GRAMMY® AWARD WINNING MUSIC ICON KRIS KRISTOFFERSON REFLECTS ON LIFE AND LOVE ON INTIMATE NEW ALBUM CLOSER TO THE BONE

In Stores September 29, 2009 From New West RecordsProduced By Grammy Award Winner Don Was

Kristofferson To Receive BMI Icon Award This Fall

Los Angeles, CA -- Grammy® Award-winning music legend Kris Kristofferson opens his latest release with the title track “Closer To The Bone,” an intense, intimate song which the Los Angeles Times describes as “a celebration of that point in life where every moment becomes precious.” The record continues with 11 poignant tracks. Closer To The Bone, his second release with New West Records, is scheduled for release on September 29, 2009. The new record was produced by Grammy Award winning producer Don Was (Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt) who also produced Kristofferson’s last CD, the critically acclaimed This Old Road. Closer To The Bone will be released as a standard CD, deluxe two-CD set as well as limited edition 180 gram vinyl.

The personal lyrics on Closer To The Bone are a reflection of Kristofferson’s epic journey. “I like the intimacy of the new album” he explains in a recent interview. “It has a general mood of reflecting on where we all are at this end of life.” In addition to the title track, other stand out cuts include “From Here To Forever,” a melancholy lullaby to his children, and “Good Morning John,” written for Kristofferson’s friend and mentor, the late Johnny Cash, about the struggles with addiction early in Cash’s life.

Closer To The Bone features Kristofferson on vocals, guitar and harmonica, Don Was on bass, Rami Jaffee on keyboards, Jim Keltner on drums and longtime friend, the late Stephen Bruton, to whom the album is dedicated, on guitar, mandolin and backing vocals.  All lyrics and music were written solely by Kristofferson except “From Here To Forever” which was written in collaboration with Stephen Bruton and Glen Clark.

On November 10, Kristofferson will be honored with the BMI Icon Award at the performing rights organization’s 57th annual Country Awards, the oldest awards saluting country’s top music makers. The Icon designation is given to BMI songwriters and artists who have had “a unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers.” Kristofferson, who will be saluted with an all-star musical tribute that evening, joins an elite list of past honorees that includes country music stalwarts Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, Whisperin’ Bill Anderson, Charlie Daniels, Loretta Lynn and last year’s honoree Hank Williams, Jr., along with multi-genre nobility like the Bee Gees, Isaac Hayes, Ray Davies, James Brown, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Steve Winwood and more.

CLOSER TO THE BONE Track List1. Closer To The Bone 2. From Here To Forever 3. Holy Woman 4. Starlight And Stone 5. Sister Sinead 6. Hall Of Angels 7. Love Don’t Live Here Anymore 8. Good Morning John 9. Tell Me One More Time 10. Let The Walls Come Down 11. The Wonder

For photos and bio visit: press.newwestrecords.com/kk or ellis-creative.com/Kristofferson.html

About New West:New West Records LLC is an eleven year old, wholly independent record label distributed in the United States by RED Distribution. With offices in Los Angeles and Austin TX, the company is staffed by a unique blend of music and business specialists. The label has had over a dozen releases debut in the Billboard Top 200 and boasts a number of Grammy® award winning artists including Dwight Yoakam, Steve Earle, Rickie Lee Jones, Kris Kristofferson and Delbert McClinton. In addition, the roster includes Ben Lee, Buddy & Julie Miller, Corb Lund, Ian Hunter, John Hiatt, Jordan Zevon, Mark Olson & Gary Louris, Old 97’s, Randall Bramblett, Ray Davies, Stephen Bruton, The Drams, The Flatlanders and Tim Easton. The extensive catalogue boasts releases from Benji Hughes, Drive-By Truckers, Jason Isbell and Vic Chesnutt. New West Records also has partnerships with Danny Goldberg’s AMMAL Records, Scott Weiland’s Softdrive Records, and exclusively releases CDs and DVDs from the award-winning television program “Austin City Limits”.

Publicity Contacts:Amanda Ornelas / New West Records / (310) 246-5766 / HYPERLINK "mailto:amanda@newwestrecords.com" amanda@newwestrecords.comTamara Saviano / Ellis Creative / (615) 400-0388 / HYPERLINK "mailto:Tamara@ellis-creative.com" Tamara@ellis-creative.com