He was not only one of the most original and formative country singers, but one of the biggest singers/songwriters of all time. With hits like “Me and Bobby McGee” and “Sunday Mornin ‘Comin’ Down”, Kris Kristofferson became world famous, the reference point and idol for famous colleagues and many generations of musicians. Today we are devoting ourselves to the great outlaw of country music and take a look at life and death.
Kris Kristofferson: The beginnings
Kris Kristofferson was born on June 22, 1936 in Brownsville, Texas, as the first child of his parents Mary Jo and Harlan Kristofferson. His father worked as an officer in the US Army, his mother was a committed housewife and musician. His childhood was shaped by frequent moves and strictly military upbringing. Kristoferson began to be interested in music early on, his first influences were Johnny Cash and Hank Williams. He learned the guitar game by hearing his parents’ old country records as a teenager and tried to replay the melodies.
Due to his father’s job, Kristofferson’s family often moved. He spent several years in San Mateo, California, and attended school there. After completing the San Mateo High School in 1954, he wrote down at the Pomona College to become a writer. During this time he wrote award -winning essays, including “The Rock” and “Gone are the Days” The Atlantic Monthly were published.
In 1958 Kristofferson completed the Pomona College with a Bachelor of Arts in literature and summa cum laude. He came to Oxford by scholarship, where he studied and boxed at Merton College. He also played rugby – and started writing his own songs. He also recorded some of them, called himself Kris Carson and even had a manager. However, it was not his plan A that he would become a singer – rather he thought of earning his money as a writer.
From college to the Army
His music career was initially not successful. After completing the college – he graduated in English literature – he was drawn into the army, freshly married to Frances Mavia Beer. In 1960 Kristofferson entered the US Army after completing Oxford. There he was trained as a helicopter pilot and trained in Fort Rucker, Alabama. He also attended the Ranger School. In the early 1960s, he earned his money as a helicopter pilot in Germany. He rejected an apprenticeship at the Military Academy West Point in 1965 because he wanted to devote himself to the music.
He moved to the Musikmekka Nashville. There he tried to make contacts. “When I came to Nashville, people still called it ‘Shit-Kicking Music’,” he said in one interview With the journalist Paul Sexton. “I fell in love with this whole life; It was so different from the military or academic world. It was people who really created a little, punch each other every night and made a week through a week at a time. At that time it was called ‘Roaring’, ”continued Kristofferson.
Kristofferson, the caretaker, meets Johnny Cash
He earned his maintenance with several blue collar jobs-among other things, he was a caretaker at Columbia Records. There he met Johnny Cash. This resulted in one of the legendary stories of rock music. He himself told her in an interview (see video below): “Once I would have been almost fired because a few songwriters stormed into the session and wanted to turn him on a gospel album. And for some reason, the woman, the secretary of the producer, accused me of letting her in and tried to be fired. Then my boss came to me and said: ‘I think you shouldn’t go to John’s session tonight’, which broke my heart because I lived for these recording sessions. But I understood it, ”said Kristofferson.
But Cash was convinced that he wanted to have Kristofferson with him. “I hid in the vault of the recording studio and deleted ribbons there or made some kind of work,” said Kristofferson. “He said, ‘I heard you can’t come to the session.’ I said: ‘No, I have a lot of work to do here below. I can’t.’ He said: ‘Well, I just wanted to tell you that I would not take pictures before you didn’t get up.’ “As the story ended, we know: The two not only became colleagues, but also good friends. “He always admitted to the underdog – and I wanted to achieve this standard.”
Kris Kristofferson: his music career
For Kristofferson it was a fateful encounter. Cash was not only a patron, but also someone who believed in rock -proof of Kristofferson. Kristofferson’s music career picked up speed. In 1970 he released the album Kristoffersonon which the hit “Me and Bobby McGee” could be heard, which was later interpreted by Janis Joplin. Kristofferson became a fixed star in the American and country sky.
He shaped the Outlaw Country, gave the genre a new direction and his own poetry. In the 1970s he recorded several studio albums, including Silver Tongued Devil and I (1971) and Jesus what a capricorn (1972), both of which are among his best known and most successful works.
But that’s not all: in addition to his music career, he was also active and successful as an actor. He played in about A Star is Born (1976) alongside Barbra Streisand (just when his music career cooled down a bit), for which he was awarded a Golden Globe. “When I saw Kris in the Troubadour Club in La for the first time, I knew that he was something special. Barefoot and climate pans on his guitar, he seemed to be the perfect choice for a script that I was developing and finally too A Star is Born Was, ”Streisand recalled in an obituary on Kristofferson.
Other films in which he participated include Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973, directed by Sam Peckinpah), Flower in Love (1973) and Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974). Also his role in Lone Star (1996) and the Blade-Trilogy (1998–2004) further contributed to his awareness. “When my own music career cooled down, I was an important film star. I never thought that in a few years with Barbra Streisand in A Star is Born would play and my whole band would also be there, and that I would make films with Martin Scorsese and Sam Peckinpah – with people I admired from afar. It was a pretty good trip, for a long time, ”he told the“ Guardian ”.
The 1980s were also successful for Kris Kristofferson. He had arrived at the climax of his fame, an absolute superstar. The 1980s were also successful for Kris Kristofferson. He remained a central figure in the country and Americana genre and continued his career with several albums, including The Silver Tongued Devil and I (1981) and Repossed (1986).
Supergroup: The Highwaymen
In 1985, together with Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings, he founded the country supergroup The Highwaymen. The band picked up a total of three albums: The Highwaymen (1985), Highwayman 2 (1990) and The Road Goes on Forever (1995). She toured the world successfully for many years and became one of the most famous country groups ever.
At this point we want to remember a legendary interview in which the reporter asked quite rude: “Why do you work together? One critic, probably also several, noted that none of you attract enough audience and therefore four of you need. “Kris Kristofferson replied:” How kindly from you to mention. “While Cash refuted the question , Jennings only said, half of the fun: “Another question and we are burning down her house.” The mood among the country legends was once again great.
Kristofferson, the Outlaw
Kristofferson stood for Outlaw-Country. Poetically, but definitely political. “Three Chords and the Truth”, as it says. “Since I was committed to this path, I thought it was my responsibility to say the truth as I see it,” he once said that Guardian. “Sometimes that made me unmarketable, especially in country music. But I guess, if you stay long enough, you think that you have the right to say everything you think, and luckily I have always tried it. “
Kris Kristofferson: his family
Kristofferson was married three times: Frances “Fran” Mavia Beer (1961–1969), with the singer Rita Coolidge (1973–1980) and with Lisa Meyers (1983 until his death). He had a total of eight children from his marriages and relationships.
The death of Kris Kristofferson
Kristofferson died on September 28, 2024 with his family in his house on Maui. The cause of death was given. Kristofferson had openly spoke about his memory loss and Borreliosis disease some time ago. The musician was 88 years old. “What a big loss, what a great songwriter, what a great actor, what a great friend,” wrote his colleague Dolly Parton, with whom he often appeared. “I will always love you.”