SUNDAY CHOICE – Kris Kristofferson Why Me Lord Story Told – By Charles Schokman “Why Me” was recorded by Kristofferson in 1972, featuring backing vocals by soon-to-be wife Rita Coolidge and up-and-coming singer-songwriter Larry Gatlin. It was released on the album Jesus Was a Capricorn in 1973, and became the biggest hit of his career.   According to country music historian Bill Malone, Kristofferson wrote the song during an emotionally low period of his life after having attended a religious service conducted by the Rev. Jimmie Rogers Snow. Malone wrote, “‘Why Me, Lord'” – as the song is sometimes known – “may seem greatly out of character for Kristofferson, but it can be interpreted as his own personal religious rephrasing of ‘Sunday Morning Coming Down.’ In this case, he is ‘coming down’ not from drugs, but from the whole hedonistic euphoria of the (1960s).” Malone described Kristofferson’s gruff vocal styling ...

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“HELP ME”!! – by Des Kelly Sometimes it seems that the BEST there is, passes you by. This almost happened to me, until my brother Ian, now resident in Sri Lanka sent me this video of Eloise Saayman  singing a Country Gospel Song that I had heard many times before, sung superbly by Gene Watson, the Texas-based Country Icon, a song with, as simple a title, as anyone could think of, which was “Help me”. After hearing Gene sing this song, I did try to find a comparison to his version to no avail, until quite suddenly this version appeared in the messenger column of my ipad, courtesy my brother. I have to admit that I took hardly any notice of this latest message, being extremely busy with my Editorial work for e’Lanka, finally deciding to give ear to what this pretty bespectacled lass had in store for me, and ...

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“The ultimate Country love story” – By Des Kelly           He was a “Rock-Star” to begin with, singing and playing his guitar, backed by several guys who became “stars” in their own right, as the years went by. Waylon Jennings, a tall, handsome figure of a man, singing songs in a deep gravelly voice, was an attraction to many gals who attended his shows, who, in reverse, was also attracted to many pretty girls, married three, even becoming a dad, in the process, was then picked out by guitar great, Chet Atkins, who was convinced that this guy would make a superb Country Entertainer, who, not much later, founded the “Outlaw” movement  & together with Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, &  Willie Nelson, began touring and entertaining thousands of Country music fans, wherever they went. A beautiful female by the name of Jessie Colter, now comes into ...

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