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Photo credit: Marina Chavez
Legendary singer-songwriter, actor and activist Kris Kristofferson has recorded a new album, Closer To The Bone, to be released Sept. 29 on New West Records.
The disc is his first studio set since the critically acclaimed This Old Road from 2006 (his first album of all-new songs in 11 years) and is likewise produced by Grammy-winning producer Don Was.
“It picks up where This Old Road left off,” says Was. “It's an uber-intimate musical portrait of what's on Kris's mind at this stage of his life, and I think it represents some of the finest, most-personal songwriting of his career--which is saying a lot!”
Closer To The Bone will be released as a standard CD, deluxe two-CD set, and a limited edition 180 gram vinyl.
In a recent interview Kristofferson spoke of the personal nature of the lyrics on the new album's songs.
“I like the intimacy of the new album" he said. “It has a general mood of reflecting on where we all are at this end of life."
Besides the titletrack the songs include "From Here To Forever," a melancholy lullaby to his children, and "Good Morning John," which he wrote for Johnny Cash and is about his late friend and mentor’s struggles with addiction early in his life. The album features Kristofferson on vocals, guitar and harmonica, Was on bass, Rami Jaffee on keyboards, Jim Keltner on drums and the late Stephen Bruton--to whom the album is dedicated--on guitar, mandolin and backing vocals.
Kristofferson co-wrote “From Here To Forever” with Bruton and Glen Clark; the other songs were written entirely by Kristofferson.
“In recording these songs, our objective was to create the sense that Kris was sitting a few feet away and singing into your ear,” continues Was. “We tried to eliminate anything that came between the artist and the listener and I think we were quite successful!”
Meanwhile, Kristofferson is slated to receive the prestigious BMI Icon Award at the performing rights organization's 57th annual Country Awards dinner in Nashville on Nov. 10.
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 at the event, joins an elite list of past country music honorees including Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, Bill Anderson, Loretta Lynn and last year's honoree Hank Williams, Jr.--along with such other pop music icons as the Bee Gees, Isaac Hayes, Ray Davies, James Brown, Steve Winwood and Crosby, Stills & Nash.
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