Kris Kristofferson

American country singer, songwriter and actor

Kristoffer "Kris" Kristofferson (born June 22, 1936) is a former American actor, musician, and writer. He is known for writing country songs for other people or singing them himself. He is also a well-known actor and appeared in films like Star is Born, Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia, Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, Blade, He's Just Not That Into You, and Planet of the Apes.

Kris Kristofferson. Zelt-Musik-Festival 2017 in Freiburg, Germany
Kris Kristofferson

He is the author of a number of country standards, such as "Me and Bobbie McGee" and "Sunday Morning Coming Down". He was born in Brownsville, Texas and was raised in San Mateo, California.[1][2] He studied at Pomona College and Merton College, Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar.[3]

He began playing music in 1959, however his career began in Nashville, Tennessee in 1965 after coming back from military service.

In 2015, Kristofferson was diagnosed with Lyme disease after having Alzheimer's-like symptoms for ten years.[4]

Kristofferson was married to Frances Beer from 1960 until they divorced in 1969. He later married singer Rita Coolidge in 1973 and they divorced in 1980. In 1983, he married Lisa Meyers. Kristofferson has eight children.

In January 2021, it was confirmed that Kristofferson had retired from performing and acting.[5]

In 1976, he won a Golden Globe Award for acting and in 2014 he was honored with a Lifetime Grammy Award. In 2004, he was honored into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

References change

  1. "Death claims famed pilot". The Times. San Mateo, California. January 4, 1971. p. 3. Retrieved May 26, 2020. Famed Pilot Henry C. Kristofferson, 65, famed pilot and former division for Pan American world Airways when he was a resident of San Mateo, died... two sons, Kraig and Kris who has recently found fame as a folk music and country-western singer
  2. "Kris Kristofferson Biography (1936–)". Retrieved February 2, 2013.
  3. "Kristofferson entry on Rhodes Trust database". Archived from the original on 2022-07-01. Retrieved 2022-06-22.
  4. Parish, Dana (July 6, 2016). ""A Slow Slipping Away"- Kris Kristofferson's Long-Undiagnosed Battle with Lyme Disease | HuffPost". Huffington Post. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
  5. "Kris Kristofferson Camp Confirms He Has Retired: 'It Just Felt Very Organic'". Variety. January 28, 2021.