In 1969, struggling country artist Kris Kristofferson piloted a helicopter across Louisiana while musing about a new song. According to C. M. Howell, as he looked at the landscape, the “narrative of adventure and sudden love, of finding meaning in wandering from one city to another, and the danger of grasping freedom for all its worth, ignited the pilot’s imagination.” The song, “Me and Bobby McGee,” marks one of the beginnings of a sub-genre of country music that blossomed in the 1970s known as
“Outlaw Country.”
In Too Sick to Pray, theologian and musician Howell notes the religious undertones in many of the songs of Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and others. The faith journeys of these writers are hardly the stuff of inspirational books. They have struggles, doubts, and many questions. Howell pulls apart their lyrics and the music to find how each of them writes about God, faith, and salvation.
Howell’s facility with both theology and music is evident in the way he analyzes both the texts and the music of these fascinating artists. Too Sick to Pray is a valuable resource for any country music fan who wants to explore the music more deeply. (Fortress Press)
About the Author
Robert J. Keeley is a professor of education emeritus at Calvin University and leads music at 14th St. Christian Reformed Church in Holland, Mich.