It’s hard to overstate the impact that Kris Kristofferson had on country music.
The legendary singer and songwriter, and member of The Highwaymen, passed away on Saturday at the age of 88 years old, leaving behind a legacy and a mark on country music that few if any will ever match.
His songwriting catalog includes classics like “Help Me Make It Through The Night,” “Me & Bobby McGee,” and of course “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down.” But beyond his songs, he influenced generations of new artists and songwriters – including guys like Eric Church.
Yesterday after the news broke of Kristofferson’s passing, Church took to social media to share a tribute to his hero and friend, as well as an unreleased song called “Kickin’ It With Kristofferson.”
Kris,
The ultimate life well lived. Thank you for being a beacon of light in a darkening world. You were my hero and my role model. And even then, you managed to exceed my expectations when you became my friend.
So long Captain. Till we meet again.
PS I found this on my phone. pic.twitter.com/sqttvPacoD
— Eric Church (@ericchurch) September 30, 2024
But beyond the influence on his songwriting, Church has also credited Kristofferson, and specifically his song “To Beat The Devil” for his entire career in country music.
Back in 2016, Church appeared at a Kris Kristofferson tribute show in Nashville, where he told the story about the song that “saved his life.”
It came at a time when Church was a new songwriter in Nashville – and he wasn’t having much luck getting a publishing deal. In fact, it had gotten so bad that Church had decided if he didn’t get a deal at his next meeting, he was going to pack up and move back home to North Carolina:
“I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for this song, if it weren’t for Kris Kristofferson…
I had a rough time in Nashville, like a lot of people that get told ‘no’ a lot. And I’d played that game where, if I get told ‘no’ one more time, I’m out of here. I’m packing up, I’m going back to North Carolina.
I went into this particular meeting knowing that this was going to be the meeting where it all happens. I remember I played probably half a song and the guy started waving and he goes, ‘I don’t know where you’re from. I don’t know much about you. But I’d go back there.’
And that’s one time I was going to.”
But as he left that meeting, planning to leave Nashville and country music behind after his latest rejection, one of Kristofferson’s songs came on his radio:
“I went to my car in the parking lot of this publishing house. And I’d just got The Austin Sessions on CD. And the next song was “To Beat the Devil.” And it talked about the very thing I was going through, so I decided to stay one more day – after I got drunk. I got drunk first.
Then I stayed one more day, and the very next day I got a publishing deal.
I’m here because of that man right there.”
Kristofferson first recorded “To Beat The Devil” for his 1970 self-titled debut album. Dedicated to his friend Johnny Cash, the song tells the story of a down-and-out songwriter in Nashville who wanders into a bar, only to meet a stranger who sings him a song about giving up because “no one wants to know.”
The singer realizes that the old man is “the devil” telling him to give up, but instead he “drank his beer for free” and “stole his song” while continuing to chase his dream.
Pretty timely for a songwriter like Church, who at the time had thought that his dream had all but passed.
Obviously things turned out pretty well for Eric Church, who even named his recent residency at his Nashville bar, Chief’s, after the song that he credits with saving his life.
And as he performed his To Beat The Devil residency, a stained glass window of Kristofferson overlooked the room – a tribute to his hero and his friend.
