Kris Kristofferson

The Rhodes Scholarship, which Kristofferson won to study at Oxford University in England, is widely considered the world's most prestigious academic scholarship. Other notable Rhodes scholars include: Bill Clinton (the 42nd President of the United States), United States Secretary of State Dean Rusk, astronomer Edwin Hubble, film director Terrence Malick, feminist author and critic Naomi Wolf, and political adviser and commentator George Stephanopoulos.

Attended Pomona College in Claremont, California, with a B.A. in Creative Literature; graduated in 1958.

Father of Tracy Kristofferson (b1962) and Kris Kristofferson (b. 1968) with Frances Beir. Daughter Casey Kristofferson (b. 1974) Heather Lynn Kristofferson born 1977 with Rita Coolidge. Jesse Turner Kristofferson (b. 1984), Jody Ray Kristofferson (b. 1985), Johnny Kristofferson (b. 1988), Kelly Marie Kristofferson (b. 1991) and Blake Cameron Kristofferson (b. 1994) with Lisa Marie Meyers.

Kris Kristofferson was born in Brownsville, Texas, to Mary Ann (Ashbrook) and Lars Henry Kristofferson. His paternal grandparents were Swedish, and his father was a United States Air Force general who pushed his son to a military career. Kris was a Golden Gloves boxer and went to Pomona College in California. From there, he earned a Rhodes scholarship to study literature at Oxford University. He ultimately joined the United States Army and achieved the rank of captain. He became a helicopter pilot, which served him well later. In 1965, he resigned his commission to pursue songwriting. He had just been assigned to become a teacher at USMA West Point. He got a job sweeping floors in Nashville studios. There he met Johnny Cash, who initially took some of his songs but ignored them. He was also working as a commercial helicopter pilot at the time. He got Cash's attention when he landed his helicopter in Cash's yard and gave him some more tapes.

He wrote the song "Me and Bobbie (later Bobby) McGee" which Janis Joplin recorded. The song was a hit for Roger Miller in 1969, who started recording it even before Kristofferson was done writing it.

Cash then recorded Kristofferson's "Sunday Morning Coming Down", which was voted the 1970 Song of the Year by the Country Music Association. Kris was noted for his heavy boozing. He lost his helicopter pilot job when he passed out at the controls, and his drinking ruined his marriage to singer Rita Coolidge, when he was reaching a bottle and half of Jack Daniels daily.

He was the first choice for the role of "The Driver" in Two-Lane Blacktop (1971).

Became good friends with the late James Coburn. They worked together on Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973), Convoy (1978) and Payback (1999). Coburn also sang some backup vocals on Kristofferson's album "Who's to Bless and Who's to Blame".

When Kristofferson hosted the season finale of Saturday Night Live (1975) in 1976, the cast and crew reported that he was drunk, and were worried that he wouldn't be able to do it. Still, Kristofferson proved himself to be quite the functioning drunk, and the show went pretty well. Kristofferson has remarked on numerous occasions that his drinking was often a way to survive when performing, because he is pretty shy and does not have a great deal of confidence in himself.

He gave up alcohol in 1976.

Played football with Burt Reynolds in preparation for Semi-Tough (1977). Both men had been outstanding footballers in college - Reynolds almost turned pro.

Tested for the part of Superman in Superman (1978).

He was going to star as the lead in Hanover Street (1979), but dropped out to mount a concert tour instead. Harrison Ford got the part.

Cameron Crowe posed as a student at Clairemont High School to get material for the screenplay for Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982). The principal of Clairemont was not thrilled with the idea, but when he asked Crowe about musicians that he had met, he mentioned Kris Kristofferson. The principal was a big fan of Kristofferson and agreed to let Crowe on campus.

Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1985.

A fitness fanatic for most of his life, he worked out rigorously up to the mid-1990s, running seven miles daily, worked out on a punching bag and rowing machine and swimming.

In June 1999, Kristofferson underwent elective heart bypass.

Special guest at Roger Ebert's 4th annual Overlooked Film Festival in Champaign, Illinois in March 2002 where his film A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries (1998) was one of 14 neglected movies screened.

Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004.

Inducted into the Texas Film Hall of Fame on March 10, 2006 in Austin, Texas. The other inductees were Matthew McConaughey, JoBeth Williams, Cybill Shepherd and Lyle Lovett.