While Kristofferson has been responsible for the release of a number of songs over the years, he has also contributed his songwriting skills to a number of other musicians over his career. He is the author of songs with titles such as “Sunday Mornin’ Coming Down,” “For the Good Times,” and “Help Me Make It Through the Night.”
In addition, Kris is well-known for being a member of the band known as the Highwaymen, which also featured Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Kristofferson. His induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame took place in the year 2004.
Kristofferson is well renowned for his successful acting career in addition to his work in the music industry. He has had roles in films such as “Blume in Love,” “A Star Is Born,” “Lone Star,” and all three installments of the “Blade” movie trilogy. Because of his work in “A Star is Born,” which was released in 1976, he was given a Golden Globe Award. At the age of 85, in 2021, he took his retirement from the company formally.
The Beginnings:
The 22nd of June, 1936 finds Kristoffer Kristofferson being brought into the world in Brownsville, Texas. He was brought up in a family with roots in Sweden, Switzerland, and a number of other European countries. Kris had a very military upbringing due to the fact that his father was an officer in the United States Army Air Corps who would go on to become a major general in the United States Air Force.
As a direct result of Kristofferson’s upbringing, he was strongly influenced to pursue a career in the military at a young age.
As a result of his father’s employment in the military, his family moved about the country quite a bit; nonetheless, they finally made their home in San Mateo, California.
After receiving his diploma from high school in 1954, Kris went on to study English at Pomona College and decided to pursue a career in writing. He went on to become a high-achieving student at the school, participating on the rugby, American football, and track teams, and publishing multiple essays that won prizes. During this time, he worked as a dredger for a company in the sector.
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In the end, Kris Kristofferson received his Bachelor of Arts degree in literature from Pomona College, where he also received his summa cum laude diploma.
After that, Kris was successful in acquiring a scholarship to attend Oxford University, which enabled him to enroll at Merton College. He once more returned to his athletic ambitions, this time taking part in boxing and rugby competitions. When he was further along in his undergraduate studies, he began penning poems and songs.
In addition to that, he started recording his debut albums with Top Rank Records. In 1960, he received his Bachelor of Philosophy degree with a concentration in English Literature. After a significant amount of time had passed, Pomona College bestowed upon him an honorary degree in the field of fine arts.
Despite the fact that Kris was already pursuing a career in the music industry, he decided to enlist in the military after giving in to the pressure from his family. After graduating from Oxford, he enlisted in the United States Army and worked his way up to the rank of second lieutenant. After that, he received his training as a helicopter pilot, graduated from Ranger School, and was assigned to a base in West Germany.
Over time, he would work his way up to the position of captain. Kris was still able to put together a band and continue playing music during these years. After the conclusion of his tour, he was presented with the option to instruct English literature at West Point; but, he chose to concentrate his efforts on establishing a career as a songwriter instead. Because of this, his family decided to disown him.
Career:
In 1965, Kris Kristofferson was finally able to pursue a career in music after he had finished his service in the military. It wasn’t simple for him at first, and he had to take on a number of other odd jobs just to make ends meet. Before he became successful, he and his first wife ended up divorcing one other and moving on with their lives.
He found employment as a janitor at Columbia Recording Studios in Nashville, and it was while he was sweeping floors there that he first met June Carter. He requested that she give Johnny Cash his demo tape, and she complied with his request. Despite this, Cash did not bother to listen to it.
During this time, he also worked as a helicopter pilot, which enabled him to do a stunt in which he landed a helicopter on Johnny Cash’s front yard. In the end, he was successful in getting Cash’s attention, and the superstar did in fact listen to Kristofferson’s recording.
In the beginning of Kris Kristofferson’s career as a songwriter, Johnny Cash made the decision to record a song that Kris had written titled “Sunday Mornin’ Coming Down.”
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This was a pivotal moment in Kristofferson’s career. Other vocalists, such as Dave Dudley, began performing other songs written by Kris, including “Viet Nam Blues,” very quickly afterward. During this same period, Kris Kristofferson also attempted to release recordings of his own songs, but they were not nearly as successful as Kristofferson’s songs when they were performed by other musicians.
Over the course of the subsequent few years, further tracks that Kristofferson had penned began to make their way onto radio airways. These singles included “Jody and the Kid” by Roy Drusky and “Once More with Feeling” by Jerry Lee Lewis. His music maintained a significant level of popularity throughout the decade of the 1970s. It wasn’t until 1971 that Kris published his debut album, “The Silver Tongued Devil and I,” which went on to become his first commercially successful effort.
After achieving this level of success, Kris went on to spend many years working in the film industry, acting in films such as “Blume in Love,” “A Star is Born,” and “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.”
This cinematic career would continue on for a number of years, and in the 2000s, he would make an appearance in the “Blade” film franchise for the second time. He also kept moving forward with his music career, and by the 1980s and beyond, he was working with musicians such as Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton. He finally collaborated with them. A new album by him, titled “Feeling Mortal,” was released the following year in 2013.
Relationships:
In 1961, he tied the knot with his lifelong sweetheart, Frances Mavia Beer; nevertheless, they would later wind up divorcing each other. After that, Kristofferson had a relationship with Janis Joplin, who her away in 1970. 1973 marked the year that he tied the knot with vocalist Rita Coolidge.
This marriage lasted for seven years before finally dissolving in 1980 due to irreconcilable differences. His current wife’s name is Lisa Meyers, and the two of them tied the knot in 1983. Kristofferson is the father of eight children, all of whom were born through his various partnerships.
Concerns Relating to Health: In the year 1999, Kris underwent a successful bypass operation. After then, he was diagnosed with having Lyme disease after suffering from an unidentified sickness between the years of 2004 and 2015. Alzheimer’s disease was at one point suspected to be the cause of his symptoms. In California, he received antibiotic treatment in try to treat the Lyme illness that he had contracted there.
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Real Estate:
Kristofferson has a property in Los Flores Canyon, which is located in Malibu. Additionally, he and his family have a residence on the island of Maui, which is located in Hawaii.
Kris Kristofferson Net Worth:
A former American singer, songwriter, and actor with a net worth of $160 million, Kris Kristofferson is now retired from the entertainment industry.
