New York-based country singer Tennessee Walt will present “Big-Time Lonesome Town: The Songs of Kris Kristofferson,” a concert and lecture tribute to the legendary songwriter, on Friday, Aug. 1 at noon at the Port Washington Public Library.
The performance will highlight both well-known and underappreciated songs from Kristofferson’s five-decade career, including classics like “Me and Bobby McGee,” “The Silver-Tongued Devil and I,” and “Sunday Morning Coming Down.” Between songs, Walt will share stories about Kristofferson’s life and the inspiration behind his music.
“There’s probably no more interesting person in the history of country music,” said Walt, whose real name is Gayden Wren. The Queens resident performs as Tennessee Walt, singing and playing piano.
“He was a Rhodes scholar, a Golden Gloves boxer, an award-winning short-story writer, a helicopter pilot and a captain in the U.S. Army,” Wren said. “And that’s even before you talk about his half-century as a movie star.”
Walt praised Kristofferson’s lyrical innovation, calling his songwriting “a cross between Hank Williams, Bob Dylan and William Blake.”
Kristofferson’s influence helped shape the careers of artists like Steve Goodman, Willie Nelson and John Prine, Wren said.
This event marks Walt’s ninth themed show, following programs including “The Hank Williams Century, Riding with the Outlaws,” and “The Other Great American Songbook.” His performances have been staged across New York and in states including Florida, Michigan, Tennessee and Texas.
The event is free and open to the public. The library is located at 1 Library Drive in Port Washington. For more information, call (516) 883-4400 or visit www.pwpl.org.
