Ashley McBryde paid tribute to Kris Kristofferson with a tender rendition of “Help Me Make It Through the Night” in what was one of the highlights of Wednesday’s (November 20) CMA Awards. “Help Me Make It Through the Night” is one of Kristofferson’s biggest songs and would be an easy pick for any tribute performance. For McBryde, though, it goes a little deeper. The song holds a special place in her heart.
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Ahead of the CMA Awards, McBryde spoke to Billboard about her tribute performance. She spoke about her fondness for Kristofferson, how much the song means to her, and why it was a full-circle moment for her.
Ashley McBryde on Her Lifelong Kris Kristofferson Fandom
During a red carpet chat with Billboard correspondent Tetris Kelly, Ashley McBryde revealed her deep connection to the song she performed. “My dad taught me to play ‘Help Me Make It Through the Night’ when I was too little to hold a guitar properly on my own. So, it’s full circle tonight and I hope my dad tunes in to hear his little girl play,” she explained.
During rehearsals, she spoke to the publication about her long relationship with Kris Kristofferson’s music. “He’s one of my favorite songwriters,” she said. “So, Kris Kristofferson, Guy Clark, John Prine, this is how the list goes,” she added. “And it’s my father’s favorite musician/songwriter. It’s his favorite voice to listen to,” she said of Kristofferson.
The Grammy-winning singer/songwriter also revealed that Let the Devil take tomorrow / Tonight I need a friend is her favorite line from the song. “I mean, I was just a little girl singing that with my dad. I was raised in a really strict, religious household, too. So, it was interesting to my father sing something like ‘Let the Devil take tomorrow. Tonight I need a friend,’” she said.
“I was like, ‘Oh, I’ve never heard something that says I don’t care what it costs me. I’m not worried about it.’ I’ve never heard it put that way, at that age. And Kris Kristofferson is responsible for me being a songwriter,” she added.
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