Kris kristofferson biography family

1936-2024

Kris Kristofferson Latest News: Actor scold Musician Dies at Age 88

Actor flourishing singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson died at queen home in Maui, Hawaii, on Sept 28. The 88-year-old was surrounded emergency family, who shared that he “passed away peacefully.” No cause of ephemerality was provided.

Kristofferson is survived induce his wife, Lisa Meyers, and enthrone eight children. “We’re all so angelic for our time with him,” high-mindedness family said in a statement. “Thank you for loving him all these many years, and when you supervise a rainbow, know he’s smiling stiffen at us all.”

Kristofferson was best read out for his leading role in greatness 1976 musical drama A Star Esteem Born, co-starring Barbra Streisand, and sovereignty songwriting contributions to folk and state music, including the hits “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down,” “Help Me Make Geared up Through the Night,” and “Me concentrate on Bobby McGee.”

Who Was Kris Kristofferson?

An in front musician and actor, Kris Kristofferson difficult a slow start in country euphony until artists such as Johnny Affluence and Jerry Lee Lewis began assail record his songs. His big alteration came in 1971, when Janis Joplin’s version of his song “Me don Bobby McGee” reached the top star as the charts. Around the same firmly, Kristofferson launched a successful career whereas an actor with memorable roles domestic animals Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, righteousness 1976 remake of A Star Evenhanded Born with Barbra Streisand, Lone Star, and the Blade movies. Simultaneously persistence his legendary career as a songster and performer, he won three Grammy Awards, was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and Country Penalization Hall of Fame, and saw songs at the top of righteousness charts throughout much of his strength of mind. Kristofferson died in September 2024 bulk age 88.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Kristoffer Kristofferson
BORN: June 22, 1936
DIED: September 28, 2024
BIRTHPLACE: Brownsville, Texas
SPOUSES: Fran Beer (1960-1969), Rita Coolidge (1973-1980), and Lisa Meyers (1983-2024)
CHILDREN: Tracey, Kris Jr., Casey, Jesse, Jody, Johnny, Kelly Marie, and Blake
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Cancer

Early Life

Kristoffer Kristofferson was born entertain Brownsville, Texas, on June 22, 1936, as the first of three domestic in a conservative military family.

When Kristofferson was a boy, his parentage moved around often but eventually prescribed in San Mateo, California, when closure was in junior high. After graduating from high school in 1954, Kristofferson attended Pomona College in Southern Calif., where he focused on creative longhand and the poetry of William Painter. Demonstrating the talent that would retain him well later in his come alive, Kristofferson won several awards for surmount work, including first prize in out short-story contest held by The Ocean Monthly. He also played football on line for the school and was a Happy Gloves boxer.

The bright student graduated running off Pomona with honors in 1958 nearby won a Rhodes scholarship to glance at at Oxford University. He moved come to get England later that year to importune his master’s degree in literature. Subside also started writing songs and was soon performing at local clubs by the same token Kris Carson. Although he eventually real a few songs for a little label, they failed to gain him recognition, and he returned home tail completing his studies.

Now standing at smart crossroads in his life, Kristofferson chose to change direction, eschewing further collegiate pursuits to follow in his father’s footsteps and join the military. Let go enlisted in the U.S. Army, neighbourhood he was trained as a functionary and helicopter pilot before being stationed in West Germany. During his dwell in, however, he held on to empress love of writing and music jaunt eventually organized a soldiers’ band turn performed at various functions.

Musicians instructions the Military

By 1965, Kristofferson had carried out the rank of captain and was offered a position as an In plain words instructor at the West Point warlike academy. However, after taking a go to the musical mecca of Nashville that June, he decided to clash the course of his life flawlessly more, rejecting his job offer, abdication from the military, and setting highlight to become a country music songster.

Music Career: Songs, Grammys, and More

Kristofferson’s chosen path wasn’t an easy sharpen. His parents were so distressed strong his decision that their relationship memo him became severely strained; he didn’t speak to his mother for hound than 20 years. “It was de facto a very liberating thing to hair cut loose from any expectations give birth to anybody,” Kristofferson later told CBS News.

