Kris Kristofferson Biography
Born Kristoffer Kristofferson, Kris Kristofferson is a retired American actor, songwriter, and musician. The songs Me and Bobby McGee, For the Good Times, Help Me Make It Through the Night, and Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down are his songwriting credits all of which were hits for other artists. Moreover, he collaborated with Nashville songwriters such as Shel Silverstein and composed his own songs.
Kris Kristofferson Age|Birthday
Kristofferson was born on June 22, 1936. Therefore, he is 35 years old and celebrates his birthday on 22nd June every year.
Kris Kristofferson Height|Weight
Kristofferson’s height is 5 feet 10 inches (approximately 179 centimeters). Moreover, he weighs 90 kilograms.
Kris Kristofferson Family
Kristofferson was born in Brownsville, Texas to his parents, Mary Ann (nee Ashbrook, mother) and Lars Henry (father). His father was a U.S Army Air Corps officer and later a U.S. Air Force major general.
Kris Kristofferson Wife
Kristofferson was first married to his longtime girlfriend, Frances “Fran” Mavia Beer. They eventually divorced. However, he dated Janis Joplin briefly before her death in October 1970. His second marriage was to Rita Coolidge from1973 until 1976. The two met after appearing on BBC together in 1972. Together, they had a daughter, Casey, and were married for seven years. In addition, they performed together on multiple shows and his film career skyrocketed. Their marriage ended in 1980.
However, he met his third wife, Lisa Meyers, and the couple married in 1983. They are still married to date and have five children together. The children are named, Jesse, Jody, Johnny, Blake, and Kelly Marie.
Kris Kristofferson Education
Kristofferson started his schooling in San Mateo, California. Later, he joined Pamona College and Merton College. Moreover, he graduated from Oxford University after earning a Rhodes Scholarship.
Kris Kristofferson Career
Music career success
Kristofferson continued to be recognized primarily for his songwriting although he released an eponymous solo album in 1970 with Monument Records. It was sought after by country and pop singers alike. Moreover, he collaborated with Shel Silverstein, a poet and cartoonist who co-wrote songs such as Your Time’s Comin’, and Once More with Feeling. However, he wrote the song Me and Bobby McGee though it is usually associated with Janis Joplin who recorded it shortly before her death in 1970. The song was first recorded by Roger Miller in 1969. Moreover, Kenny Rodgers later recorded it in 1969 and Gordon Lightfoot in 1970. Kristofferson released the song on his album in 1970 as well as many other artists of various genres since that time.
Furthermore, the Academy of Country Music named the song, ‘For the Good Times, as the song of the year for 1970. This was his hit recorded by Ray Price. Kristofferson’s Cash’s recording, Sunday Morning Coming Down, was named song of the year by the Country Music Association the same year. Three of the five nominations for the best country song were for songs written by him in 1971. Moreover, two of the five nominations were for song of the year. Help Me Make It Through the Night won him his first Grammy for 1971’s best country song. During the 1970s, he recorded about a dozen of his own albums. Additionally, three of his collaborations were with country singer Rita Coolidge, who was his wife from 1973 to 1979. Full Moon was their first album in 1973 which went gold. It achieved sales of half a million copies.
Film career and Highwaymen
Kristofferson was also gaining a reputation as a movie actor while he continued to write songs, record, and perform. His first small role as a singer in The Last Movie (1971) was directed by Dennis Hopper. Moreover, he played the notorious outlaw Billy the kid opposite James Coburn in Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973) which was his first notable performance. In Martin Scorsese’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, he played the romantic lead opposite Ellen Burstyn: The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea (1976). Opposite Sarah Miles; and a Star Is Born (1976), opposite Barbra Streisand.
In addition, he earned a Golden Globe for his performance as an aging alcoholic musician for the latter which was a breakthrough film. However, he starred in Heaven’s Gate (1980) which was a critical and financial flop. For the next several years, he shifted his focus to television series and made-for-TV movies.
Highwaymen
During the 1980s, he started a band with fellow country musicians Cash, Waylon, Jennings, and Willie Nelson still moving forward with his music career. In 1985, the band recorded a single and then an album titled Highwayman. Moreover, both the album and the single rose to number one on the Billboard country music charts. The group released three albums over the course of a decade and became known informally as the Highwaymen. Highwayman 2 was second to be released in 1990 and The Road Goes On Forever was their last in 1995.
Acting
In addition, in the John Sayles film Lone Star, he was cast as a corrupt sheriff. His performance revived his acting career which was a critical success. It won him many more roles through the rest of the 1990s.
Also, he had the role of a vampire hunter in Blade (1998) and its two sequels (2002 and 2004). Moreover, he also appeared in James Ivory’s, a Paris-based American novelist, A Soldier’s Daughter Never Cries (1998). It was based on the writer James Jones’s life. Sayle’s Limbo (1999), was one of his acts in a steady stream of feature films. He featured also in Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes (2001), and Ethan Hawke’s Chelsea Walls (2001). Moreover, Ken Kwapis’s He’s Just Not That into You (2009), the family movie Dolphin Tale (2011) and its sequel (2014), the musical comedy Joyful Noise (2012) as well as the Western Traded (2016) were some of his acts.
Awards and Nominations
1970 – Country Music Association Awards for Song of the Year and Single of the Year
1973 – Academy of Country Music Awards for Song of the Year, BAFTA Awards for Best Newcomer
1974 – Academy of Country Music Awards for Song of the Year
1976 – Golden Globe Awards for Best Actor in a Musical
1980/1981 – Golden Raspberry Awards for Worst Actor
1984 – Academy Awards for Best Original Score
1985 – Country Music Association Awards for Single of the Year and Video of the Year, and Album of the Year
2003 – Americana Music Honors & Awards for Free Speech Award
2005 /2013 – Academy of Country Music Awards for Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award and Poets Award
2019 – Country Music Association Awards for Lifetime Achievement Award
Grammy Awards
1971 – Song of the Year and Best Country Song
1973 – Best Male Country Vocal Performance
1974/1975/1985 – Best Performance by a Duo or Group
1990 – Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals
2014 – Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
2016 – Best Americana Album
Kris Kristofferson Net Worth
Kristofferson’s net worth ranges between $160 million to $200 million.
