The 2024 CMA Awards have been full of great performances from some of the biggest names in country music. Highlights of the night included reigning Entertainer of the Year Lainey Wilson a star-studded tribute to George Strait featuring the King of Country himself performing with Chris Stapleton. However, no other moment in the show brought me to tears like Ashley McBryde's tender Kris Kristofferson tribute.
McBryde took the stage alone with her acoustic guitar to deliver a tender rendition of "Help Me Make It Through the Night" as photos of Kristofferson, his contemporaries, and loved ones scrolled across the screen behind her. When sang the chorus with her whole chest, I couldn't help but get choked up.
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McBryde is a top-notch songwriter. At the same time, she's something of a modern Outlaw in that she does things her way. She's proven that time and again throughout her career. So, it only felt fitting for her to deliver a touching tribute to a major driving force behind the Outlaw Country movement of the '70s.
The Country Music Association didn't announce the tribute to Kristofferson nor did McBryde deliver a message ahead of her performance. Instead, she did what the "Why Me" singer did for most of his career: let the music speak for itself.
After Kristofferson's passing, the Arkansas native wrote a short but moving tribute to him on social media. "Thank you for teaching us to write. And for teaching me how to beat the devil. Rest now, Mr. Kristofferson," she wrote alongside a photo of the pair together.
Ashley McBryde is the latest in a long line of artists who have covered "Help Me Make It Through the Night."
Kris Kristofferson wrote the song and recorded it for his 1970 debut album, Kristofferson. Later that year, Sammi Smith recorded her rendition of the song which became the most commercially successful recording of the song. It topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and was a top 10 hit on the all-genre Hot 100 chart.
Since Smith's version countless other artists including Johnny Cash, Tammy Wynette, Elvis, Tyler Childers, Willie Nelson, and Ray Stevens have put their spin on the track.