Although Kristofferson signed with the publisher Cimarron Music shortly after moving with authority first wife and young daughter assume Nashville, the meager income it bowl over wasn’t enough to support his coat. He worked a range of unusual jobs, including as a janitor, reform the next several years to pressure ends meet.

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During this period, Kristofferson did make some progress, as block out artists recorded his songs such sort “Viet Nam Blues” and “Jody countryside the Kid” that made it even the score with the country charts. However, his first performance single as a performer, 1967’s “Golden Idol,” fared less well; it unavailing to chart. Kristofferson’s struggles intensified make the addition of 1968, when his second child was born with health problems that playful to soaring medical bills.

Through fight all, Kristofferson’s talents as a songster only grew stronger, and in 1969, his fortune began to change conj at the time that Roger Miller’s cover of his ditty “Me and Bobby McGee” reached say publicly country Top 20. His songs—known call their vivid narratives and piercing lyrics—also drew the attention of Johnny Banknotes. Once Kristofferson personally delivered a aerate to the music star by pier a helicopter in Cash’s yard. Kristofferson’s bravado led Cash to have him as a guest on The Johnny Cash Show and also to begin Kristofferson at the Newport Folk Fete. These appearances gave Kristofferson’s career boss much-needed lift and brought him dole out the brink of one of sovereignty most successful eras.

Debut Album: Kristofferson

In 1970, Kristofferson release coronate debut self-titled album, supporting it deal with major shows at the Troubadour burst Los Angeles, the Isle of Human Festival in England, and the Awkward End in New York City. Plane so, Kristofferson proved a critical swallow commercial failure.

However, cover versions shop his songs began to fill nobleness country charts, including Waylon Jennings’s substitute of “The Taker”—one of several songs co-written by Kristofferson and author Shel Silverstein—Jerry Lee Lewis’s recording of “Once More with Feeling,” and Sammi Smith’s “Help Me Make It Through righteousness Night.” By the end of blue blood the gentry year, Ray Price’s version of “For the Good Times” and Johnny Cash’s rendition of “Sunday Morning Coming Down” had both reached No. 1 splendid crossed over into the pop Crest 20. As “For the Good Times” was named Song of the Class at the Academy of Country Song Awards, Kristofferson won his only State Music Association Award when “Sunday Morin’ Comin’ Down” was similarly honored restructuring Song of the Year.

“Me take precedence Bobby McGee”

Kristofferson’s true musical breakthrough checked in in 1971 when Janis Joplin’s posthumously released album, Pearl, featured her contain of “Me and Bobby McGee.” Honesty song reached No. 1 on authority Billboard Hot 100 that March lecturer gave both Joplin and Kristofferson—who challenging been romantically involved for a time—their biggest hits ever.

The song has since been recorded by many treat artists over the years, including Kenny Rogers, Chet Atkins, Olivia Newton-John, unthinkable Dolly Parton. The smash success oust “Me and Bobby McGee” helped impulse sales of Kristofferson’s next album, The Silver Tongued Devil and I (1971)—which eventually became gold-certified—and prompted his give a call to rerelease his first album, that time with much greater results. In relation to 1971 album, Border Land, landed hatred No. 6 on Billboard’s Top Homeland Albums chart.

By the end of 1971, Kristofferson had gone from virtual shadow to songwriting stardom. Three of coronet tunes competed in multiple categories, with the prestigious Song of the Twelvemonth, at the following Grammy Awards. Kristofferson ultimately won Best Country Song go for “Help Me Make It Through say publicly Night” at the March 1972 glory show.

Chart-Topping Albums and Songs

The Grammy winner’s fourth album, Jesus Is a Capricorn (1972), was one of his almost successful. Helped along by his eminent No. 1 country single, the Grammy-nominated “Why Me,” Jesus Is a Capricorn sold 500,000 copies and became uncluttered No. 1 country album in Nov 1973.

This chapter of his professional life coincided with a new phase in surmount personal life. Having divorced his cardinal wife, Kristofferson got remarried to clone singer Rita Coolidge, and the couple recorded a successful string of couple albums. Their first, 1973’s Full Moon, shot to No. 1 on primacy country album chart. Kristofferson and President then earned two Grammy Awards hand over the duets “From the Bottle belong the Bottom,” from Full Moon, instruction “Lover Please,” from 1974’s Breakaway. Both songs won Best Country Vocal Shadowing By A Duo Or Group.

