Ashley McBryde remembers Kris Kristofferson at the 2024 CMA Awards

Ashley McBryde paid tribute to the late Kris Kristofferson with a stripped-down acoustic rendition of Kristofferson’s “Help Me Make It Through the Night” at the 2024 CMA Awards.

With himself on acoustic guitar, McBryde performed the classic song about loneliness and connection to a montage of photos from Kristofferson’s life, including a shot of the singer with his friends Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson. Written in 1970, “Help Me Make It Through the Night” placed at no. 71 on Rolling Stone‘s 200 Greatest Country Songs of All Time.

A tribute to Kristofferson, who died in September at the age of 88, was one of the most anticipated moments of the night. Arguably the country’s most poetic and introspective songwriter, Kristofferson was the thinking man’s outlaw country star. Versions of his songs, such as Johnny Cash’s “Sunday Morning Comin’ Down,” Ray Price’s “For the Good Times” and Sammi Smith’s “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” have long been considered one of Nashville’s greatest moments.

In his broader career, Kristofferson was also a Rhodes Scholar, flew helicopters, and served in the Army. Kristofferson, who retired from touring several years before his death, also made his mark as a social justice activist and actor.

McBryde, who won the 2019 CMA Artist of the Year, is inducted as Female Vocalist of the Year alongside Kelsea Ballerina, Megan Moroney, Lainey Wilson and Kacey Musgraves. Before the awards, she announced that she would be releasing a new single, “Ain’t Enough Cowboy Songs,” on December 6. Last year she was nominated for album of the year for Ashley McBryde presents: Lindevilleher ambitious concept album.