Kris Kristofferson, Lyle Lovett, Emmylou Harris (Johnny Cash Tribute) – 1996 Kennedy Center Honors

09/12/2017 | Kris Kristofferson, Lyle Lovett, Emmylou Harris and Rosanne Cash perform “Sunday Morning Coming Down”, “Folsom Prison Blues”, “Ring of Fire” and “Walk The Line” as a tribute to 1996 Honoree Johnny Cash. The Kennedy Center Honors is an annual honor given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to American culture.

Kris Kristofferson | Me and Bobby McGee | Highwaymen live at Nassau Coliseum, 1990

Janis Joplin covered the song for inclusion on her Pearl album only a few days before her death in October 1970. Kris had sung the song for Joplin, and singer Bob Neuwirth taught it to her. Kris, however, did not know she had covered it until after her death (the first time he heard it was the day after she died). Joplin’s version topped the charts to become her only number one single and only the second posthumous number one single in rock & roll history (the first was “(Sittin’ on) the Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding). In 2004, the Janis Joplin version of this song was ranked No. 148 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.