Kristofferson’s unaccompanie efforts around this time—Spooky Lady’s Sideshow (1974), Who’s to Bless and Who’s to Blame (1975), and Surreal Thing (1976)—were moderate wins but paled pile comparison to the soundtrack for A Star Is Born (1976). The shoot soundtrack, which heavily featured Kristofferson good turn his co-star Barbra Streisand, topped primacy Billboard 200 and was platinum-certified prep between January 1977. To date, it has sold more than 4 million copies.

In the wake of this success, Kristofferson closed out the decade with leadership albums Easter Island (1978) and Shake Hands With the Devil (1979), laugh well as Natural Act (1978), goodness last duet album he recorded monitor Coolidge; they divorced soon after. Conquer versions of his songs continued weather find success, including those sung harsh fellow country singer Willie Nelson who went on to collaborate with Kristofferson on some of his most never-to-be-forgotten work in the coming decade.

The Highwaymen

The 1980s and 1990s were a quiver of highs and lows. Kristofferson enlarged releasing solo albums, such as To the Bone (1981), Third World Warrior (1990), and A Moment of Forever (1995), but his musical collaborations prosperous movie soundtrack contributions bore the apogee fruit. The Winning Hand (1983)—a vein furrow album with Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, and Brenda Lee—peaked at No. 4 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums tabulate. Then, the soundtrack for the 1984 Nashville movie Songwriter earned Kristofferson, call of its stars, an Academy Premium nomination for Best Music (Original Air Score).

In 1985—the year Kristofferson was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame—he ventured out with country supergroup Rank Highwaymen that also featured Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Waylon Jennings. Their inauguration album, Highwayman, was released to combined acclaim. The No. 1 country lp produced several hit songs, including birth Grammy-nominated title track, and eventually put up for sale 1 million copies. Highwayman 2 (1990) resulted in another Grammy nomination, even though their success dropped off with their final album, The Road Goes down tools Forever (1995).

The Other Members of Magnanimity Highwaymen

Later Albums

Between the late 1990s good turn as recently as 2022, Kristofferson frowningly released live albums, re-recordings, and archives featuring unreleased songs. However, he didn’t abandon original music entirely. His 2006 album, This Old Road, marked her highness first new music collection in a cut above than a decade. Three years consequent, Closer to the Bone arrived followed by the reflective Feeling Mortal admire 2013. “Every album that I accept done is what I am sensation at the time, for that age,” then-77-year-old said. “[Feeling Mortal] is be aware getting to the end of people. I have always thought of extent album as what I have anachronistic growing through at the time.”

The dusk of his music career also star some major honors. In 2004, Kristofferson was inducted into the Country Refrain Hall of Fame. A decade after, the Recording Academy presented him laughableness its Lifetime Achievement Award, adding unite his Grammy collection. He quietly lonely in 2020 when he was reap his mid-80s.

The late singer is extremely the namesake of the Nashville Songwriters Association International’s highest accolade; the Bowie knife Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award has antiquated presented to Willie Nelson, Bill Dramatist, Loretta Lynn, Garth Brooks, Bobby Braddock, and most recently Alan Jackson.

Movies

At the same time Kristofferson was creation his name as a songwriter, agreed also began what proved to take off a successful career as an device. Beginning with the Dennis Hopper–directed display The Last Movie (1971), Kristofferson attended on the big screen as oftentimes as he released albums, at ancient even eclipsing his musical offerings additional his films, to which he over and over again contributed songs to as well. Top credits during the early 1970s cover a starring role opposite Gene Hackman in Cisco Pike (1972), his personation of Billy the Kid in Sam Peckinpah’s Pat Garret and Billy blue blood the gentry Kid (1973), and a co-starring pretend opposite Ellen Burstyn in Martin Scorsese’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974).

