James Lee Stanley

Back in the seventies, I went to the Troubadour to see a new songwriter I had heard a lot about.

The songs were good.  Country songs, with basic chord progressions and good lyrics, but the writer was a really bad singer and could barely play the guitar and he had no stage presence whatsoever.  

Still, I liked the songs, though I didn’t enjoy the performance.  

Sunday Morning Coming Down struck me right away and I thought “Good thing he got Janis to cover Me and Bobby McGee.  He’ll never make it as an artist.”

Well, Kris Kristofferson went on to record I don’t know how many albums and become a famous actor and get rich and hang with all the stars.  

And last night he was on something called Legends and Lyrics on one of the public broadcasting channels.  But he still isn’t an artist.

I was astounded that in forty years he didn’t learn to play the guitar any better than he had that night so long ago, and he’s singing even worse than he was.  

How do you do something for four decades and not get any good at it?    How can you not care about an audience enough to not even attempt to grow?   Isn’t it the goal of an artist to continue to hone their craft?   To get better and better at it until you physically can’t do it anymore?   Isn’t that the journey and the goal?

I am not in the habit of slamming other artists and I’m not slamming Kristofferson here.  I am just voicing my bewilderment at the standing ovation and the cheers for such an unremarkable performance on guitar, harmonica and vocals.   Why does a person go into the spotlight and then not accept the responsibility that comes with that attention?

I know that he is regarded as a great songwriter, but it was only the older songs that demonstrated that gift.    The newer songs I can’t remember at all.   Bobby McGee still has resonance that was easy to discern even in this sad performance of it.

I am certain that I will be raked over the coals for this, but I just can’t sit by and pretend that it’s okay to display such disregard for such a wonderful art.

I think that we have to hold all artists (including me) accountable to their gifts and their performances.   If you aren’t good at it, then practice, dammit!   Get better.   Prepare yourself for the stage, for the recording studio, and then don’t go into the spotlight until you are ready.    And yes, it’s a work in progress, at least it should be.  You never get as good as you want to be, but you MUST try.  

That being said, it’s okay to not get any better, but don’t go around the country demonstrating that kind of arrogance.  It’s just depressing.  You want to stagnate that’s your choice, but please do it at  home.