Songwriter, singer, actor, Rhodes scholar, army captain, helicopter pilot, and sex symbol! Follow the ups and downs of Kris Kristofferson's career, and listen again to his famous songs. Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Kris's ex-wife and daughters offer private views of this counter-culture hero.
He was a Rhodes Scholar. Also boxed at Oxford. An Army captain and chopper pilot but I don't think he saw action. I never really liked him but a lot of people did and I can't deny he was a success.
ReplyDeleteHe left the Army because they wouldn’t let him go to Vietnam, they wanted him to teach at West Point, instead. He also graduated from Ranger School.
DeleteI almost killed Kris Kristofferson...true story! He was staying at the Coeurdalene Resort before a show in Spokane Wa and was jogging in the early morning. I was young and was late for work and came hot rodding around a corner and he was right in the middle of the road. I barely missed him and 'Boy Howdy" was he pissed! Cussed me out pretty good. I went to some of his concerts, he really had lyrics down in his songs, a great songwriter. He is a big loss to music.
ReplyDeleteI never understood all the hyping of Kris Kristofferson by Hollywood and Country Music/Nashville. Obviously, his producers realized his potential. He seems like a great guy and all, but until he started doing albums and westerns with Willie, Waylon, and Johnny, I only knew of him in name and from a few iconic photos. Growing up in the 70's in rural Alabama, I wasn't the epicenter of "current events", but I remember this guy being on talk shows, in papers, and magazines and particularly Playboy. I suppose he sealed his fame and fortune with "A Star Is Born" and now with hindsight I can see he had gained some notoriety before my time. I did not realize he had written several hit songs at that time either. How did we make it without 24/7 news and the internet?
ReplyDelete