Kris Kristofferson was born on June 22, 1936, in Brownsville, Texas, to Marianne and Lars Henry Kristofferson. His paternal grandparents were Swedish immigrants, and his father was a U.S. Air Force general who pressured him to pursue a military career. Kristofferson did not speak to his mother for 25 years. He excelled in academics and sports, becoming a Golden Gloves boxer and attending Pomona College in California. He earned a Rhodes Scholarship to study literature at Oxford University.
Despite earning the rank of captain in the United States Army, Kristofferson’s true passion was music. He rose to prominence after Johnny Cash recorded his song “Sunday Morning Coming Down,” which won the Country Music Association’s 1970 Song of the Year award. Kristofferson was infamous for binge drinking, which cost him his helicopter pilot profession and contributed to the breakdown of his marriage to singer Rita Coolidge.
Kristofferson’s career flourished in the 1970s. He released his first solo album, “Kristofferson,” in 1970 and won a Grammy in 1971. He began an acting career, earning a Golden Globe for Best Actor in the 1976 film “A Star is Born.” Notably, he landed a helicopter in Johnny Cash’s backyard to present a song, leading to his breakthrough.
Kristofferson had three marriages. He has five children with his first wife, Lisa Marie Myers; two with Rita Coolidge, and two with his current wife, Frances Mavia Beer. His remarkable career included penning the famous song “Me and Bobby McGee,” which was a posthumous success for Janis Joplin.
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Source: Celebrity Tribute