Kris Kristofferson

Kris Kristofferson's background broke with the academic world when he declined an offer to teach college, and instead took a job as a custodian in Nashville to be close to the music he loved, and wanted to create. His biggest break was undoubtedly when he borrowed an air force helicopter and landed in Johnny Cash's yard to deliver song lyrics to "the man in black."

Kristofferson was born in Brownsville, Texas, on June 22, 1936, son of a military man. He moved around as a kid, finally settling in San Mateo California, and graduating from high school with honors. He succeded in school, and went on to England to complete his undergraduate studies, as a Rhodes scholarship to study at Oxford Univeristy.

Kristofferson served a stint in the army as an Air Force pilot during the Viet Nam War. He was invited to teach at the Air Force Academy at the end of his required service, but resigned his comission in 1965. He surprised his wife and family by turning his back on an academic career. He wanted to be a song writer, and was prepared to go through the hard times. Medical bills mounted when his son was born with eshophageal problems. In addition to hard living, his wife and son didn't stick with his through the hard times. His career was on the road, which he followed in search on his big break.


After getting the lyrics to "Sunday Morning Coming Down" to Johnny Cash, he had his foot in the door to the career he loved. At the time he was a hard drinking fun loving rowdy, and put all his energy into getting his songs sung by others.

Kristofferson was known as a song writer, rather than a singer and had his songs recorded by Ray Price, Bobby Bare, Sammi Smith, Waylon Jennings, Roy Drusky, Billy Walker and the Tennessee Walkers, Roger MNiller, Patti Page, and others. His second album of original songs was released in 1971, called "the Silver Tongue Devil and I."

He had spent social time with Janis Joplin, and it was only after her death that he discovered she had recorded "Me and Bobby McGee." In an interview, Kristofferson said, "Janis would have said to me, "THAT'S how this song needs to be sung." Kris is a little bit country and a lot of rock and roll.

When Johnny Cash sang the song "Sunday Morning" on his prime time television show in the early 1970s, the sensors had a problem with the word "stoned." ("Wishing Lord that I was stoned.") Kristofferson was in the balcony during the show knowing the problems, and Cash had not publically said how he would handle the line when he performed it live. Kristofferson's proudest moment was when Cash sang the song as it was written. It's the most credence one can have about his songwriting, Kristofferson remarked later about the incident that put him on the song writing tract. Cash introduced him to the public at the Newport Folk Festival in 1970s.

He received songwriting awards from others recording his songs, one from the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Hall of Fame. As his music became more widely know, Kristofferson began appearing in movies. He first appeared in the Dennis Hopper production of "The Last Movie," followed by "Cisco Pike," which coincided with the release of his album featuring the single "Border Lord." Kristopherson's gruff voice and unique singing style got more recording by other singers, rather than himself during this period. Reocrd sales weren't great, but offers for movies continued to come in. He appeared in "Blume in Love," "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, "Vigalante Force," "The Sailor Who Fell From Grace with the Sea,' which the promoted with a pictural in "Playgirl." His starring role with Barbra Streisand in "A Star is Born" in which he played a husband whose whife's gfame outshown his own, did some good for him personally as he drank less after that particlular role. His character died at the end, and Kristofferson did not want to meet a fate which he was playing with.

During this time he met and married Rita Coolidge, and many of their albums were done together. Albums sales were never as good as those of others who recorded his songs. Eventaully, after several years and a duo career, he also split from his second wife.