Imagine John Lennon’s 75th birthday: Kris was there
The following article was written before the event. The clip is from the concert.
5 December 2015, is the date set for John Lennon’s Madison Square Garden 75th Birthday Concert, called Imagine. John Lennon would have turned 75 on the 9 October this year, so the birthday bash is right before the 35th anniversary of the day he was fatally shot on 8 December, outside his apartment block in New York City. Other artists include Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, Peter Frampton, Pat Monahan (Train), u0026amp; the Roots.
According to deadline.com, AMC will team with Blackbird Presents for this once-off event and AMC has announced the show will be taped and aired exclusively by AMC on 19 December. Sadly, it is unlikely that we will get to see this in the UK. Still, we can but hope. It is the digital age after all, u0026amp; perhaps John’s fans u0026amp; connection to Liverpool here might prompt a miracle.
Kris Kristofferson has connections to the Beatles
I have listed some below, please let me know if you are aware of others?
2014: 22 January, Kris performs at the Art and Music of The Beatles, Gibson Guitar Entertainment Relations Showroom. Links to pics here
: 26 January, Kris and Ringo Starr were both honorees at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards. for “contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording,” celebrated at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre, in Los Angeles. Kris performed with Haggard, Nelson u0026amp; Blake Shelton at the event. He is quoted here, as saying, “The Beatles and Bob Dylan are the ones who are the superheroes that changed music in my lifetime. Remember what pop music was like before them?”
According to hollywoodreporter.com, Starr, on seeing Kris, said, “I’m just gonna hug you first, brother.” As he reached out to Kris he jokes that he was going to get the dinosaur u0026amp; asked Kris what he was getting. Kris is reported to have replied that he didn’t remember, u0026amp; both men laughed.
2006: John Lennon is mentioned by Kris, at the end of his song, Final Attraction
1995: Kristofferson recorded Paperback Writer for Come Together, America Salutes the Beatles the Beatles tribute album in 1995. (USA link if you want this CD is here )
1972: Kristofferson shared the BMI Songwriter of the Year award with Paul McCartney u0026amp; George Harrison. (Kris won this award a few times in other years in the Country Music category) You can read more in the Wild American by Stephan Miller (UK), or the USA
Like Kris Kristofferson, John Lennon was an ambassador for peace. Both have fallen foul of the establishment for airing their political views, u0026amp; for speaking out against war u0026amp; exploitation of the poor. Is it possible that the two were closer friends, united by similar interests? I think it is unlikely, but not impossible. They would almost certainly have known many of the same people.
It’s almost impossible for me to imagine John Lennon at 75, but it’s immensely sad that he was taken from the world so soon. What a talent, who knows what work he might have produced if he had been spared a bit more time.
That said, it’s very touching that the man and his work are remembered so fondly by so many, and I am sure that he the artists performing at his birthday celebration will do him proud.
Note:
The concert is available to everyone. Our site gets a small comm if you order through the link below – Or search and find it for your home country.
Sources and Thanks
Thanks to Tina Stapelfeldt for correcting spelling 🙂
Featured image licence , credit to Matteo Piotto
“Imagine: John Lennon 75th Birthday Concert” will be filmed for a TV special, airing on AMC at 8 p.m. CT Saturday, December 19.
http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/musician-kris-kristofferson-attends-art-and-music-of-the-news-photo/464607549
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/grammys-beatles-kris-kristofferson-honored-674134
