Kris Kristofferson remains in the hearts and minds of so many country artists. The impact he leaves behind still reverberates throughout the country music industry today. Even veterans within the field like Vince Gill admit how much they take inspiration from Kristofferson.
Recently, Vince Gill and his wife Amy Grant sit down with Cindy Watts of American Songwriter for an interview. There, they sit in their home in Nashville, Tennessee, coming to tears when remembering the late actor and country legend. "God, he changed the face of how songs were written here," Gill explains. "The vocabulary of his depth was unheard of here."
Additionally, Vince remembers listening to one of his own records from 1997. By that point, Gill released the song and never thought twice about it. Why would he? At the time, he thinks nothing of it. However, he comes to something of a revelation. The song isn't something of his own accord. He unknowingly curbs from Kris Kristofferson the whole time. "It was the exact same melody as Help Me Make It Through the Night," Vince admits. "I saw [Kris] and said, 'Hey, I'm really sorry. I think I just completely (took) one of your songs.'"
Ultimately, Kristofferson doesn't think twice about the situation and tells Vince he doesn't care.
Vince Gill & Country Music Mourn The Loss of Kris Kristofferson
Vince Gill is one of several artists who speak out in remembrance of the country icon. Eric Church shares a similar story of how one Kris Kristofferson song saves his life during one of his lowest points. He endures an excruciating meeting, trying to get a publishing deal in Nashville and facing rejection afterwards. Consequently, Church faces solace in the bottle and plays To Beat The Devil by Kris Kristofferson.
That song inspires Eric the same way Vince Gill finds his inspiration from Help Me Make It Through The Night. It remains a testament to how much Kris Kristofferson means to country music.
