Success as a Songwriter
All the while, Kristofferson was crafting a songwriting style that drew inspiration from the Romantic poets, from the folksingers and poets of New York’s Greenwich Village, and from Mickey Newbury, a fellow Texan and close friend, who also was a Nashville-based songwriter. Kristofferson’s songs began to embody not only the alienation that many Americans felt in a turbulent era of social change, but also the high value they placed upon personal freedom, emotional honesty, and sexual frankness. As a result, his songs helped country artists speak to the times and win new fans young and old alike.
Roger Miller, for instance, recorded Kristofferson’s “Me and Bobby McGee,” gaining a #12 country hit in 1969. The following year, Ray Price took Kristofferson’s “For the Good Times” to the top of the country charts and crossed over to the pop charts, peaking at #11. Also in 1970, Bobby Bare cracked the country Top Ten with Kristofferson’s “Come Sundown.”
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One of Kristofferson’s musical heroes was Johnny Cash, who inspired Kristofferson’s song “The Pilgrim.” After several unsuccessful attempts to pitch Cash the song “Sunday Morning Coming Down,” Kristofferson finally got his attention by piloting a helicopter and landing it in Cash’s backyard. The song became a #1 country hit for Cash and the Country Music Association’s 1970 Song of the Year.
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The year 1971 proved even more successful for Kristofferson. Sammi Smith’s rendition of his “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” in which the narrator openly encourages a one-night stand, topped the charts that year, winning Kristofferson a Grammy for Best Country Song. Additionally, Smith’s recording won a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female, and a CMA for Single of the Year. Also in 1971, a recording of “Me and Bobby McGee” by rock star Janis Joplin became a #1 pop hit.
Inspired by Kristofferson’s literary, sensual approach, other writers followed in his footsteps. “Hearing Kristofferson’s ‘Me and Bobby McGee’ on the radio and knowing it came out of Nashville made Nashville seem a lot more accessible to me,” said Guy Clark, renowned for songs including “L. A. Freeway” and “Desperadoes Waiting for a Train” about his own 1971 move from Los Angeles to Nashville.
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