Kris Kristofferson – Live at Gilley’s • Pasadena, TX — September 15, 1981 (LP Opaque Red with White Marble Vinyl)

It's the next-best thing to a time machine for music lovers. It is Kris Kristofferson's Live at Gilley's – Pasadena, TX: September 15, 1981, a new LP capturing the one-time Highwayman with a full band behind him and an exuberant audience in front of him, wrapping his 1981 tour at the famed Texas venue. Fans who weren't there in 1981 will feel like they are in 2022 as the partial-show release has just enough crowd noise to capture the excitement of the evening and the music proves Kristofferson was one of the rare artists not to fall victim to 1980s production and arrangement values. Kristofferson and band – acoustic and electric guitars, keys, rhythm section and occasional mandolin – stand at the crossroads of country, rock and folk music while playing stone classics such as "Me and Bobby McGee," "The Pilgrim," "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" and 12 others. Though he could never really sing 'em, Kristofferson sure could write 'em – "You Show Me Yours (And I'll Show You Mine)," "For the Good Times" and "Why Me" are among the other tracks – and his '81 band sure could play 'em.

— Kristopher Weiss, jambands.com

This Texas-exclusive color vinyl pressing of Live at Gilley's celebrates Kris Kristofferson's historic 1981 performance at the legendary Pasadena honky tonk with a limited variant available only through Lone Star State retailers. The album captures Kristofferson delivering "Me and Bobby McGee," "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down," and the literary songwriting that made him Nashville's most respected poet, performed at the 40,000-capacity roadhouse that defined post-Urban Cowboy culture.

Gilley's owner Mickey Gilley built the world's largest honky tonk in suburban Houston, attracting Hollywood's attention and creating a cultural moment that briefly made country music America's dominant sound. Kristofferson's appearance brought outlaw credibility to the mechanical bull crowds—his songs about working people, wasted mornings, and complicated faith resonating with audiences who knew those experiences firsthand. This Texas-exclusive pressing honors the local connection between artist, venue, and the audiences who understood both.

Texas-exclusive color vinyl LP. Limited regional pressing. Recorded September 15, 1981 at Gilley's, Pasadena TX. For Texas collectors and Kristofferson devotees.