart, you didn't meet him, you accosted him in a public place where he was no doubt busy trying to get somewhere. It wasn't a concert or a book signing. I think you are the ignorant one invading his private space .

[@CindyBarg]

We all have off days. He's just a man.

[@borderlord]

I very much doubt that..maybe he had to be somewhere..it was an airport after all!

[@highnrising]

@@CindyBarg Exactly. One of the nicest people I ever met about signing an autograph was George Foreman. I've heard someone else say bad things about him, but to me, he was super cool.

[@MrRollingStone72]

Whats the bit about him standing up all about?

[@dafunk39]

Might be too late to answer you but, I think he was saying that he let the crowd know that Townes was a songwriter's songwriter and he didn't get that type of recognition often enough in his lifetime.

[@livingadreamlife1428]

Townes wasn’t a genius. A genius discovers things no one has thought about. Rather, Townes’ genius was to hold a verbal mirror in front of the listener so they could see their own reflection so that they could see themselves in an authentic way, as others did.

[@DerricktheWhite]

He was genius.

[@turdferguson2982]

He wrote music that most real musicians would trade their careers to be able to make and did it in dive bars and dope houses. That's his audience and I think one of the greatest hallmarks of his genius is how he never found success among the popular country music crowd. Uncompromising is what he was and why he is dismissed by the compromised crowd. The best thing that your top 40 hit list can do is plead ignorance. This is revolution music.

[@turdferguson2982]

@@timetheory84 he's a folk singer. The difference between him and a pop country artist is like the difference between the Pocahontas of reality and the Disney version. Townes is real and that's why he's dismissed and ignored by the fake plastic country crowd, and good for him too. If Billy Ray Cyrus or Garth Brooks ever gave me their stamp of approval I would publicly humiliate myself just to embarrass them by association. If Disney ever tried to capitalize on my notoriety I would loudly support the use of hard drugs, unsafe gun use, and unprotected anal sex with strangers and lean into the Disney endorsement with it.

[@turdferguson2982]

@@timetheory84, he definitely did his own thing. You could just as easily call it blues or alternative or prog rock.

[@johnsradios484]

Thanks to Steve Earle I discovered Townes

[@climbnride58]

Me too.

[@edwordthemisinformationsup4334]

Great stuff. Our band's lead singer is largely influenced by this music. Check it out if you get a chance. Cheers!

[@MilesPittman]

what tune was that playing as the video ended? Anyone know!?!

[@3340steve]

The song is by Townes van Zandt , it's called " where I lead me ".

[@johnbanjo9250]

Careless love

[@johanntracey8782]

A great texas songwriter, heard him play at the cactus cafe in Austin. Then recently, I heard another guy, on the same cactus stage (for an open mic), who made a joke about townes, and then sang a song I swear is as good as anything townes ever wrote. Hard to believe, I know. But check him out. seankeel.bandcamp.com/album/long-ways-till-winter listen to that full record, and decide, does van zandt have a record, song for song, that good? If he does, track me down and I'll buy you a beer.

[@robertneukamp8290]

[@nedkline886]

i have no idea what kris is talking about, i do know townes was a genius, and perhaps that is a liability. he should have gotten the nobel award for lit. course dylan was not to far behind townes

[@bucksellers5364]

How can you misunderstand what Kris is saying ?....He is paying TVZ a compliment....What he is saying is that townes could create songs from experiences he had not yet had.... THAT takes amazing talent...And that is basically what Kris is saying...Kris was no slouch himself....Another great writer!!!

[@emilygmitter7568]

@@bucksellers5364 spot on....lots of great writers...Prine, Townes, Willie...Waylon, but Kris is a special kind of "superstar," in my book. Such a diverse life (Golden Gloves boxer, actor, Army ranger, helicopter pilot....Rhodes Scholar), with the ability to put it all down in rhyme and give it reason. Incomparable talent as far as I'm concerned.

[@jackwalker1822]

@@emilygmitter7568 KK wrote so many of the catchiest songs of all time. TVZ was the master story teller.

[@joannekerr8797]

Pp

[@markrush5013]

staying up 6 days in a row....

[@jamespollock11]

m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/onXZhKJ6rr1mbpo#dialog

[@Freeontheland2030]

Wow, devil horns and a triple six,, way to go Kris. Maybe Townes wouldn't take the deal at the crossroads eh Kris, could be why he had to suffer so much.

[@walterkersting9922]

Your old road is rapidly aging Kris...

[@joebroome]

Now I feel informed.