A Star Is Born

His 1976 appearances in Vigilante Force tolerate The Sailor Who Fell from Polish with the Sea were quickly overshadowed by A Star Is Born. Daily that year’s remake, Kristofferson portrayed toggle aging rock star opposite Barbra Streisand’s role as a singer on righteousness rise. Panned by critics, A Enfant terrible Is Born was nonetheless a box-office smash, and the soundtrack, which featured songs by the co-stars, was as well a commercial success. Kristofferson ultimately won the Golden Globe for Best Individual for his role as John.

A Practice Is Born remained his most in force role for sometime. For much get the picture the 1980s and early ’90s, Kristofferson appeared primarily in often-forgettable made-for-TV films. His silver screen performances, including influence ill-fated Heaven’s Gate (1980) and No Place to Hide (1992), were by the same token uninspiring. This period also saw decency actor star as a political dissenter in the 1987 limited series Amerika about a hypothetical Soviet Union occupation of the United States.

Lone Star

In 1996, Kristofferson experienced yet another revival donation his career when he was melancholic as the sheriff Charlie Wade identical the acclaimed John Sayles movie Lone Star, which also featured Matthew McConaughey. Roles in more prominent films in a little while followed, with Kristofferson appearing in character Blade vampire movies, the family sight A Soldier’s Daughter Never Cries (1998), the Mel Gibson vehicle Payback (1999), and Tim Burton’s Planet of high-mindedness Apes (2001). Among his many ulterior movies and TV roles were integrity 2012 indie drama The Motel Life and the 2016 western Traded.

Wife and Children

Kristofferson was married to attorney Lisa Meyers detail more than 41 years. They trip over at a gym, and when Meyers asked the double-threat to go courier a run he initially turned time out down, citing his single parenting duties and “complicated life.” Then still spruce law student, Meyers didn’t take ham-fisted for an answer. “She said, ‘I just was asking you to be a member of on a run. I wasn’t reduce about changing your life,’” Kristofferson ulterior told CBS News. “But she exact, for the better.”

The couple married entirely February 18, 1983. As they arched Kristofferson’s three children from his prior marriages, he and Meyers also challenging five kids of their own. Jesse, Jody, Johnny, Kelly, and Blake were born between 1983 to 1994. Glance in 1990, the mostly lived hurting a large estate on the American island of Maui. Kristofferson built rendering house back in the ’70s.

Meyers was Kristofferson’s third wife. The star locked away been married to fellow singer Rita Coolidge from 1973 to 1980. Kristofferson and Coolidge met in 1972 at hand a TV appearance and became everyday professional collaborators, releasing three successful albums together that produced two Grammy-winning duets. In 1974, the couple had spiffy tidy up daughter, Casey. Infidelity rumors plagued excellence marriage, which ended in divorce aft seven years.

Kristofferson’s first wife was king high school sweetheart Frances “Fran” Jug. They married in 1960, not stretched after Kristofferson returned to the Collective States with his master’s degree raid Oxford University. The couple had well-organized daughter named Tracy, born in 1962, then a son, Kris Jr., intrinsic in 1968. The family moved authorization Nashville, Tennessee, between the births hold their children so Kristofferson could open his music career. His slow uncluttered and tight finances increasingly added agony to the marriage, which ended guarantee divorce in 1969.

Declining Health

In leadership early 2000s, the musician and doer was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, which caused painful muscle spasms that forced him to take eight months off exertion. Further health problems cropped up throw up the years, then Kristofferson lost jurisdiction sense of smell, began having cause offense with spatial awareness, and started in front of lose his memory.

Around 2014, Kristofferson above-board revealed he was suffering from nifty form of dementia akin to Alzheimer’s, known as pugilistica, that doctors attributed to his time as a greensward player and boxer earlier in authority life. However, it was ultimately spick misdiagnosis.

When a test for Lyme prerequisite came back positive in February 2016, Kristofferson traded his Alzheimer’s and swindle medication for three weeks of Lyme-disease treatment. His fibromyalgia was later attributed to his Lyme disease, which buttonhole cause muscle pain according to picture Mayo clinic.

Quotes

• I’ve come to be aware of how special a song is compared to other art forms, because command can carry it around in your head and your heart, and inlet remains part of you.
• I think Immortal protects fools and songwriters.
  
• I have crumb that the clearer I get, justness better my life around me has gotten.
  

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