The Austin Sessions (Expanded Edition, Remastered) Kris Kristofferson

• 1 Me And Bobby McGee (Remastered) 04:31
• 2 Sunday Morning Coming Down (Remastered) 05:19
• 3 For The Good Times (Remastered) 03:59
• 4 The Silver Tongued Devil And I (Remastered) 03:36
• 5 Help Me Make It Through The Night (Remastered) 04:09
• 6 Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again) (Remastered) 05:14
• 7 To Beat The Devil (Remastered) 04:30
• 8 Who's To Bless And Who's To Blame (Remastered) 03:28
• 9 Why Me (Remastered) 02:57
• 10 Nobody Wins (Remastered) 04:06
• 11 The Pilgrim: Chapter 33 (Remastered) 02:41
• 12 Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends (Remastered) 02:37
• 13 Best Of All Possible Worlds 05:42
• 14 Jody And The Kid 03:23
• Total Runtime 56:12

Info for The Austin Sessions (Expanded Edition, Remastered)

In the summer of 1997, Kris Kristofferson spent a few days in Texas recording stripped-down versions of his best-known songs. Released by Atlantic Records in 1999, The Austin Sessions pairs the acclaimed outlaw country songwriter with a band of studio aces and guest harmony vocalists for intimate versions of classics like "Me and Bobby McGee," "Why Me?" and "Sunday Morning Coming Down."

Rhino Records celebrates these powerful recordings with an expanded version of the album that features remastered sound and includes two unreleased session outtakes. Fred Mollin, who produced the original album, tells the story behind the sessions in the collection's liner notes, which also feature several unpublished photos from the time.

Kristofferson recorded The Austin Sessions at Arlyn Studios in Texas with a group of session veterans from Los Angeles and Nashville who were hand-picked by Mollin, who also plays acoustic guitar on the album. Kristofferson's longtime touring guitarist Stephen Bruton appears on several songs as well.

Mollin recalls: "I knew in my heart that I could pull off a great under-produced production and give Kris the album he always wanted to make: one that felt like it had the uniqueness and rootsy feeling that Dylan accomplished on his early electric albums."

Several guests join Kristofferson on the album, including Jackson Browne ("Me And Bobby McGee"), Steve Earle ("Sunday Morning Coming Down"), Vince Gill ("Help Me Make It Through The Night"), Catie Curtis ("Nobody Wins"), and Mark Knopfler ("Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends").

Left off the original album, "Best Of All Possible Worlds" and "Jody And The Kid" make their debut on the expanded version. Mollin says the songs show different sides of Kristofferson' songwriting. "One is lighthearted, dry, sarcastic and one of the greatest examples of Kris' humor and storytelling, while the other is just deeply emotional and shows the true aching heart that can be felt like an arrow, from Kris to the listener."

„For the follow-up to Moment of Forever, his first set of new original songs in years, Kris Kristofferson decided to record a set of stripped-down new versions of his classic songs. This project, released on Atlantic Records and entitled The Austin Sessions, was a star-studded affair, featuring harmony vocals from Jackson Browne, Steve Earle, Matraca Berg, Vince Gill, Marc Cohn, Alison Krauss, Catie Curtis, and Mark Knopfler. In one sense, it's easy to question why Kristofferson needed to record these songs again, since much of his catalog seems to consist of reinterpretations of these songs, but taken on its own terms, it's a good listen. In a way, Kristofferson's voice -- which never had too much range, even at its peak -- sounds better now that its older; the ragged edges and wear give it more character, which lend character to the songs. Ultimately, The Austin Sessions isn't a major addition to his catalog, but there's enough warmth and personality to these recordings to make it worth a listen for longtime fans.“ (Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AMG)

Kris Kristofferson, vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica
John Willis, acoustic, electric, slide & nylon string guitar, dobro, mandolin
Stephen Bruton, acoustic, electric & high string guitar, mandolin
Fred Mollin, 12-string guitar, percussion
Mark Knopfler, electric guitar, background vocals
Paul Franklin, steel guitar
Jim Cox, accordion, piano, organ
Joe Spivey, fiddle
Larry Paxton, acoustic & electric bass
Mike Baird, drums
Steve Earle, background vocals
Jackson Browne, background vocals
Catie Curtis, background vocals
Matraca Berg, background vocals
Vince Gill, background vocals
Alison Krauss, background vocals
Mark Cohn, background vocals

Produced by Fred Mollin

Digitally remastered

Kristoffer "Kris" Kristofferson
(born June 22, 1936) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, actor, and former soldier. He is known for writing and recording such hits as "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" and "Help Me Make It Through the Night". Kristofferson is the sole writer of most of his songs, and he has collaborated with various other figures of the Nashville scene such as Shel Silverstein. In 1985, Kristofferson joined fellow country artists Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash in forming the country music supergroup, The Highwaymen. In 2004, Kristofferson was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He is also known for his acting work, including starring roles in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore and A Star Is Born, the latter for which he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor.

This album contains no booklet.