Kris Kristofferson:

Me And Bobby McGee (Kristofferson):(1971)

The Silver Tongue Devil and I:(1971)

Border Lord:(1972)

Jesus Was A Capricorn:(1972)

Full Moon:(1973)

Spooky Lady's Sideshow:(1974)

Breakaway:(1974)

Who's To Bless And Who's To Blame:(1975)

Surreal Thing:(1976)

Songs of Kris Kristofferson:(1977)

Easter Island:(1978)

Shake Hands With The Devil:(1979)

To The Bone:(1981)

Songwriter:(1984)

This is one of my favorite sections of my collection. Kris Kristofferson was another artist I became enamored with at a very young age. He just seemed cool! I still feel that way. That fact that he's also one of the greatest songwriters of all time is a bonus. The Earthiness in his voice and words stirs the dust we're all made of in the most human way possible. As a small child daydreaming about being a songwriter... the road... the venues... the adventure... Kristofferson embodied it all in what seemed like the best possible way. Then when I learned about his outspoken activism, well, the deal was sealed. This man was a bona fide hero. 

I met him once at a show in Boulder, CO. He was sharing a bill with Jesse Winchester. After the show he jumped off the front of the stage, and started shaking hands, and chatting with people still hanging around. I was eighteen. It meant the world to me. 

Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen:

Lost In The Ozone:(1971)

A Country band with a taste of Rock'N'Roll, Western Swing and all Americana. I first bought this album after hearing Hot Rod Lincoln. I will say that the album cover perfectly matches the music contained inside. This is the Country music of dope smokers, and beer drinkers in the 70's. Check out the tracks, Seed and Stems (again), and Lost In The Ozone.

Country Casanova:(1973)

More of the glorious same on this album. Key tracks here: Smoke, Smoke, Smoke (the Cigarette), and the track that got hem banned on country radio, Everybody's Doin' It Now.

Slim Cessna's Auto Club:

The Bloudy Tenent Truth Peace:(2004)

To oversimplify this band as Country is criminal, however, there is plenty of true Country in there. No, there's more atmospheric Appalachia darkness and humor swirling around in this brew. From the first track, This Is How We Do Things In The Country, you know you're in for a ride...A ride were you struggle to differentiate between the truth and fiction of the stories flying past the windows of a runaway pickup-truck.    

The Byrds:

Fifth Dimension:(1966)

For their short lived career, and inner band turmoil, the Byrds were a kickass band. And, Fifth Dimension is a classic album. The cover alone is enticing, but then you get Eight Miles High...come on! What makes this album a strong one is that the tracks you weren't going to hear on the radio are just as good as the ones you did. Check out Wild Mountain Thyme, I Come And Stand At Every Door, or 2-4-2 Fox Trot.

Sweetheart Of The Rodeo: (1968)

Some forces are so strong even trees bend in their wake, so it was with Gram Parsons. The wayward Georgia boy blew in and changed everything for the Byrds, and after he left the band would never be the same. This album was part of my childhood soundtrack, being one of my folks' favorites. It is a killer album, and helped start an entirely new genre of pop music, Country-Rock, Alt-Country, whatever you want to call it. However, tensions grew to a point that the band fractured, and some left with Gram when his exit came.

Untitled:(1970)

Part Live/part Studio, this album fails to produce the charm of Sweetheart of The Rodeo while holding on to the Country flavored tunes. Still, the song Chestnut Mare is a beautiful song penned by McGuinn and Jacques Levy.